Euthanasia: To Legalize or not?????

Posted By: Bianca Rogers

Euthanasia, also known as physician- assisted suicide refers to the practice of ending a life in a manner, which relieves pain and suffering. The topic of Euthanasia is highly controversial. The practice of Euthanasia is legal in only four states. These states include Washington, Oregon, Montana and Texas.

            In my opinion, Euthanasia should not be legal at all. Assisting someone in killing themselves is not ethical in my opinion. Terminally ill patients should have a say when it comes to their life in order to stop their illness. This side of the argument is understandable. However, many medical experts acknowledge that it is virtually impossible to predict the life expectancy of a patient. Many people who are diagnosed as terminally ill do no die for years, if at all.

            Furthermore, the United States is overwhelmed with people who do not have medical insurance. Poor and minority patients are not being given the adequate care needed. In many instances, managed care facilities are giving physicians cash bonuses to not care for patients. Legalized Euthanasia could put patients in a dangerous situation, where doctors are better of financially if a patient "chooses" to die. Doctors may start to persuade patients into this assisted suicide.

            Continuing on, if Euthanasia becomes a choice to patients, then they may feel the need to take it. Many patients will feel guilty for not choosing death. They may feel pressure to relieve a burden they are putting on their families. Added financial pressure could also cause them to choose Euthanasia. What should also be taken into consideration is the fact that it is only legal in four states. This shows that there is a great concern with the usage of this practice.

http://www.euthanasia.com/proscons.html
http://euthanasia.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000126
law.jrank.org/.../Euthanasia-Assisted-Suicide-Pros-Cons.html 

Annsleigh Thornton
Rebuttal:

The act of euthanasia is not one of impatience, maltreatment, or a lack of empathy on behalf of the physician. For a doctor to aid in the demise of an individual, after undergoing valid consideration, he or she is normally acting in the patient's best interest.

No one should morally be permitted to suffer for an extended period of time. If the individual experiencing the illness can no longer sustain extreme physical pressures and agrees to end his or her own life, their decision should be considered and implemented. To relieve someone of agonizing pain is a much greater service than that of trying to maintain what remains of one's life. How can any one bear to view his or her companion in such an unfavoring light? It is selfish to enforce life for one's own personal benefit/emotional relief. It is impossible to hold something that is figuratively and literally out of their hands.

And for those patients who may not posess the ability to speak or physically signal if they agree with the determination of their life, and the family has taken control, one must place themselves in their position. Is the person you care about lying upon a hospital bed for your self-fulfillment? Are they continuing the life they wished to prolong? Or are you mandating the course of some one else's future?

And for those patients who are mentally warped, physically inable, and what most would deem "spirit-less", is the heart truly beating if operated by man-made machine and not natural impulse? The term "vegetable": demeaning and descending. But that is what a loved one will amount to if not disburdened.