Euthanasia and Person
Student Natalia Shimer
Dev. College Writing II
Kate Baker
November 2, 2010
Euthanasia. Euthanasia has been a controversial topic of many debates for the past couple of decades. Oxford American Dictionary defines euthanasia as “the painless killing of a patient, suffering from an incurable disease” (Oxford, 273). In other words, euthanasia is a merciful killing of a person who is brain dead or terminally ill. Killing is a crime. But would it be a crime, if a person wishes to die? Voluntary euthanasia can be defined as the person asking someone to take his/her life. Most of the world sees euthanasia as an illegal act. “There are only three states in America which legalized euthanasia: Oregon, Washington and Montana. [Legalization is possible only under limited conditions:]
The person must be terminally ill.
The person must have six months or less to live.
The person must not have been influenced by depression.
The person must make one written request for assistance in dying”( Euthanasia)
Should euthanasia be legalized throughout the whole country? And all human beings deserve the right to die with dignity. Terminal illness diminishes human dignity. Illness is a very powerful weapon against a human being. It can bring any strong man down on his knees. It is extremely hard emotionally to witness a person dying at the last stages of a terminal illness. Imagine how difficult it is for a dying patient to go through the hell created by the disease. Ill patients can lose all motor skills; it leaves them crippled and unable to feed, bathe themselves, or even use the toilet. They lose all their dignity. The sufferings an ill person goes through are inhumane. Nobody wants to die, but many ill patients seek the death in order to put the end to their sufferings. The affects of illness can be so powerful that even the strongest drugs can’t ease the pain. It happened to my grandmother, who was dying slow and very painful
Dev. College Writing II
Kate Baker
November 2, 2010
Euthanasia. Euthanasia has been a controversial topic of many debates for the past couple of decades. Oxford American Dictionary defines euthanasia as “the painless killing of a patient, suffering from an incurable disease” (Oxford, 273). In other words, euthanasia is a merciful killing of a person who is brain dead or terminally ill. Killing is a crime. But would it be a crime, if a person wishes to die? Voluntary euthanasia can be defined as the person asking someone to take his/her life. Most of the world sees euthanasia as an illegal act. “There are only three states in America which legalized euthanasia: Oregon, Washington and Montana. [Legalization is possible only under limited conditions:]
The person must be terminally ill.
The person must have six months or less to live.
The person must not have been influenced by depression.
The person must make one written request for assistance in dying”( Euthanasia)
Should euthanasia be legalized throughout the whole country? And all human beings deserve the right to die with dignity. Terminal illness diminishes human dignity. Illness is a very powerful weapon against a human being. It can bring any strong man down on his knees. It is extremely hard emotionally to witness a person dying at the last stages of a terminal illness. Imagine how difficult it is for a dying patient to go through the hell created by the disease. Ill patients can lose all motor skills; it leaves them crippled and unable to feed, bathe themselves, or even use the toilet. They lose all their dignity. The sufferings an ill person goes through are inhumane. Nobody wants to die, but many ill patients seek the death in order to put the end to their sufferings. The affects of illness can be so powerful that even the strongest drugs can’t ease the pain. It happened to my grandmother, who was dying slow and very painful
Cited: Byock Ira. The Cost of Dying. Kroft Steve. Personal interview. http://www.cbsnews.com/60 minutes/the cost of dying 22 Nov.2009. 3 Nov. 2010. Court Andy. The Cost of Dying. http://www.cbsnews.com/60 minutes/the cost of dying 22 Nov. 2009. 3 Nov. 2010 Horace. http://brainyquotes.com/to save a man’s life Oregon’s Euthanasia Law. http://www. jrank.org/ 3 Nov. 2010 Euthanasia. Oxford American Desk Dictionary and Thesaurus. Third Edition. p. 273