I am also against declawing. Not only is it mutilation, it gives the cat no defense if he or she is an outdoor cat, or somehow gets outside. It also causes problems with using (or not using I should say) the litterbox. Imagine if someone chopped an inch or so off all your fingers.
I've had cats all my life, and I would much rather have shredded furniture than an unhappy cat in pain. There are ways to stop scratching or any other bad behavior in any animal. All it takes is a little research.