[Lyric] Letter to Pope John Paull II (Sabertooth Swing)

[Intro]
On January 1, 1997
I wrote the following letter to Pope John Paul II

[Verse 1]
Dear Holy Father
Thank you for raising your voice
On behalf of Virginia death row inmate, Joseph O'Dell
Joseph O'Dell is alive, though still in grievous trauma from his ordeal
He cannot control his tears
"They tried to kill me", he keeps saying
Awaiting his turn to die, he watched two others
One a close friend, be taken to their deaths
Conscious human beings anticipate death
And die a thousand times before thеy die
No matter what the "humanе" method of death may be
Even lethal injection, which is supposed to just "put you to sleep”

[Verse 2]
Interestingly, the lone dissent in the Supreme Court decision to hear the O'Dell case
Came from Catholic Justice Antonin Scalia
Who is relentless in his pursuit of legalizing executions
Even of juveniles and the mentally challenged
He seems to have no trouble squaring executions with his Catholic faith
And in this he is no exception
Rarely is the death penalty questioned from pulpits at Mass
And "pro life" as it turns out, most often means pro innocent life, not guilty life
The death penalty is very much a poor person's issue
99% of the 3,100 souls on death row are poor
And I have found that as a general rule
Those involved with justice for poor people readily oppose the death penalty
Whereas those separated from poor people and their struggles readily support it
They are more prone to see poor people as the "enemy"
And to be willing to inflict harsh punishments to “control" them
[Verse 3]
Your words on the death penalty in Evangelium Vitae
Have come as a fresh breeze
Especially welcome were your words upholding the dignity of human life
The "sacred and inviolable character" that each human life possesses

[Verse 4]
Unfortunately, however, when you uphold the states right to execute
In cases of "absolute necessity" some pro-death penalty advocates
Such as Catholic District Attorney of New Orleans, Harry Connick, Sr
Use those words to justify their vigorous pursuit of the death penalty
As the death penalty is practiced now, Mr. Connick has stated
The death penalty is "all too rare"
So he feels that every death penalty that he succeeds in getting is an "absolute necessity”

[Verse 5]
Even in a so-called developed country such as the U.S
We are discovering how much the status of the victim plays a part
In the decision to seek death as a punishment
The vast majority of people on death row, 85%
Are chosen for death because they killed white people
Whereas, when people of color are killed, fully 50% of all homicides
Not only is the death penalty seldom sought
But often there is not even vigorous prosecution of such cases

[Verse 6]
But I am full of hope
I have found that when people can get real information about the death penalty
Not just rhetoric from politicians or sound bites from media
Overwhelmingly, they reject the death penalty and choose life