furniture & accessories Clemency Plea Dur Expansion Is Now Complete Shop our store for As McVeigh's execution nears, some liberal Jews want it called off Jewish Telegraphic Agency Washington he Reform and Conservative movements are seeking clemency for Timothy McVeigh a week before the convicted Oklahoma City bomber is scheduled to die by lethal injection. In a letter to President Bush on Tuesday, the two movements joined numerous prominent religious leaders in opposing the death penalty for McVeigh, saying they are concerned about the imperfect justice system in the United States, and the fact that innocent people could be executed if the death penalty is condoned. "When the government responds to violence with violence," the letter said, "its action breeds more violence." McVeigh is scheduled to die May 16 in Terre Haute, Ind. He was convicted of masterminding and carrying out the bombing of the Alfred E Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995, killing 168 people, 19 of them children, and wounding at least 400 others. An accomplice, Terry Nichols, was sentenced to life in prison by a federal judge and may also face state charges in Oklahoma. The letter also calls for a moratori- um on federal executions and for clemency for Juan Raul Garva, sched- uled to be executed June 19 for killing three men in the early 1990s. Garva's execution, originally sched- uled for last August, was postponed by President Bill Clinton. Clinton ordered a review of clemency guide- lines. Many Jewish organizations are opposed to the death penalty. They cite the possible innocence of those on death row, possible racial or economic bias — and whether the accused had competent legal representation. None of those factors are at play in the McVeigh case. Even so, the leader of the Reform movement said it must oppose McVeigh's execution — and all others — because of concerns about the death penalty "You have to make note of the ter- rible suffering he caused," said Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Reform movement's Union of American Hebrew Congregations. "But the fact of the matter is that with the death penalty, you can't be for it part of the time and against it part of the time." Rabbi Yoffie said the justice system is "too prone to error. We are concerned about those who sir on death row now and in the future where there will be questions about their guilt or innocence," he said. "The only way to deal with this is to stop the death penalty." • Mixed Emotions While the issue is important to Jewish leaders, it does not appear to be a priority for the Jewish communi- ty as a whole. In a survey released last month by Amos, a new Jewish social action coalition, fewer than half of the 1,002 Jews polled said they were in favor of a moratorium on capital punishment. It was the only social cause in the survey that had a majori- ty of opposition. And even some people who have reservations about the death penalty in general are in favor of the punish- ment for McVeigh because of the severity of his crime, the deadliest ter- rorism incident on U.S. soil. The Orthodox movement has been quieter on the death penalty issue. Orthodox Union President Harvey Blitz said the movement does not want to abolish the death penalty, but supports a moratorium because of concerns about the execution of inno- cent people. But the O.U. does not oppose McVeigh's execution, in part because he has already confessed to the bomb- ing. Jewish law sees the death penalty as an appropriate response to certain types of sins, while noting it must be done with caution and under strict rules of evidence. Rabbi Yoffie admits that it is unlikely the letter will sway anyone at the White House. Already, Bush has rejected a call from Pope John Paul II for clemency for McVeigh. "It would be very hard to believe that the president would stop the exe- cution," Rabbi Yoffie said. ❑ We are now always 20% OFF! • Sofas • Dining • Tables • Bedrooms • Lamps • Bedding • Pictures • Accessories 6 MONTHS SAME AS CASH 33080 Northwestern Hwy. West Bloomfield Orc hard Lake Road MATTHEW E. BLRGER all new merchandise. Between Orchard Lake Road & 14 Mile Road) 248•538•7747 Fax 248• 14 Mile Road VISA I PLUMBING TIPS Home Show Demonstrates The Powerful TOTO Toilets This year's home show featured many great products. One such product was the powerful line of TOTO 1.6 gallon per flush toilets. The most powerful gravity flush toilet ever. 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