One of the most controversial questions of our time is the much-debated issue of capital punishment. For years upon years, citizens and politicians alike have been bombarded with inquiries of its value. Is it morally acceptable? Is it humane? Is it economically efficient? All of these are very serious questions that will inevitably arise when one contemplates the death penalty, and this essay will thoroughly answer all of them, proving that capital punishment is unethical and cruel.
One common misconception about capital punishment is in how it is viewed by other nations. Contrary to popular belief, the United States is one of the few countries in the world that continues to practice the death penalty. Over half of the world has officially condemned death sentences. Among those who haven't are the countries of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and China. Is this the kind of company that our proud and prestigious government chooses to keep? Is the great nation of the United States of America accustomed to sharing the same beliefs as these terrorist-ridden and communist nations? As Franklin E. Zimring was quoted saying in one of his books, "Why do Americans reinvent what other nations abolish?" (Zimring).
Along the same lines, capital punishment can be seen to have deep roots in the Southern States. In 2002, 61 of the 71 executions took place in southern states; outside the south, only three states executed a single person (California, Ohio, and Missouri). On average, two of every three executions are conducted in only five states: Texas, Virginia, Missouri, Florida, and Oklahoma. When, one might ask, did this separation begin? Since the civil war, the Southern states-the slave-owners-have always been the leaders in capital punishment. Luckily, outside of these states, the death penalty remains in decline, and "the more isolated they become, the greater the pressure for reform will be.
