I am often struck by the incredibly appropriate timing of the cosmos.

So I was no less in awe yesterday when the Supreme Court handed down its ruling against executing criminals who were minors when their crimes were committed. This came just days after the death of Amnesty International founder Phil Benenson, a man who had spent many years working to free political prisoners and to shine a light on the abhorrent human rights practices of many countries. Amnesty International has been a beacon of hope for oppressed people everywhere, and Benenson's legacy will long outlive him.

The Supreme Court ruling rightly states that we must maintain the dividing line between a child and an adult. It does not exempt a youthful offender from a sentence of life without the possibility of parole, but it DOES mandate, as with the edict against executing the disabled, that there be a standard that must be applied before a criminal is considered to be eligible for the death penalty.

Up in heaven, I am sure Benenson is smiling.