Two cheers for Illinois

Brief one today - I'm in a big all-day media meeting with press officers from around the world (Alastair Campbell eat your heart out).

So, my mini-reflection for the day is … it's not all gloom and doom coming out of the USA. In the aftermath of the Arizona shooting and depressing news that Obama has more or less barred civilian trials for Guantánamo detainees, it … certainly feels that way.

But … overnight news that the US state of Illinois is poised to abolish the death penalty ought at least to raise the spirits. See Amnesty's reaction here. Come on Governor Quinn, you can do it.

Check out Amnesty USA's post on this, give a modest little cheer (here's mine: "hooray"!) and sign the petition for Troy Davis, still on death row in Georgia. Pity Troy isn't in Illinois …