“An eye for an eye,” is a quote that often comes to mind when discussing capital punishment. The idea is that any crime committed deserves an equal punishment. Numerous societies have followed this ideal throughout history, including our own American culture.

    In American society the death penalty serves as the only way to adequately punish someone for the most despicable crimes a human can commit, such as rape and murder. Although no lives are lost in rape, it is just to punish an offender with death because, as junior James Walkins said, ”Rape can cause just as much mental and physical damage to an individual and their family as murder.” This crime along with murder are the worst deeds a human can commit, and therefore the utmost punishment is justified.

    Some proponents claim that capital punishment is just because it deters violent crimes and provides closure for the victim’s family. These notions are false. There is no solid evidence that capital punishment deters crimes, as senior Reed Standley said, “Capital punishment doesn’t provide closure  because it leaves people wanting revenge, and puts the wrong ideas into peoples’ heads. The reason it’s done is not for revenge, but for moral purposes.” Standley is completely correct. In our society we put someone down because it is the only moral punishment that would suffice in crimes of great caliber.

     If we forbid capital punishment we’d be no better than a country like Norway that according to the UK newspaper The Telegraph can only sentence a maximum of 21 years to a man like Anders Behring Breivik, who bombed a government building killing nine and then systematically killed 69 people at a youth camp whom were mainly teenagers. Nothing seems more immoral and unjust then allowing a man like this to live. As Walkins eloquently said “How can justice be done when it is not murder for murder as well?  Does life sentence ever equal a murder? Why does the murderer get to live, and not the innocent victim?” The fact is that a life sentence can never equal a life taken, no matter how you look at it.

    Often times opponents of the death penalty will single out cases like the recent Troy Davis trial to illustrate the supposed “uncertainty” and, thus justify a stop to the death penalty. However ,the truth of the matter is, no matter how innocent Troy Davis was or how many people are exonerated it does not make a man like Anders Behring Breivik whom admittedly killed many innocent people any less deserving of capital punishment.

     While Anders Behring Breivik will never see American justice there are many deserving criminals in America who will be forced to see the ultimate consequences of their actions. The death penalty has been a part of America’s legacy and is an image of justice; from the death of the Oklahoma bomber to the execution of John Wayne Gacy. The fact is; as senior Peter Demers put it, “capital punishment is as American as apple pie.”