Essay on Euthanasia Life Vs Death

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Euthanasia : Life vs. Death

The word euthanasia is of Greek origin, which literally translates to mean happy or good death. However, since the beginning of the 19th century, euthanasia has become associated with speeding up the process of dying or the destruction of so-called useless lives. No longer true to its literal meaning, it is now a practice of deliberating causing or assisting in someone s death. Because it constitutes murder and is immoral, euthanasia should not be legalized in the United States.

Almost everyone who attempts suicide or asks for assistance in their death do so as a subconscious cry for help (What s Wrong With Making Assisting Suicide Legal?). These people want to hear they are loved, not that someone is actually willing to assist in their death (Johansen). Many of these people have emotional and psychological pressures, which can cause them to choose euthanasia as a way to solve problems. Many are either depressed or dependent and are incapable of making well-informed decisions in that state of mind (Euthanasia:Answers to Frequently Asked Questions). The main concern for those who ask for euthanasia practice should be to give them emotional and spiritual support for their problems (Euthanasia : Answers To ). Tis type of counseling and assistance has proven to be successful. A study done on 886 people who had attempted suicide and been helped showed that only 3.84 percent had gone on to kill themselves 5 years later. Another study showed that after 36 years, only 10.9 percent had killed themselves (What s Wrong With ). If euthanasia became legalized, it would be administered for those who are mentally unable to choose what is best, when they could instead be helped.

Many who are in favor of euthanasia may say that a request to be killed is only justified when a doctor thinks a patient does not have a worthwhile life (Gormally). However, no one can judge the worth of a person s life. As a society, we are coming to understand that mere preservation of the flesh is not the highest value . Many times it is the family of a patient who determines whether or not they live a worthwhile life depending on if they can participate in normal human relationships (Euthanasia Opposing Viewpoints 103, 117).

Those who support euthanasia strongly believe everyone should have control over their own life and death and many who give requests for euthanasia may indicate they are positively asserting their desire to control events (The Case For ). However, the religious aspects to this issue support a different view. Religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam hold life as sacred and believe it is a gift from God ( Euthanasia Funk&Wagnalls). If the gift of life is from God, then only God can decide when that life should end, not someone else assisting in a death. Euthanasia is also considered immoral by these religions because the 10 commandments prohibit murder, which is essentially what euthanasia has become ( Euthanasia Britannica).

When many are suffering from a disease, they would rather die a dignified death than suffer tragically from the disease (The Case For Voluntary Euthanasia). Euthanasia activists claim euthanasia is death with dignity , even though the methods in which the deaths are carried out are anything but dignified. This can be supported by the euthanasia cases of Dr. Kevorkian, the Doctor of Death (Johansen). Dr. Kevorkian has used carbon monoxide to gas people to death, and has also had bodies dumped in empty vehicles in parking lots ( Euthanasia : Answers To ).

Another example of how euthanasia killings are not dignified can be shown by the first televisioned mercy killing, which aired in March 1995 in Great Britain that caused the spark for the euthanasia controversy. The man who allowed cameras to be present at his death was a 63 year old patient of Motor Neurone Disease. Over 13 million people watched as he received a lethal injection by his doctor (Pratt). When these killings can be displayed for the public to see, they can not be considered dignified, especially by the means in which these deaths occur. If Euthanasia practices become legal, it would only legitimize these degrading practices.

Most elderly don t fear death as much as they fear the pain and suffering that may come along with it (Euthanasia Opposing Viewpoints 136). Because of this, some justify the euthanasia practice as a way to alleviate uncontrollable or intolerable pain that is placed on a patient. Even so, deaths by euthanasia are not always painless. Even a passive act of euthanasia such as the withdrawal of life support, food and water, can cause a slow and painful death (Euthanasia : Opposing Viewpoints 39). Death is also not the only solution for pain control. In fact, pain control has been perfected in the science fields, so that most pain can be eliminated completely or greatly reduced. Even though doctors are supposed to help control pain, many have never had a course in pain management and don t know what to do (Euthanasia : Answers To ). Better education should be provided to health care professionals in order to help heal a patient, not harm them, or even kill them.

Though euthanasia is illegal in most countries, where it is widely practiced, such as in the Netherlands, it has sometimes become involuntary on the side of the patient. Euthanasia is held accountable for...