How to use this toolkit
Copy and paste any of the social media posts below into Twitter. We recommend spacing out your tweets.
Hashtags
Be sure to use a hashtag (identified by the “#” sign) with each one of your posts. A hashtag is a word or phrase (which does not include any spaces) that helps people search for a particular conversation online. You can put the hashtag anywhere within the text of your post.
Hashtags being used:
#deathpenalty
#nodeathpenaltyVA
Encourage your followers to take action and send an email to their state legislators: www.tinyurl.com/vicppdp
Tweets for Friday, February 5, day of House floor vote.
ACTION NEEDED!!!!! The death penalty abolition will be voted on this FRIDAY on the House floor. Contact your legislators and urge them to vote for HB2263 www.tinyurl.com/vicppdp #nodeathpenaltyva
JOIN US in the fight to end the death penalty! The first execution in this county happened in Virginia in 1608. Since that time, almost 1400 people have been executed in the Commonwealth. Urge your legislators to vote for HB2263 www.tinyurl.com/vicppdp #nodeathpenaltyva
Additional Sample Tweets:
Thank you for supporting repeal of the #deathpenalty in VA! @GovernorVA @RalphNortham It’s time to end this deeply flawed practice. #nodeathpenaltyVA http://bit.ly/3nGY4LI
More than 170 innocent ppl nationwide have been sentenced to death row, some coming within days of execution, including Earl Washington Jr. in VA. @ssurovell @billstanley Thank you for supporting repeal of the #deathpenalty in VA! #nodeathpenaltyVA
.@TimKaine: “the death penalty has been applied in a manifestly racist way throughout our history.” The time to end it is now. #nodeathpenaltyVA
Bipartisan bill to end VA’s deeply flawed #deathpenalty introduced by @ssurovell @billstanley Sign the petition to lawmakers to support the bill here: http://bit.ly/3ial9oN #nodeathpenaltyVA
VA’s #deathpenalty is deeply intertwined with the state’s shameful history w/ Jim Crow laws & lynching. It’s time to end this racist practice. Sign the petition to lawmakers here: http://bit.ly/3ial9oN #nodeathpenaltyVA
Black pastors are calling for an end to the #deathpenalty in VA! “Capital punishment is a racial justice issue. It is beyond time for us to address this historical sin.” http://bit.ly/2XB26dM #nodeathpenaltyVA @vainterfaith @vadp
VA’s #deathpenalty is rooted in racism. Historically executions of Black ppl increased in order to placate white mobs who demanded lynchings for a wide variety of offenses–the same crimes that white ppl would get as little as 3 years for. #nodeathpenaltyVA https://bit.ly/35Cvyol
In 1899, a VA Black man Noah Finley was convicted of robbing a white man. As jury deliberated, group of white ppl notified them that if the verdict was not rendered by 10am, “the Negro would be lynched.” The jury abided & Finley was hanged #nodeathpenaltyVA https://bit.ly/35Cvyol
Race continues to influence who gets the #deathpenalty. A defendant is three times more likely to be sentenced to death if the victim is white than if they are Black. #nodeathpenaltyVA https://bit.ly/35Cvyol @vainterfaith @vadp @acluva
The #deathpenalty is deeply flawed. It is applied in a racist and unfair manner, is extremely costly, and there is a real risk of executing the innocent. Sign the petition to VA lawmakers asking them to end the #deathpenalty here: http://bit.ly/3ial9oN #nodeathpenaltyVA
VA’s #deathpenalty is deeply intertwined with the state’s shameful history w/ Jim Crow laws & lynching. It’s time to end this racist practice. Sign the petition to lawmakers here: http://bit.ly/3ial9oN #nodeathpenaltyVA