“I don’t think you should support the death penalty for revenge. I don't think that's true. I think the reason we support the death penalty is because it saves other people’s lives.” -- President George BushMany who disagree with the death penalty believe it is immoral, discriminatory, very costly, increases crime, and is just a means of revenge. However, this is not true. Capital punishment should be legal because it is moral, by no longer allowing criminals to walk the streets. This measure does not discriminate against people of color or the poor and actually costs less than life imprisonment. The most important reason why the death penalty should be legal is that it deters crime. In centuries past, the problem was how to find the most painful way to execute a criminal, not whether criminals should be executed or not. Killing alone was not an acceptable way of punishment (McCuen 8). Today, 97.5% of crimes go unpunished in the United States, and the 2.5% who are punished are not treated harshly enough (90). The death penalty honors human dignity by treating the accused as a moral actor free to control his or her own destiny, for better or worse; she does not treat him like an animal devoid of moral sense (Kurtz). Criminals who murder, rape, kidnap, torture others, or commit treason should not be punished the same as lesser crimes (Kurtz). This point is supported by the Bible, where it is stated in the first chapter. Genesis 9:6 says, “Yes, you must execute anyone who kills another person, because to kill another person is to kill a living being created in the image of God.” It is also mentioned again in Exodus 21:23-24 where it says: "But if harm results, then the guilty must be punished... in the middle of a paper... can we believe , capital punishment. is moral, does not discriminate, costs less than life imprisonment, and helps keep crime rates low. Works Cited Gary, McCuen. Relaunch the death penalty. Hudson, Wis.: GEMcCuen Publications, 1985. Print. Kurtz, John. “Top 10 Pros and Cons – Death Penalty – ProCon.org.” Death Penalty ProCon.org. procon.org, July 12, 2014. Web. March 4, 2015. .Markoff, Steven C. “Death Penalty ProCon.org.” Death Penalty ProCon.org. Np, July 12, 2014. Web. March 4, 2015..Marzilli, Alan. Death penalty. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2008. Print.Smith, Roger. “Capital Punishment Pro Page”. Wesley Lowe - The Necromancer Wars. Wesley Lowe, January 11, 2014. Web. March 4. 2015..