Euthanasia

by Skyler Seger

Is killing someone who is suffering badly morally right or wrong? Euthanasia is

when someone who is sick or is suffering very badly is allowed to die. The person that is

suffering asks to be killed and the doctors will do it. Some people think that it is morally

wrong to let the people die. Others think it should be legal. Many think it is a very

slippery slope and should be talked about whether or not it should be okay or not.

Should euthanasia be okay? Is it right or wrong?

If a person that is very sick and is for certain going to die soon anyways, they

should be allowed to be euthanized if they consent to it. A person should have the right

to do whatever they please if they are going to die soon. If it is there wish to be

euthanized then they should not be denied. The person should not be automatically

euthanized however because it should be entirely up to them and not the doctor.

Euthanasia should be allowed in certain cases especially if the person’s suffering

is so unbearable that they can barely take it anymore. If a person is in great pain and

will be in great pain for the rest of his or her life then they should be able to be

euthanized if that is what they wish. In Belgium last year there were two middle age

twins who were born deaf and had spinal problems that Kevin Gross wrote about. They

were diagnosed with incoming blindness and decided that they would rather be

euthanized because their life wasn’t worth living anymore. Since it was their choice, and

they were suffering their entire life, they had every right to be euthanized. They had

severe spinal problems, were deaf, and were soon to be blind. They were tired of

having to live like that everyday of their lives so they decided to be euthanized.
 A person who is being euthanized should always need to consent. Nobody else

besides the person should ever be able to decide if someone else should get

euthanized or not unless maybe it is a very close family member that the person trusts.

If other people could decide for the person then the system could become very corrupt.

Some people may die against their will.

If the patient is unable to consent to euthanasia for some reason then a close

family member should be the person to decide for them. For example if a patient is

clinically brain dead then they would not be able to decide whether or not they want to

be euthanized or not. So if the patient has a close family member or friend then they

should be able to decide what is best for them. If the patient does not have a close

family member or friend, then the doctor should be able to decide what they think would

be best for the patient.

Allowing euthanasia to be legal could also help the family of the patient. If they

are tired of seeing their family member sick or in pain then it can help them finally let go.

It would end the suffering of the patient and the suffering of the patient’s family. If

euthanasia was legal it would help a lot of people and could make families feel better.

Lane Charles argues that if people are depressed then they might be able to

exploit euthanasia if it was made legal. People who are depressed or suicidal may use it

as a way to commit suicide. There should be a list of certain requirements that you must

meet to apply for euthanasia. If you are in great pain, but it is curable then you should

not be able to be euthanized. So in the case of a depressed person who is suicidal, they

would not be allowed to be euthanized because it is something that can be fixed and

they will not be depressed for the rest of their lives.

 Someone may also argue that giving a doctor the right to legally kill someone

could be a very dangerous thing. It would not be dangerous because the doctor should

have no say in whether or not the patient should be euthanized. A doctor should also

never try to persuade the patient into thinking another way. If the patient requests it and

they meet the certain requirements for it, only then should the doctor be able to do

anything involving euthanasia.

Something that used to be done in the United States is eugenics according to

Edwin Black of History News Network. It is where people who were mentally disabled

were euthanized to improve the genetic quality of the human population. The people

who were euthanized did not consent and were not suffering in any way. People just

thought that they were inferior and should be killed. The nazis later borrowed the book

on eugenics from the U.S and used it’s ideas to kill people they thought were unfit for

living. They should not have been the ones deciding. This is not something that should

be allowed to be done and is not okay.

If a person meets all the requirements that should be necessary for euthanasia,

and they wish to be put out of their suffering then they should be able to. Especially if

the person has unbearable pain and does not see the point in living anymore. If they are

for sure going to die and they wish to be euthanized then so be it. A patient has to

consent otherwise euthanasia should not be done. Euthanasia is already legal in seven

countries and it is legal in five states in the U.S.

Euthanasia could easily be made legal if people were willing to accept it. A list of

requirements would have to be made to keep people from abusing the system. Doctors

would have to make sure that the patient consents to euthanasia before it is done to
them. The patient would be the only one to be able to decide whether they want to be

euthanized or not as long as they meet the requirements.

Black, Edwin. "The Horrifying American Roots of Nazi Eugenics." History News

Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2017.

Gross, Kevin. &quot;Belgian Twins Legally Euthanized.&quot;<i> University Wire</i>, 09

Dec 2015, pp. n/a.<i> SIRS Issues Researcher</i>, <a href="http://sks.sirs.com"

target="_blank">http://sks.sirs.com</a>.

Lane, Charles. &quot;Euthanasia's Slippery Slope.&quot;<i> Washington Post</i>, 20

Aug 2015, pp. A.15.<i> SIRS Issues Researcher</i>, <a href="http://

sks.sirs.com" target="_blank">http://sks.sirs.com</a>.

Warren, R. M. &quot;We Need to Talk about Euthanasia.&quot;<i> Toronto Star</i>, 25

Aug 2015, pp. A.11.<i> SIRS Issues Researcher</i>, <a href="http://sks.sirs.com"

target="_blank">http://sks.sirs.com</a>.