Stephen Spiro

Stephen Spiro

Infobox Person
name=Stephen Spiro


image_size=
caption=
birth_name=
birth_date=1939
birth_place=the Bronx
death_date=October 23, 2007
death_place=
death_cause=cancer(liposarcoma)
resting_place=
resting_place_coordinates=
residence=
nationality=United States
other_names="Shorty"
known_for=opposition to Vietnam War, "consistent life ethic"
education=Fairleigh Dickinson University
employer=
occupation=computer programmer
title=
religion=Roman Catholic
spouse=Diana Rankin Spiro
children=John-Paul Spiro, Dan Spiro, Judee Fiorello
parents=
website=
footnotes=

Stephen Spiro was a political activist who opposed the Vietnam War. He opposed the war based on the theory of Just War, and was a conscientious objector. The law allowed for conscientious objection only on the grounds of opposition to all wars, and he was convicted of avoiding conscription. He was given a five year suspended sentence for avoiding conscription, and was later pardoned by President Gerald Ford. [cite journal |last=Cornell |first=Tom |title=Stephen Spiro, 1940-2007 |journal=Catholic Worker |year=2008 |volume=LXXV |issue=May-June |pages=6]

Early life

Spiro was born in the Bronx in 1939. He attended Xavier High School in Manhattan. He attended the University of Chicago and later received bachelors and masters degrees in economics from Fairleigh Dickinson University. [O'Neill, Patrick. [http://ncronline.org/NCR_Online/archives2/2007d/110907/110907l.htm "Catholic pacifist pro-life activist dies"] , "National Catholic Reporter", November 9, 2007. Accessed September 17, 2008.]

Opposition to the Vietnam War

Spiro opposed the Vietnam War as not conforming to the Catholic theory of just war. As the conscription laws in the United States at the time allowd for conscientious objection only on the grounds of opposition to all war, he was convicted of avoiding the draft. The sincerity of his beliefs were recognized, as he received a five year suspended sentence for his actions, and he was later pardoned by President Gerald Ford. His family was more proud of the conviction than the pardon. [cite web |last=O'Neill |first=Patrick |title=Catholic pacifist pro-life activist dies |url=http://ncronline.org/NCR_Online/archives2/2007d/110907/110907l.htm |format=on-line article |accessdate=2008-06-01]

Pro-Life Movement

Spiro was involved in the Right to Life movement, advocating a consistent life ethic, also known as the seamless garment argument. This argument states that the right to life leads to opposition to abortion, capital punishment and war as a single consistent moral position.

References


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