Essay on Euthanasia in the United States - 1214 Words

Euthanasia in the United States The frail woman lay on her bed, chatting quietly with her grandchild. They had spent the day talking about unicorns, Cinderella, and the olden days. As they conversed, the womans daughter looked on. She nodded to the doctor, and by the end of the evening the joyful spirit of old woman was gone. Euthanasia is a practice that has become more common than realized in the United States. Various states in the Union have tried to legalize euthanasia within the past few years. Those states include Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, New York, Washington, California and Oregon. North Carolina, Utah and Wyoming do not necessarily ban physician-assisted suicide. Euthanasia is criminalized in the remaining states†¦show more content†¦A Right to Life lawyer named Annette Patterson said: Its becoming the abortion issue of the next century and just as nasty. Yet it is even more important because how we die concerns everyone (Johnson 31). There is a strong element of truth in this statemen t. Even though a miniscule percentage of people would ever request assistance in dying, to legalize controlled euthanasia would create a wide doorway for open and uncontrolled physician-assisted suicide (Meier 37). Oregons Death with Dignity law, effective since November 4, 1997, did exactly that (Oregon 41). God wants the sanctity of life to be upheld at every cost, no matter the circumstances surrounding the issue. In our modern world, people only think of themselves and their own selfish desires, not necessarily for the good of anothers life. To love someone is to help that person improve the condition of life, not destroy it because it was a personal choice. In Matthew 24:12, it states that And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold (Matthew). America has become as selfish nation that harbors sin, and is therefore looking for a way to eliminate those who need her help the most. The Death with Dignity law is based off Netherlands laws on euthanasia enfo rcement and regulations (Oregon 52). It is now the basis for many stateside proposals, such as Californias, on euthanasia (Johnson 33). It has several requirements, such as a waiting timeShow MoreRelatedEuthanasia in the United States2720 Words   |  11 PagesEuthanasia for the Elderly in the United States Hannah Pate An issue facing much of today’s elderly and terminally ill populations is that of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. Several countries, most notably the Netherlands, has legalized euthanasia and physician assisted suicide leading to what is now referred to as â€Å"death tourism†. People from across the world are traveling to place with legalized euthanasia, like the Netherlands, in order to end their lives through assisted suicideRead MoreEuthanasia Is The United States Of America861 Words   |  4 PagesDictionary, euthanasia is ‘the act or practice of killing someone who is very sick or injured in order to prevent any more suffering.’ Understandably, one suffering from a terminal illness such as AIDS, cancer, or Alzheimer’s, may think it best to put an end to their agony as soon as possible. Although it can be argued that there may be good intentions in carrying out this â€Å"mercy killing†, they do not change the fact that euth anasia is murder and should remain illegal in the United States of AmericaRead MoreA Brief Note On Euthanasia And The United States882 Words   |  4 PagesHistory of Euthanasia in the U.S. Euthanasia is the act or practice, killing of permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy killing. Far more controversial, active euthanasia involves causing the death of a person through a direct action. In response to a request from the person. Euthanasia itself been around for as long as the history of medicine. This euthanasia is enormous and have long history in the United States. This soRead MoreDeath Of The United States Should Legalize Active Voluntary Euthanasia1200 Words   |  5 PagesThe democracy of the United States should legalize active voluntary euthanasia (AVE), active non-voluntary euthanasia (NVAE), and physician-assisted suicide/death (PAS/PAD), in cases where the patient has a terminal illness, unbearable pain, or are in a vegetative state with no chance of being revived. AVE is defined as â€Å"the intentional and painless ‘mercy driven’ termination of a consenting rational person’s life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  NVAE is conjugately defined as â€Å"the termination of an incompetent individual s existenceRead MoreEuthanasia Should Be Legalized And The United States As A Last Resort For The Terminally Ill1760 Words   |  8 Pagesthem, which is considered Euthanasia. The practice of Euthanasia should be legalized and provided in the United States as a last resort for the terminally-ill. Euthanasia debates originate all the way from the perspectives and condemnation by Christians in the Roman Empire. The word euthanasia comes â€Å"from the Greek words eu, meaning good, and thanatos, meaning death† (McDougall 148). The different types of Euthanasia explain the action taking place such as passive Euthanasia, â€Å"to end a person lifeRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1220 Words   |  5 Pagesincurable patients, it is rarely known that Euthanasia, a termination of one’s life with his/her self-willingness, is a release of permanent pain. On the other hand, it is committed by the doctors. Among Voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary Euthanasia, only is Voluntary Euthanasia being universally concerned by human beings. Various fascinating facts, Australia has already approved this act and many people from other countries have also committed Euthanasia. Regarding this topic, people have beenRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?907 Words   |  4 Pagesreference for the ethical standards that medical practitioners follow in the United States. One statement seen in the oath is that â€Å"[a physician] will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel†(â€Å"The Hippocratic Oath†), directly refuting the morality of voluntary active euthanasia, which is a highly contentious issue in the United States. Voluntary active euthanasia is currently illegal in the United States. However, I believe that patients with terminal illnesses experiencingRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized? Essay1200 Words   |  5 Pagesmaintaining existence without regard for its condition is a degradation of the meaning of life, not a promotion of it (Cockeram 33) .† Many adults perceive euthanasia as a murderous act that involves cruel and unusual pain; when in fact, it is usually a method that helps the individual reach their demise in a less miserable manor. Immigrants to the United States are incl ined to become a citizen, not for the beautiful geography, but because the U.S. is one of the few countries that gives everyone freedom establishedRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1039 Words   |  5 Pagesnow, and why is he not offered the option of euthanasia? Because of these reasons: it is illegal in 49 of the states of the United States, except Oregon, since 1828, when the first known anti-euthanasia law was passed in the state of New York. In Oregon, the law states that once a terminally ill adult requests euthanasia, two physicians must agree that the patient is sane and has less than six months to live. Euthanasia is illegal because the United States is based on puritan beliefs that dictate thatRead MoreEuthanasia Is The Painless Killing Of Someone1408 Words   |  6 Pageswithout pain? Euthanasia is the painless killing of someone that is suffering from a disease or something that is incurable. â€Å"The concept of dying with one’s personhood intact is o ften referred to as a â€Å"Socratic death.† In today’s parlance, it is often called â€Å"dying with dignity† (â€Å"Dying with Dignity† 1996; Solovy 1999)† (Patel 38). In Greek, euthanasia literally means a good death. There are also many different versions of euthanasia. The one that is legal in the United States is physician aid