Assisted Suicide Essay, Research Paper

People are probaly confused at the fact that society approving people to be euthanized. Obviously, if it was stated in a letter to the editor in the Detroit Free Press entitled, “Death, Dignity.” The writer is simply saying it’s okay to end lives. It also states that John Engler, our state government, is supporting two important projects that assist in these suicides. Engler is trying to establish Michigan to be a national leader in death with dignity (Death, Dignity). That doesn’t sound like dying with dignity to me. I think assisted suicide is wrong and we should take an account that killing yourself isn’t dignified.

First of all the writer self-contradicts him/her self. The editorial is stating how wrong Kevorkian was and how crude his methods were for helping people to their deaths (Death, Dignity). But, the writer is clearly stating that what John Engler is trying to promote assisted suicides and that they it’s okay to euthanize someone if the government does it. Michigan has coalition air ads promoting assisted suicides. These ads were paid for by Citizens for Compassionate Care Group of doctors, churches, and disabled rights advocates raised $5 million dollars to have people be assisted to their deaths. Gary Pokorny, president of the Grand Rapids-based Hanon McKendry firm that produced the television ads, said the ads would run in all state television markets through Thursday at a cost of $200,000. “We should be thinking about killing the pain, not the patient” (Michigan: Coalition Airs Ads Promoting Assisted Suicide Alternatives, pg.1). That’s an

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abscene amount of money to be wasting on killing someone. Just think of where that money could have been useful at: childcare and regular hospitals, homeless shelters, feeding the hungry, building new homes, etc. Instead it was used to kill someone. How selfish and inhumane that is. Why don’t they just slit their wrist, which doesn’t cost anything?

Next the writer enthocentrized the story. He/she assumes that what methods Kevorkian was using was wrong, but the governments methods are way better. That doesn’t make any sense, Kevorkian was trying to help the terminally ill only. Where as the government wants to use these projects to assist people that are perfectly healthy to their deaths.

Finally the writer hasty generalizes the editorial in the second to last paragraph. “What people mainly want is some assurance of personal control and dignity, freedom from pain and faith that their last wishes will be honored” (Death, Dignity). Is the writer sure that is what people mainly want? How can you have honor and dignity about yourself when your practically committing suicide? Some people do think that killing themselves to relieve their pain is dying with dignity. But what state would legalize assisted suicide? Fortunately there is a few that have legalized assisted suicides. One would be Oregon. They call it Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act, which permits doctors to write lethal prescriptions to patients. United States Attorney General Janet Reno told reporters that the Oregon law does not violate the civil rights of terminally-ill patients who want to die. “I think the federal government has got to continue to make sure that

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(the Oregon law) is not used in a way that would deprive somebody of their civil rights or create situations such as that” (Oregonian, 6/12/98, pg.2). Reno also added there was a risk of abuse. So you see, people should realize that committing suicide is a hanis crime, even if they are ill. Dying in someone elses hands besides your own isn’t justifyable.

Imam Abdullah Bey El-Amin of the Muslim Center of Detroit said:

“You didn’t give the life. Therefore, you have no right to take it away” (Michigan Campaign Against Assisted Suicide, pg.2).

It couldn’t have been said any better. People don’t realize that assisted suicide is morally wrong and crude way to end a life. It’s really not much different then committing a murder, so why put the killers away? When it is your time to go it’s your time to go. God put your on this earth and he can take you out of this earth if you let him. If you can be strong and let nature take its course then you could say that’s dying with dignity.

Work Cited

Reno, Janet. “International Anti-Euthanasia Task Force.” (1998): Volume

12, Number 2*http://www.iaetf.org/iual13.htm

Michigan Campaign Against Assisted Suicide:

2000*http://www.euthanasia.com/pb.html

Katrina Hedberg. “Oregon Department of Humane Services.” Sept.

2000*http://www.ohd.hr.state.or.us/news/1999/0217pas.hml

Bibliography

Reno, Janet. “International Anti-Euthanasia Task Force.” (1998): Volume

12, Number 2