Assisted Suicide Essay, Research Paper

Jessie Virdi

Argumentative Essay

REST IN PEACE: An Argument for Compassion

Should a person who is terminally ill and feels that his or her life is not worth living because of intractable pain and loss of dignity be given the option to request assistance in dying? An enormous number of organizations, and doctors believe it is the humane thing to do. Assisted suicide also known as, Euthanasia ( eu meaning good and thanatos meaning death ) comes in many different forms and procedures. For example, passive euthanasia is hastening the death of a person by removing life support, stopping medical procedures, stopping food and water, and allowing the person to dehydrate or starve to death. The other form of euthanasia is active euthanasia, which is causing the death of a person through direct action. Never before has a person suspected that there would be a choice for death. Although assisted suicide is considered immoral by many people, still it is a humane way to end ones dying life because of lack of mental stability in a person, fear of burdening their family, and dignity.

One way to ensure a person s happiness in life would be to try and prevent suffering and pain as much as possible. If a person is dealing with an illness and would want to end his or her suffering, who are we [society] to tell them they cannot make that decision? Many people agree with Dr. Kevorkian, a retired pathologist, and say that severe depression in a person who has no reason to live and or no desire to live should be given the choice to die. On September 1998, over 15.6 million viewers watched as Kevorkian administered a lethal dose of drugs into a patient, which was broadcasted live on television. (CBS,Kevorkian). The patients name was Thomas Youk who was suffering

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from advanced stages of Lou Gehrig s disease, and he no longer had the will to live. Weeks later Dr. Kevorkian was then tried for first-degree murder, assisted suicide, and delivering a controlled substance. Is this murder? Can we say that we would rather see a person deteriorate with a disease and in pain, then with happiness and dignity? If the answer to that question is yes, then why should society be given any rights at all?

The Kevorkian Right o Die case has been in and out of courtrooms for months on end, and assisted suicide has been an issue for years. There are many reasons that assisted suicide is considered right. One that has been stated is mental stability, but there is another more reasonable point that should be made, family dependency. A person with a disease that causes him or her to become paralyzed would have to be waited on hand and foot. Many people find it difficult and unbearable to be treated as an infant. Once again the issue of dignity is addressed. A proven fact is that a person would rather be independent and make decisions on his or her own her then depend on family and friends. The televised suicide assist by Kevorkian was administered based on the consent of the patient and his family. The patient, Thomas Youk s wife stepped in about the case and said, I don t consider it murder, I consider it humane (Cohen, Showdown). Hemlock Society USA, a group that promotes assisted suicide says that, This was a very ill man dying a gentle, peaceful, death in the time and manner he requested. Physicians like Dr. Kevorkian make such transitions possible. Seventy five percent of Americans support assisted suicide and believe it should be left up to the person and their family to decide whether or not they choose to live (Cohen, Showdown).

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Aside from mental stability and family dependency, a third case can also be fought; that is dying with dignity. Pride and honor is one of many most cherished assets. No one person can disagree that they would want pride and dignity stripped away from them. A person suffering with diseases such as AIDS, Alzheimer s, and in Thomas Youk s case, Lou Gehrig s disease does not want to be remembered as a burden. Assisted suicide is a way to die with respect for oneself, and save humans from humiliation. A law was passed in Oregon that states a person who sought physician-assisted suicide would have to meet certain criteria: the patient should be terminally ill, have 6 months or less to live, and requested to die. This law supports Kevorkian decision with assisted suicide and helps more people die with that ease.

In an interview given to Mrs. Linda Sams, a physiology teacher at a local high school, on assisted suicide, I asked her beliefs on how she feels about assisted suicide. She says, I believe that if the person is dying and feels capable of making that decision, and have asked family and friends their beliefs then it shouldn t be a problem. She also says that hopefully this law will be legalized so Kevorkian would no longer have to hide his assists. I also asked her if she thinks assisted suicide will be legalized in the state of Georgia soon. She comments and just says, it should . If assisted suicide is considered wrong and inhumane, then I think capital punishment should be illegal as well. Says Mrs. Sams.

Do you think I m a criminal? If yes, you re happy, if no then what am I doing in this courtroom? said Kevorkian in his assisted suicide trial. Some people view assisted suicide as wrong but I believe it s a person s choice and opinion to do what they please.

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If a person chooses to die, looking and feeling good, and being able to stop suffering before they cannot choose, then they should be able to. This freedom is one such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of choice. So why not have freedom of death?

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Works Cited

Cohen, Adam. Showdown for Doctor Death. TIME online December 7, 1998. GSU.

http://.cgi.pathfinder.com/time/magazine/1998/dom/9810207/nation 18 Nov. 2000

CBS to give prosecutors unedited Kevorkian tape. CNN Online 8 Dec. 1999. GSU.

http://www.cnn.com/us/9811/24/Kevorkain.tape/index.html. 8 Nov. 2000.

Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide: All Sides of the Issue. AOL search Online.

7 Feb. 1999. http://www.religoustolerance.org/euthanas.html. 8 Nov. 2000.

Pelligrini, Frank. Dr. Death Headed for the Dock. CNN Online GSU. 8 Dec. 1999.

http://www.cnn.com/us/9811/23/Kevorkian.tape/index.html. 20 Nov. 2000.