Should assisted suicide be legal?
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A debate on assisted suicide and the right to die.
Should assisted suicide be legal?
I think we need to be very careful about laws that supposedly empower individuals by giving them the freedom to decide when to die. I find assisted suicide and the "right to die" movement problematic because these measures can work against the very individuals they claim to support. I think the case of Terri Schiavo is a good illustration of this. Disability-rights organizations like Not Dead Yet oppose assisted suicide because it can be used in a coercive manner to deprive disabled people of their basic right to life.
Take a Stand on the Right to Die
The Montana state supreme court ruling on assisted suicide has brought the right-to-die debate back into the spotlight. What do you think?
Should assisted suicide be legal?
Yes, I support the legalization of assisted suicide.
nadjaiskeniskie says:
Your body, your right.
ellagis says:
I think everyone should be able to decide if he/she wants to go on living or not.
xochitl says:
i am not against it!!!!
Dawn says:
It's already legal in Montana, and should continue to be. who am I to take that choice away? I am a strong Christian woman, and hope that I would never have to make that choice, but I can't make that choice if it is not there for me. I would have liked my uncle to have been able to make that choice, but illegal in NE, he wasted away from 200+lbs to 85 lbs from pancreatic cancer, and had asked repeatedly to let him die. He should have had that choice. As for DNR--if someone didn't have to be resuscitated, but are wasting away, the DNR doesn't always come into play. It's not something that can be applied for everyone who wants to die with dignity.
Putting all religious beliefs aside--put yourself in their shoes. can you honestly say that if in their situation you would't want the same thing. Could you honestly say that you wouldn't want to pass with dignity and be set free of your misery?. I couldn't and that makes it hard for me. the only thing that would make the decision hard for me would be my belief of my body being a temple--even if it is rotting away. the only way someone would be aloud to keep me alive by life support is if they are harvesting my organs for someone who need/can use them.
Since the 1960's it has been legal to commit suicide.--blowing brains out, slitting wrists, hanging ... these are all horrible ways to die, but have been the out for many who are dying a horrible death anyway. why not let them go to sleep peacefully, and not put their families thru the above visions of finding them dead all of a sudden in their homes or wherever they decide to end their lives. Give their families closure.
thanks for your time
AlaskaHydro says:
I believe in Free Will. If you are a religious type of person, you believe that our creator gave us Free Will. Silly humans shouldn't interfere with that.
Stazjia says:
Obviously there should be safeguards to ensure that a sick person isn't being coerced into requesting euthanasia and nor should a relative's word that this was their wish be taken as the deciding factor when the sick person is no longer able to communicate their wishes.
Bearing these provisos in mind, I think a person should have the right to choose. I am in the position where I know I could have a severe stroke at any time. If this was going to leave me terribly disabled and unable to live a dignified life, I'd rather not be kept alive. If one of my dogs was incurably ill and in pain with no quality of life, it would be my duty to have it put to sleep. In fact, not doing so could leave me open to a charge of cruelty. I know when owners have to take this decision, they feel guilt as well as grief. They do know they did the right thing for their pet, though.
I come down in favour of people's right to choose for themselves.
No, I'm against the legalization of assisted suicide.
SilkWhispers says:
I do believe I feel a new Lens comin' on.. :wink:
cjsysreform says:
Stazjia nailed her position so well, she practically convinced me that assisted suicide should be legal... but here's the thing: people are already free to sign DNR (do not resuscitate) orders and write living wills to make their end-of-life wishes known. We do have the option to end our own lives, but those who help others do so risk facing legal sanctions. This is as it should be, I think, because it provides some protection against coerced or selfishly motivated assisted suicides. These so-called "suicide" cases need to be recognized for what they really are: murder.
Against Assisted Suicide
Arguments against the "right to die"
The following news and journal articles, blogs and websites argue against assisted suicide. I have deliberately excluded arguments based on religious principles and partisan political agendas, because I believe these sorts of arguments may obscure the central ethical issues relevant to this debate.
1
Not Dead Yet News & Commentary
The blog for Not Dead Yet, a disability-rights gro more...0 points
2
The Case Against Physician-Assisted Suicide: For the Right to End-of-Life Care - Psychiatric Times
"Studies show that the less physicians know a more...0 points
3
Californians Against Assisted Suicide
Myths and facts, list of disability rights organiz more...0 points
Living Will
No matter what your position on assisted suicide and the right to die, it's hard to argue against writing a living will. I wrote one as an assignment for a medical ethics course.
Image: caringinfo.org
In Favor of Legalizing Assisted Suicide
And arguments for the "right to die"
The following news and journal articles, blogs and websites present arguments in favor of legalizing assisted suicide and support for the "right to die" movement. The image above is an interesting set of questions about end-of-life issues for you to consider.
1
Death with Dignity National Center
Death with Dignity is a non-profit, non-partisan o more...0 points
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There are more humane ways to die than starving
"Now that a person may legally choose to die more...0 points
3
Compassion & Choices
"Choice & care at the end of life." more...0 points
4
Assisted Suicide - Information on right-to-die and euthanasia laws and history
assistedsuicide.org - website of Euthanasia Resear more...0 points
Any last words before you assert your right to die?
What... you didn't really want to die? Oops...
Too late! :P
Please share your reactions to this debate on assisted suicide and the right to die.
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Steve_Kaye
May 2, 2012 @ 7:46 pm | delete
- The only freedom that matters is freedom to decide what you do with your body.
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James
Jun 15, 2011 @ 12:43 am | delete
- Assisted suicide is perhaps the most unjustified term that has ever reach my ear drums. That is just far from righteousness.
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momsfunny May 27, 2011 @ 10:41 pm | delete
- No one has the right to take their own life. We only borrowed our life to God. And He alone has the right to take back the life that He let us borrowed.
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cjsysreform
Sep 10, 2009 @ 8:35 am | in reply to Stazjia | delete
- Thanks! The related news section below is working particularly well here (on some of my other lenses, it hasn't been very useful at all). I know I'll be checking this page daily just to get the latest news on assisted suicide. Now I just need to add my own comments to the duel... but your argument is so good, I'm not sure I can weigh in on the other side with something equally convincing. :)
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Stazjia
Sep 8, 2009 @ 4:20 am | delete
- Here's another of your thought provoking lenses on a difficult and controversial subjects. Well done.
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Related News on Assisted Suicide
- Readers Write (May 28): Assisted suicide, public pensions, affluent schools ...
- Photo: AP, AP Let's be clear about how Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, which allows physician-assisted dying, actually works (editorial, May 20, and subsequent letters to the editor). It is not a fate foisted upon random, unwanted old people.
- Assisted suicide or a show of love?
- Alan Purdy, 88, shown with a painting of his late wife, Margaret, at their San Marcos, Calif., home, told authorities that he did nothing to stop her as she committed suicide. (Los Angeles Times / April 4, 2012) By Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times SAN ...
- PD James - I would help a loved one die
- The novelist PD James has said that she is in favour of assisted suicide and would help a terminally ill loved one end their life. By Roya Nikkhah, Arts Correspondent Baroness James, 91, said that she would be prepared to risk prosecution to help a ...
by cjsysreform
Hi, I'm Amanda Sage. I write about fashion (especially lingerie), criminal justice, social psychology and popular culture. I live in Mountain View, CA... more »
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