Jamelle Speaks: Why Whites Support Capital Punishment (Translation: If a black man rapes and murders a white woman and you are in favor of the death penalty, YOU are the racist, even if you would favor the same sentence if the races were reversed.)

Why Whites Support Capital Punishment

Nearly twice as many whites as blacks favor the death penalty. There is a simple, and disturbing, reason why.

We hear a lot about the racial disparity in death penalty sentencing, namely, that black Americans are dramatically over-represented on death row.

"Disparity" in sentencing, or disparity in the disproportionate number of violent crimes committed by each race?

Less remarked on is the disparity in death penalty support, as revealed in a new Pew Research Center survey. Overall, 55 percent of Americans support capital punishment, and 37 percent are opposed. Among whites, however, support for the death penalty jumps to 63 percent, compared to 40 percent for Hispanics and 36 percent for blacks. . . .

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2014/03/pew_research_death_penalty_poll_why_whites_support_capital_punishment_more.html