The In-forum.com published an article from the Associated Press called "Right-to-die debate revived by charges against 4 members of alleged assisted suicide network." This article brings up an interesting debate. The debate is regarding the right to die.
Apparently there is a case against an alleged assisted suicide ring. This ring is known as the Final Exit Network. Two members of this network have been charged with aiding the suicide of a 58-year-old man from Georgia who was suffering from throat and mouth cancer. This network may have also been involved in up to 200 deaths across the country.
There are some states that have legalized doctor-assisted suicide, but Georgia is not one of them. In Georgia people can be sentenced for up to five years in prison for being involved in assisting with suicides.
The debate begins with the belief of some that people should be allowed to "die gracefully." But, another group called Not Dead Yet disagrees. They feel assisted suicides are murder and these people get off on being there for death. The Final Exit Network claims they don't actively aid suicides, but rather support and guide those who have decided to end their lives on their own.
When I went to the Web and looked up assisted suicide, I found a link to the American Psychological Association. This association provides arguments for supporting and opposing assisted suicides. Both arguments are very strong and I can understand where each side is coming from.
I'm just not sure who should decide or if there should be laws governing assisted suicide. Don't we all have the right to decide when or if we want to die? If someone was very sick with no hope of recovery and they were going to die a low and painful death, shouldn't they have the freedom to make a choice? But, what if some medical miracle happened all of the sudden and they missed out on that opportunity.
On the other hand, what if assisted suicides became too easy and if someone committed murder, they could say it was assisted suicide. Some type of laws need to be in place governing assisted suicide for this purpose. We could have a lot of murderers running around if they got off with saying it was assisted suicide!
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This debate has so many interesting facets to explore and discuss. On the one hand, I do feel that everyone should have the right to end their life if they have an inoperable disease. On the other, I feel that God put us on this earth, and He is the only one that should have the power to take us off.
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly a topic that I would consider a PR nightmare. Therefore, I would never want to be employed by a hospital or public health facility as their PR representative!
I agree with Heather that I would never want to be the one to represent a hospital that aids in assisted suicide. It would be a very hard job to do. I'm not sure if I wish assisted suicide was legalized. I wouldn't want any of my family or friends to suffer, but I wouldn't want them to take thier own life if there was a chance.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with the Not Dead Yet group, they day the those who help with assisted living get off from death. I believe they really are helping people end thier suffering. Its a very tough debate and I don't think either side is completely right. I agree we do need to make more laws and decisions about this issue.
This was a very interesting topic and I found it really hard to pick a side. I don’t think anyone should judge people and their decision to take their own life, especially when they are suffering from an illness. Depression is one of the main reasons people commit suicides and I think that these people can get help and not choose to end their lives. But people that have cancer that is incurable and they know that they will be in a lot of pain and they feel that they have done everything that they ever wanted to they should have the right to choose to end their life or not. And having that support and understanding behind you can make this process a lot easier.
ReplyDeleteBut I truly feel that people aren’t going to be to pick a side until there are living in that moment and they have to make that choice for themselves or they have to watch a love one make that choice. It’s a very controversial subject and one that the government should pay close attention to.
This was a very good blog. I am one that sides with the people that are for the assisted death. Imagine you were in the shoes of the people suffering everyday and not being to do anything about it. You would probably just want to end your life also, rather than go on for years of pain and struggling. Especially if you were elderly. If the person is able to talk or write and they tell say they don't want to keep on living then I think they should get their wish. It would be harder to make a choice if the person cant communicate anymore, so I am not sure where I side with that issue. But if a person wishes to end it, I think they should be able to make that choice for themselves.
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