The following statement has been issued on December 12, 2002, by the President of the American Ethical Union and the President of the National Leaders Council of the American Ethical Union. It is consistent with past positions of the American Ethical Union on the death penalty and on children's issues.
STATEMENT ON ENDING THE DEATH PENALTY FOR CHILDREN
It is simply unacceptable that, in 24 states of the United States, people who were younger than 18 when their crimes were committed can be sentenced to death. It is an insult to our social responsibility to children and an insult to the worth of every person.
The American Ethical Union has gone on record as opposed to the death penalty under all circumstances as a cruel and inhuman punishment that violates the intrinsic worth of a human person. This position is an expression of a religious philosophy that attributes indefeasible worth to every person, and continues to do so even when a person has defaced their own worth and violated that of another by the taking of the other's life.
In 1960, the American Ethical Union affirmed an opposition against capital punishment in all cases and reaffirmed that stand in 1973 and in 1979. In 2000, the AEU affirmed its support for moratoriums on the death penalty.
The American Ethical Union has also long put concern for children at the center of ethical action and education. It is during childhood that the ethical sense develops. Children need both education and protection as they develop towards a full comprehension of the impacts of their actions. Since the 19th century, the Ethical Culture movement and its leadership have stood against the exploitation of child labor: Felix Adler, the founder of the Ethical Culture movement, founded the National Child Labor Committee in 1894 and chaired that committee for 17 years, until child labor laws were adopted throughout the country.
We have found that the death penalty is not in accord with our "goal of establishing the highest ethical principles as moral standards for the laws and government of the United States." Even less in accord is the execution of those who were children when their crimes were committed. International human rights standards prohibit such use of the death penalty. Exempting children from execution recognizes their potential for growth and change. We do not excuse their crimes nor disparage the suffering of victims.
The attitude of a society towards the child is, as our founder Felix Adler argued amost 100 years ago, an "index of civilization." Our opposition to the death penalty and our mission to support, educate and protect children come together in opposing capital punishment of children.
Based on our historical stances, we urge our members and like-minded individuals and communities to work toward the end of the death penalty for children.
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A sampling of American Ethical Union positions on the death penalty:
1960: http://www.ethicalculture.org/neac/aeuresolutions/1960-0501.htm
1973/1979: http://www.ethicalculture.org/neac/aeuresolutions/1979-1305.htm
2000: http://www.ethicalculture.org/neac/aeuresolutions/2000-02.htm
On children - a sampling of some positions:
1907: http://www.boondocksnet.com/editions/clr/clr19.html - "The Attitude of Society Toward the Child as an Index of Civilization" by Felix Adler
1960: http://www.ethicalculture.org/neac/aeuresolutions/1960-2602.htm
1971: http://www.ethicalculture.org/neac/aeuresolutions/1971-15.htm
1989: http://www.ethicalculture.org/neac/aeuresolutions/1989-2301.htm
1997: http://www.ethicalculture.org/neac/aeuresolutions/1997-03.htm