Today the Supreme Court will be looking at whether the death penalty for juveniles (in effect, 16 and 17 year olds) is constitutional. For what it’s worth, I think that such a punishment is both constitutional and wrong. I also think that this is something for Americans – and Americans alone – to decide. A number of foreign countries appear not entirely to agree. According to the New York Sun the governments of 48 countries have submitted a brief to the Supreme Court in support of the argument that the death penalty under these circumstances is unconstitutional. These countries are entitled to their opinion. They are not – or should not – be entitled to intervene in telling the US how to interpret its constitution. The Supreme Court should throw out their brief with prejudice, insult and all manner of lofty disdain, and, until these 48 countries learn to mind their own business, the US should, as a matter of course, start intervening in their legal proceedings.
Supporters of the death penalty for adults, meanwhile, might want to ponder this case.