Posted by Random at 12:43pm Jul 28 '05 Michael Dennison, a patient with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) says, âÂÂI look at the bathroom. I can see it in front of me. All IâÂÂve got to do is get out of this chair, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven steps, but not to be able to do that is the hardest thingâ (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/stories/s1139597.htm). Can Mr. Dennison be spared from his pain by exercising his right to be euthanized? Many patients just like Mr. Dennison beg and plead to be euthanized because of conditions just as painful and hopeless. Yet, because of the laws of the land, they must attempt suicide on their own or live to a painful and humiliating end. Euthanasia would relieve the severely ill of their depression, frustration, and pain and allow people to die with the dignity and respect that they seek.
Michael Dennison has a disease that leads to rapid nerve cell and muscle degeneration. He is slowly and painfully losing control of his bodily functions. Mr. Dennison is unable to walk and can barely speak. He cannot independently go to the bathroom and is progressively deteriorating to the point where his entire body will completely shut down. For now, he is in agonizing pain and as helpless as you can imagine. Michael Dennison is dying, but not yet dead.
Many similar diseases affect our population. It should be legal for people to exercise their right to be euthanized. Many families would rather see their loved one die with dignity than to be equally tortured by having to watch them pass away in unfathomable pain. People all over the world favor euthanasia. They are as follows:
This shows that euthanasia is already agreed upon by a majority in these large and powerful countries.
People have a right to be euthanized. They have rights to their own bodies, thoughts and feelings. Many people believe these rights to be constitutional and personal. Based on the latest survey, many doctors also agree. The percentage values are astounding. In New York, a survey was given to 1,902 doctors with the topic of euthanasia in mind. These doctors dealt with patients with intractable diseases. Here are the results from http://www.religioustolerance.org/euth_us3.htm:
No one can comprehend the pain or indignities they are going through and no one can and should speak for these patients. Many patients want euthanasia because they have no desire to live with an incurable disease that gives them no reason to live. Here are some statistics on where the British public stands on euthanasia:
Now consider the idea of whether people should be forced to live against their own will, especially when they are suffering an incurable and painful illness. Neither the law nor medical ethics requires that "everything be done" to keep a person alive. Insistence against the patient's wishes that death be postponed by every means available is contrary to law and practice. This is because under federal law in a 1997 Supreme Court decision, it implied that states can pass laws which permit physician assisted suicide [euthanasia], and that individuals have a right to take advantage of these laws if they wishâ (http://www.religioustolerance.org/euth_us3.htm).
It would be cruel and inhumane to the patient and would be a horrible thought to think that you are kept alive against your own will to die. When one considers the circumstances outlined in the above graph, it could even be considered torture. These atrocities are occurring many times throughout the world because euthanasia, in most countries, is illegal.
As people are suffering from debilitating and incurable diseases, many doctors have chosen to partake in the act of euthanasia to help ease the pain and loss of dignity associated with these terrible diseases. Around the world, euthanasia is gaining more popularity as time goes on. Physicians are euthanizing many people in secret and sometimes against criminal law. If so many are already involved in the issue of euthanasia, why not legalize it now?
Michael Dennison has a disease that leads to rapid nerve cell and muscle degeneration. He is slowly and painfully losing control of his bodily functions. Mr. Dennison is unable to walk and can barely speak. He cannot independently go to the bathroom and is progressively deteriorating to the point where his entire body will completely shut down. For now, he is in agonizing pain and as helpless as you can imagine. Michael Dennison is dying, but not yet dead.
Many similar diseases affect our population. It should be legal for people to exercise their right to be euthanized. Many families would rather see their loved one die with dignity than to be equally tortured by having to watch them pass away in unfathomable pain. People all over the world favor euthanasia. They are as follows:
⢠57% in favor, 35% opposed in the US (CNN/USA Today poll of 1997-JUN) An earlier Gallup Poll taken in 1966-MAY showed 75% support.
⢠76% in Canada (Gallup Canada Poll, 1995; a rise from 45% in 1968)
⢠80% in Britain
⢠81% in Australia (http://www.religioustolerance.org/euth2.htm)
This shows that euthanasia is already agreed upon by a majority in these large and powerful countries.
People have a right to be euthanized. They have rights to their own bodies, thoughts and feelings. Many people believe these rights to be constitutional and personal. Based on the latest survey, many doctors also agree. The percentage values are astounding. In New York, a survey was given to 1,902 doctors with the topic of euthanasia in mind. These doctors dealt with patients with intractable diseases. Here are the results from http://www.religioustolerance.org/euth_us3.htm:
⢠6.4% of those who responded admitted that they had helped at least one patient commit suicide.
⢠They speculate that actual number is probably much larger, as many doctors would be unwilling to disclose criminal acts that they have performed.
⢠"...requests for assisted suicide or euthanasia are frequently made to physicians who practice in specialties in which they are likely to care for dying patients, and that the decision to honor such a request is not rare in the United States."
⢠Among the group that had helped at least one patient to die, 53% said that the assisted-death of their most recent patient was caused by a lethal injection. The rest wrote a prescription for pills that would cause death.
⢠29% of the doctors agreed to help in a suicide because their patient was in severe pain. 78% did it because their patient was in severe discomfort other than pain.
⢠Their patients gave many reasons for wanting to die:
- 79% cited discomfort other than pain
- 53% cited loss of dignity
- 52% cited fear of uncontrollable symptoms.
No one can comprehend the pain or indignities they are going through and no one can and should speak for these patients. Many patients want euthanasia because they have no desire to live with an incurable disease that gives them no reason to live. Here are some statistics on where the British public stands on euthanasia:
Now consider the idea of whether people should be forced to live against their own will, especially when they are suffering an incurable and painful illness. Neither the law nor medical ethics requires that "everything be done" to keep a person alive. Insistence against the patient's wishes that death be postponed by every means available is contrary to law and practice. This is because under federal law in a 1997 Supreme Court decision, it implied that states can pass laws which permit physician assisted suicide [euthanasia], and that individuals have a right to take advantage of these laws if they wishâ (http://www.religioustolerance.org/euth_us3.htm).
It would be cruel and inhumane to the patient and would be a horrible thought to think that you are kept alive against your own will to die. When one considers the circumstances outlined in the above graph, it could even be considered torture. These atrocities are occurring many times throughout the world because euthanasia, in most countries, is illegal.
As people are suffering from debilitating and incurable diseases, many doctors have chosen to partake in the act of euthanasia to help ease the pain and loss of dignity associated with these terrible diseases. Around the world, euthanasia is gaining more popularity as time goes on. Physicians are euthanizing many people in secret and sometimes against criminal law. If so many are already involved in the issue of euthanasia, why not legalize it now?