Is Euthanasia Right or Wrong?
Is Euthanasia Right Or Wrong? The term ‘Euthanasia’ comes from the Greek word for ‘easy death’. It is the one of the most publicpolicy issues being debated in modern society. Formally called ‘mercy killing’, euthanasia is the act of purposely making or helping someone die, instead of allowing nature to take its course. Basically euthanasia means killing in the name of compassion. It can be voluntary, passive, or positive. Voluntary involves a request by the dying patient or their legal representative. Passive involves, doing nothing to prevent death-allowing someone to die. Positive involves taking deliberate action to cause a death. Euthanasia, at the moment is illegal throughout the world except from in the State of Oregon, where there is a law specifically allowing doctors to prescribe lethal drugs for the purpose of death. In Holland it is practised far and wide, although in fact it remains illegal. I believe that everyone has the right to choose how they choose to live their lives. Everyone deserves respect, freedom and the power to control their own destiny. Not everybody will have an easy death. Some terminal pain cannot be controlled, even with the best of care and the strongest of drugs. Pain is not always the issue, quality of life is an important factor. Most people want to die with dignity, but some people may spend the last moments of their life,
in a way, which to them, is undignified. Having the right to control over their own life and death helps people keep human modesty in the face of their suffering. People should not be left lingering in pain. They should not have to suffer when death is predestined. People do have the right to commit suicide, although it is a tragic and individual act. However euthanasia is not suicide. It is not a private act; you have the support of family and friends. Euthanasia is about letting a person assist another’s death to save them from long painful suffering. Many ...
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in a way, which to them, is undignified. Having the right to control over their own life and death helps people keep human modesty in the face of their suffering. People should not be left lingering in pain. They should not have to suffer when death is predestined. People do have the right to commit suicide, although it is a tragic and individual act. However euthanasia is not suicide. It is not a private act; you have the support of family and friends. Euthanasia is about letting a person assist another’s death to save them from long painful suffering. Many people argue that a person who is terminally ill may make a miraculous recovery, it has happened in the past. Most terminally ill people whose pain and sufferings are relieved by excellent care, given by hospices, hospitals and GPs do not require making decisions about euthanasia. It is only needed for those whose pain is not relived with any form of care or whose bodily collapse is beyond bearing. Medical advances in recent years have made it possible to keep terminally ill people alive for beyond a length of time, without any hope of recovery or improvement. For this reason the living will has come into use in the USA as part of the right-to-die principle. Most states now legally allow the making of such wills that instruct GPs etc. to suspend treatment or refuse life-support measures in hopeless cases. For people in PVS, (persistent vegetative state) I believe that their legal council or close family should have the choice and the trust to let them live a prolonged life or to end their life and let them die with dignity. On the other hand, people believe that no one has the right to play God. Christians believe that we are made in the image of God and therefore human life is God’s gift to us and is uniquely precious, we are not the owners of life but it’s minders, we belong to God because he made us. Many religions follow this belief; so do not believe in suicide and assisted dying. The opposition to euthanasia does not mean that people insist on medical treatment at all costs. Good medical practise is the alternative. Sometimes a distinction is made between active euthanasia (e.g. Giving a lethal injection) and positive euthanasia (withdrawing treatment). However it is false to describe withholding or discontinuing treatment as euthanasia unless it is done with the intention of killing the patient. Sometimes a treatment may be properly withdrawn even with the patient’s consent. When a sick or elderly patient asks for euthanasia, psychological and emotional pressures can sometimes be to blame. How can we be sure it is what they really want and not just because they feel a burden to their families?Many believe that if controlled euthanasia were legalised, society would soon allow uncontrolled euthanasia. This is based on the idea that if we change the law to allow a person to help someone die, we would not be able to control it. If there was to be a law like this, there would have to be strict rules, which involved the patient having knowledge of the whole process, making sure they are not forced into it and also that they are mentally able to make the decision. So, should we allow people the choice of when they die? The dispute about euthanasia props up all the time, even when it is not publicised, it is still happening secretly all the time. Everyone has their own opinion on it, with many people wanting to see a change in the law. I think that there are three major sides in this debate: the people involved, the law and the religious/moral side. Each side raises very extensive factors and queries. Obviously, the pain of losing a close relative or loved one is indescribable. The person is gone and many people come to terms with it, but often a larger trauma, which causes more grief, has to watch that person suffer while you look on helplessly with no chance of easing their pain.When finally that person dies, their relatives good memories may be overrun by the memories of that persons last few days of agony and misery, when all they could do was watch them suffer and loose formality. Legally, euthanasia is against the law. Simply put is it murder. The law is established by the religious and moral arguments, remembering that one of the Ten Commandments is ‘thou shalt not kill’. But as in other areas in life, people come around as the years pass on and they become more accepting of others needs.With euthanasia, there is a growing amount of doctors who would like it legalised. People may agree or disagree, but who can really know what they feel about the issue, until they are actually in that situation? At the moment, I believe that if I was faced with the fact that a terminally ill relative who was in a great deal of pain wanted to die, I would go along with what they wanted. I would not want to see them suffer, but this is only what I think now. I have never been in such a situation, and hope I never will, but if I was maybe I would hold a completely different view. Although, if a dog or cat is suffering, the vet is called and the animal is put to sleep. The owner is upset over the loss but they feel that they have done the right thing, by putting the pet out its misery. I do not think we can look at human life in the same way alternatively, as humans are treated better than animals and have more respect. But what is better, letting someone suffer a long-lasting and very painful life, or allowing him or her to die with dignity, in peace and without pain? This issue needs a lot of thought. Many people agree with controlled euthanasia, many disagree but there is also a large amount of people undecided on the matter. The time will come when the Government and medical services will have to open their eyes to euthanasia, and there will be a lot of debate on the subject. Until then the euthanasia debate will continue to linger, like a terminal disease. By Steven Kilburn 11x