Odds and Ends

Things I have read today…

138 Countries in the world have abolished the death penalty in law or in practice.

9 Countries since 1990 that are known to have executed juveniles (those under the age of 18 at the time of the crime). Included are China, Iran and the U.S.A.

93% The percentage of the world's executions carried out by the five countries with the highest rate of executions; China, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the U.S.A.

And just to make ourselves feel morally superior…72% is the percentage of the worlds executions carried out by China in 2008. That leaves just 21% to be divided up among Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the U.S.A. We seem to be in good company. Shame on us.

Something I thought about today…

This country, our country, loves to preach at the Islamic countries for their unfair treatment of women. We are also the country that can't seem to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. So I was thinking… that wouldn't we be looking really good to the rest of the world if Hillary Clinton had won the office of President – this, in a nation that doesn't believe in equal rights for women. Shame on us.