Reply #86: Yes--people who oppose capital punishment should NOT be hired as prison guards.

[Lyric]

Because the day might come when, during a dangerous prison escape attempt, that guard is expected to shoot and kill prisoners. Whether the killing is committed with a needle or a gun, both are still executions carried out by agents of the criminal justice system. The difference is that the escape attempt is an emergency situation, and the consequences of NOT carrying out that duty could be the loss of innocent life--escaped prisoners are highly dangerous, after all. Is this a tough thing to ask of someone who's never shot a fellow human being, and feels upset by the idea of doing so? Of course. But it's part of the damned job. Not an everyday part, but certainly well within the line of duty in those rare emergency situations.

Similarly, there are times when abortion is an emergency situation, and the consequences of NOT performing one could the the loss of innocent life--in this case, the mother. Is that a difficult, potentially upsetting thing to ask of a doctor? Sometimes, yes. But it has to be done, because lifesaving emergency procedures are part of the damned JOB.

If you can't do the hardest part of your job, then you shouldn't HAVE that job. If you think that killing people is ALWAYS wrong, then don't become a prison guard...or a cop...or a soldier...or anyone else whose job depends upon them to potentially kill in order to protect others. Similarly, if you think that abortion is ALWAYS wrong, then don't become a doctor--because part of your job is to save the life of those women whose own pregnancies are literally killing them.

There is no rational or moral defense for cowardice and incompetence.