SCOTUS may halt Florida's executions? Don't count on it

Meant to bring this up yesterday, but didn't have time ...

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday decided to hear a case regarding the constitutionality of lethal injection, like that used in Florida, as a means of capital punishment.

The high court said it will consider a challenge from two inmates on Kentucky's death row, Ralph Baze and Thomas Clyde Bowling Jr., who claim that the state's lethal-injection procedure violates their constitutional rights.

This is the first time the high court has agreed to consider whether the mix of drugs used in Kentucky, Florida and 35 other states violates the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Death penalty opponents argue that the administration of the fatal chemicals often causes pain because the anesthesia fails to render the condemned person unconscious.

Can you say "5-4 vote," children? Sure. I knew you could.

Here's the thing: it only takes four Justices to agree to hear a case (called "granting a writ of certiorari," or "granting cert" for short). But of course it takes five to decide a case. Therefore, even if the generally reality-based Justices (Stevens, Souter, Breyer, and Ginsburg) voted to grant cert, you can figure that the other five -- assuming Kennedy swings right as he's been doing lately -- will listen (more or less attentively) and then vote to let the states continue lethal injections.

Twenty-first Century American justice fever -- catch it!

In basketball today, David School leads Racism, 2-0

In light of the latest load of shit from Virgil Goode, this is somewhat sobering:

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- A high school basketball team has voted to boycott a game against an opposing team that waves the Confederate flag, adding fuel to a debate over what is appropriate behavior at sporting events.

The team of eight male players, including one black student, at the private David School in Floyd County unanimously decided this week to boycott a Jan. 19 game against Allen Central High School, said Ned Pillersdorf, the David School's athletic director and boys basketball coach.

Taunting is forbidden in Kentucky high school sports, and the David players allege that the use of the Confederate flag is taunting - particularly when used like this:

Especially upsetting to the David School's team, Pillersdorf said, was when a black player was up for a foul shot and "they were waving the Confederate flag at him."

It's appalling, I know, but here come the really foul shots (pun intended):

Pillersdorf sent a letter to Allen Central officials, stating in part, "David has the only basketball team with black players in Floyd County, we want to assure you that the decision was made by all of our players."

Allen Central Principal Lorena Hall and her students have defended their Confederate emblems, saying they symbolize strength, independence and pride.

"It has nothing to do with racism," Hall said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. "It's a part of us." She declined to comment Thursday.

I don't know which shocks me more: the fact that only one high school in the entire county has black basketball players, or that the principal's attitude is that the Confederate flag "has nothing to do with racism."

My high school mascot was, and remains today, the "Colonels." We used a logo not unlike that used until 2003 by Ole Miss (a/k/a the University of Mississippi), of an old "Rebel" plantation owner. The University of Nevada-Las Vegas has a somewhat more westernized Rebel representation. I'm pleased to see that apparently my high school no longer uses the "Rebel" logo, opting instead to go exclusively with the simple Chicago Bears-like "C" that has appeared on our football helmets for years.

I was in marching band. Our signature show closer was a fanfare that included a solo trumpet playing the 12-note motif of "Dixie." We had Confederate insignias of all types all around the school. And it never even occurred to me at the time that the message sent with all this might be one of racism ... and that's to my profound regret today.

It's unbelievable to me that, in 2006 (almost 2007), we're still dealing with the same issues of racist symbolism and ignorance. But, then again, I don't live in rural eastern Kentucky.

Kudos to the players of the David School. I hope others will stand with them in the weeks and months to come.

UPDATE (3:18 pm 12/22/06): Thanks to jeffraham prestonian, who led me to a PBS documentary film/series, viewable online, about the David School.