Two-thirds of Americans support death penalty

Notice my headline, and then there’s the headline from Gallup Politics today – U.S. Death Penalty Support Lowest in More Than 40 Years.

Just a quick note as to how the media – and a blogger like me – and spin the headline of the story to get a specific point across. The Gallup headline reads a bit different. The adjective “lowest” holds a negative connotation. Gallup could have easily written the headline to be more precise, but that probably is not what the agenda is after. My headline holds positive connotation.

Remember … many people ONLY read the headline. From the article.

Sixty percent of Americans say they favor the death penalty for convicted murderers, the lowest level of support Gallup has measured since November 1972, when 57% were in favor. Death penalty support peaked at 80% in 1994, but it has gradually declined since then.

For the record, I’ve got no problem taking the death penalty off the table, as long as specific restrictions are put in place. I wrote about this back in June of 2009.

… once convicted and sentenced to life without parole, the inmate should get no visits with family, no TV, no mail privileges, no interaction with other inmates and only occasional Red Cross visits.

The problem is that people will fight to get visitation, TV, mail privileges and human interaction … all perks the victims and the victim’s families would not have access to.

I’m find with basic medical care and three non-tasty meals a day, but once the appeals are done, they should be done. No more appeals and lawyers arguing for a new trial. If the felon was going to get the death penalty [and the sentence was] reduced to life without parole – he or she is done with the court system …

So that right there is my compromise with those who would like to abolish the death penalty. Do you think I’d have any takers?