by Sebastian Talon

Created on: December 27, 2009   Last Updated: December 30, 2009

I do not have any idea why I decided to tackle the topic: Is the Death Penalty an effective crime deterrent?

The bald face truth is, I hate the necessity of the Death Penalty laws, but without them, life would be even more of a hell than it is now. Let me explain myself before you start tearing me a new one, though, okay?

Those of you who have read my biography know that I grew up overseas. More specifically, I grew up in a country that literally cuts the head off of murderers. I was in Saudi Arabia when King Feisal was shot.

The government had the assassin over a block and his head removed before the sun went down the day King Feisal was killed. And the funny thing is, since that day in the 1970's, there have been few murders in Saudi Arabia? Why? Easy to answer that. That's because the people know that the government will come down on them like a ton of bricks.

No dilly-dallying about whether or not to implement Capital Punishment. It's simple. If you kill someone, you lose your head. (There are a few exceptions, but for the most part, this rule is unbreakable.)

Now, we come to a country like the United States. The people who protest the Death Penalty in this country need to reread the Constitution. This document specifically gives the government the power to execute someone as long as they receive "due process of law". Of course there is that "Cruel and unusual punishment" clause, as well. But, I'll get to that argument in just a bit.

The fact of the matter is that our forefathers knew that Capital Punishment was a necessity for any society. Without it, the citizenry of any society will descend to "Mob Mentality" in situations where their emotions get the better of them.

We all know that there are people who will ignore societal laws if they can make a profit, or just frickin' get away with it.  Okay, no problem. That really is a given. But, even those who are willing to break a "minor" law, say Breaking and Entering, are loath to take a life. Why? Because they know their own life is on the line if they do so.

If your common, ordinary criminal didn't have Capital Punishment as a possibility, then they may be more willing to kill the owner of the house they've just broken into. What's to stop them?

Now, let's get to the "Cruel and Unusual" punishment clause. I don't know if many people alive know it or not, but when the constitution was written, putting someone in Stocks in the city square and letting the populace throw rotten vegetables, and even rocks,

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