[Right to Die] Between “Mercy killing” and “Dignified death”
If a person with a terminal illness is suffering from unbearable pain and wishes to end his or her life, is it wrong to help? Does LOVE include helping a loved one end their suffering or end artificial existence? Or does LOVE require making every effort to keep the loved one "alive" no matter what?
Well, that’s why euthanasia has been a controversial subject. Is it right or wrong? Is it moral or immoral? Is euthanasia murder or mercy?
Definition and classification of Euthanasia
Euthanasia is generally classified as either "active" or "passive", and as either "voluntary" or "involuntary".
▶ "Passive euthanasia" is usually defined as not using medical treatment with the intention of causing the patient's death.
▶ "Active euthanasia" is taking specific steps to cause the patient's death, such as injecting the patient with poison. I
▶ "Voluntary euthanasia" is when the patient requests that action be taken to end his life, or that life-saving treatment be stopped, with full knowledge that this will lead to his death.
▶"Involuntary euthanasia" is when a patient's life is ended without the patient's knowledge and consent.
Reference article for Pros. side:
Since I am in favor of euthanasia, I will start with why people are opposed to it. One reason is that people believe it’s immoral since God gave you life and you don’t have the right to end it.
Another argument is that many question whether an ill person is in a stable state of mind to understand the consequences of requesting to end his or her life.
I believe that if a person is in extreme pain and does not wish to continue living, he or she has the right to end life with or without euthanasia. Please don’t get me wrong here. I am not saying that a person should simply give up living because he or she is suffering from an emotional trauma or distress. I am talking about an untreatable disease that makes someone suffer unbearably.
Many critics of euthanasia believe that helping someone end their life is murder. However, this opposing view is raised by critics who have never experienced watching a loved one tortured from an untreatable illness. I recently lost my grandmother after a six-year struggle with strokes and cancer. When she was first diagnosed with cancer, she was in reasonably good health and had a strong desire to live. Unfortunately, the doctors couldn’t stop the quickly spreading cancer. After more than 10 major surgeries to her heart, she became so gravely ill that she was bedridden and powerless. It was obvious that there was no hope for any type of quality of life improvement. She was brave enough to request that her medications be discontinued and machines be turned off. Within 48 hours, my grandmother passed away peacefully. My entire family supported her during the six years of battle with cancer as well as in her final decision to let nature take its course.
I understand that anyone who has not experienced what she went through might be critical of her final decision. I assume this is what has happened with the general public. They simply cannot relate to the circumstances that surround a person who is terminally ill and in extreme pain. Euthanasia should be legalized. I believe euthanasia is a helpful way to allow human beings to end their never ending pain with dignity instead of dying slowly and painfully.
Reference article for Cons. side:
Dutch Experience with Euthanasia
Holland is widely regarded as one of the world's most civilized countries. Active euthanasia is legal there, but for the past decade the government has not prosecuted doctors who report having assisted their patients to commit suicide.
A recent Dutch government investigation of euthanasia has come up with some disturbing findings. In 1990, 1,030 Dutch patients were killed WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT. And of 22,500 deaths due to withdrawal of life support, 63% (14,175 patients) were denied medical treatment WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT. Twelve per-cent (1,701 patients) were mentally competent but were NOT CONSULTED.
These findings were widely publicized before the November 1991 referendum in Washington State, and contributed to the defeat of the proposition to legalize lethal injections and assisted suicide.
The Dutch experience seems to demonstrate that the "right to die" can soon turn into an obligation. This concept is dangerous, and you could find yourself the victim if Euthanasia becomes legal in your country.
We have all heard and some of us have experienced, moving stories of elderly people in great pain, unable to perform even the most basic human functions, who have asked to die, or have perhaps brought about their own deaths.
What these stories overlook is that today, in almost all cases, it is possible to kill pain without killing the patient. When someone's pain is relieved that person usually wants to go on living. We need to reflect carefully on the consequences of legalizing active euthanasia. If we enshrine the absolute right to die, will it then become illegal to intervene to obstruct would-be suicide? Will pharmacists be obligated to sell a lethal dose of hemlock to anyone who is temporarily depressed?
