I thought this was an intriguing factoid

[plasticsundance]

Probably mentioned already at DU, but I may have missed it.

In an unusual move, the Supreme Court ruling cited the "overwhelming weight of international opinion" in banning executions of those under 18. Justice Kennedy, noted that the U.S was the only country in the world that still officially permitted the execution of juveniles. He wrote that since 1990, only seven countries have executed persons under 18. They are Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and China. However, all of these countries have since publicly disavowed the practice. Justice Kennedy also noted that the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits the juvenile death penalty, has been ratified by every country except Somalia and the United States.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/03/02/154242

[RobertSeattle]

1. What a great "club" to be in

No wonder the Neanderthals on the Right were foaming at the mouth over this decision.

[Mr_Spock]

3. They love seeing people die - retribution is sweet

I dunno - seems like a rather reptile-brained emotion - guess that's why the reptile brains like it so much...

[RobertSeattle]

6. True

I forgot that the Neanderthal analogy is actually pretty poor - Neanderthals were actually much more intelligent than we originally thought - their subspecies of Home Sapiens just didn't last. A couple quirks in the evolutionary path and we'd be "Neanderthals:.

[thereismore]

9. We are part neanderthal

being essentially European descendants. There is evidence that Neanderthal man was nothing but Homo sapiens. I will not go into details, but look up "H-O foramen" on Google. Somewhat controvertial, but Neanderthal people (men especially) probably contributed to our DNA.

The Neanderthal brain was larger on average than today's human, even though that doesn't mean that they were necessarily more intelligent than we are. I'm just saying that evidence of some intellectual backwardness of the Neanderthat isn't there.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. The Death Penalty Information Center...

www.dpic.org

has listings of who around the world has the death penalty, and who actually uses it.

Places like Brazil have it on the books, but haven't actually executed anyone for over a hundred years. ("extrajuducial" executions, coups, assassinations, etc. aren't counted)

We are in particularly bad company even without the juveniles.

[InternalDialogue]

4. Hold on -- "overwhelming weight of international opinion"

Wait a minute -- that sounds like a GLOBAL TEST to me!

[GiovanniC]

5. I Was Just About to Say That

Could set an... interesting... precedent.

[beyurslf]

7. Someone brought this up yesterday and said the SCOTUS was using

international law and not the US constitution for its decision. Please remember, they based their decision on the Consitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. In pointing out the countries that still allow the execution of minors (even if they don't use it now), the SCOTUS was trying to show what BAD compnay we were in.

[plasticsundance]

8. Thanks beyurslf

That is an important destinction, but I am glad that the SCOTUS identified how the previous law related in terms of the global community. The perception is important on the international stage.