Life, Death, Liberty, and Happiness

11/11/2019

My dad recently announced to the family that he wanted to put down our pet poodle of 14 years. He argued that Wheatley was old, in pain, and didn't deserve to live like that. As I considered his proposition I kept thinking that if Wheatley was still living, she could keep living a little longer. My dad then asked me, "Sabrina, if you were blind, deaf, half lame, and always crying, would you want to keep living?" He exaggerated my dog's infirmities, but it made me think. Many people believe that although suicide is legal, assisted suicide is a crime and should not be legal, but could it be more humane? I was later presented with a story in which a man in excruciating pain who had been begging to be taken off what was keeping him alive. After his pleas were ignored and his cries became unbearable, his brother took a gun to the hospital and killed him out of mercy. He was charged with murder.

With the improved technology and medicine we have right now, it is very common to put a loved one on life support or put off their death. Sometimes these people don't want to be kept in that painful state but their wishes are not seen as sane or respectable. As more and more people speak out about how cruel it is to keep someone in a suffering state, more areas are legalizing the practice. In January of 2020, Maine will become the 8th state to legalize assisted suicide. Many of the people that pushed for this bill to pass had to watch a friend endure months or even years of physical or mental agony while begging to have that freedom. Physician-Assisted Suicide is usually allowed if the patient is sane, repetitive in their request, and take the drugs themselves.

Contrarily, some believe that legalizing assisted suicide removes the ability to get mentally unstable patients the help that they need. Suicide is often a plea for help or a test for those around them. Around 94% of those that commit suicide are not mentally sound and have not made the decision rationally. These mindsets and disorders can be treated. Pain can be alleviated. They would argue that it isn't all or nothing, you don't need to get rid of yourself to get rid of your problems. Besides, those who survive suicide attempts rarely attempt again.

Should assisted suicide be legal in the United States? Will creating a legal way to choose death make people think harder and more rationally about their decision? If you had a loved one that wanted to die, would you let them? Who should be able to choose assisted suicide? Do we have a right to life as well as death?

Sources:
https://www.texasrighttolife.com/why-assisted-suicide-should-not-be-legalized/
https://www.scu.edu/ethics/focus-areas/bioethics/resources/assisted-suicide-a-right-or-a-wrong/
https://apnews.com/7f0fe9d789294a02852c1669c892f382

36 Comments

Faith

11/15/2019 10:31:06 pm

In my opinion, assisted suicide should be legal as long as the person meets requirements to make this decision. Because we do have a right to live, we also should have a right to death. Although this seems harsh, or taken the wrong way, what is stopping you from having a right to choose your own death if you are suffering? Suicide however is an entirely different thing, and should be the only exception to this rule as the reasons for doing so could be fixed. If a loved one wanted to die, and if they were suffering, it would be their own decision to do what is best for them. Losing loved ones is a terrible thing to go through, but it is almost worse to see them suffer for a long amount of time only because you want to keep them alive. But are they really living or just surviving? It should be in their power to decide what their future holds. Death is a heavy topic, but often is immediately assumed as a bad thing. But what if it isn't? We don't know, which is the scariest part.

Kately

11/17/2019 02:05:40 am

Suicide is often a rash decision made in the darkest hours of a person's life. They do not consider that this can be alleviated and treated. Someone who is terminally ill, someone who is hurting has problems that are beyond treating, should have that choice. I am not for death, nor am I tolerant of suffering...It is never easy to talk about.

Ezra

11/17/2019 10:37:54 am

I agree, as humans we have rights too many things, so why should we not have rights to death. If we do not have the right to choose if we want to die then who does.

Tori Weir

11/17/2019 02:37:34 pm

I notice with requirements there are always loopholes that a person can get through. To make sure a person is meeting the requirements to actually consider assisted suicide would have to be strict. How would doctors who do these procedures know if a person would be faking to simply die legally and painlessly?

Brax Kauffman

11/17/2019 05:01:15 pm

Do you think that the decision should be completely up to the individual themselves? Or do you think it may be better if more people need to be apart of the process to insure it is the right thing to do?

madicyn

11/17/2019 06:57:45 pm

I liked your,"right to death" wording. We as humans, have the right to many things, even our animals death, so ours should be included in that as well. It is a choice to continue in this world, and I would rather see safe systems of assisted suicides, than gruesome heart breaking ones.

Aiden

11/16/2019 10:14:45 am

After a period of deep thought I've decided that I believe that assisted suicide should, in some instances, be legal. First I hate the words of assisted suicide. If someone is in a constant state of agonizing pain in which the only thing that is keeping them alive is our technology; Then I believe that we can let them go. However I also believe that if someone was born with a disability or problem and feel like they aren't able to accomplish anything in life they should not be able to qualify for assisted suicide. This is how I think of assisted suicide "qualification": If a person is physically or psychologically unable to grow, gain experience, and learn then he/she is probably ready and is able to go. Now I say probably because life is a sacred thing it's undoubtedly a personal matter of deep pondering and reflection. I think that the person that is infirmed along with family should carefully decide whether to move on or to stay and still progress as a person here. I'm uneasy to say we have a "right" to death because of my deep belief that life is one of the best things our spirits have been given. Although as I said earlier, if a person has been dammed in their progression in this life because of physical agony or any other worthy ailment than I think they should move on to the next stage.

Kately

11/17/2019 01:56:53 am

I agree that life is sacred, its a phenomenon that science isn't entirely sure about, regarding its origin. I hate the thought of death, and how people seem to think of it as an alternate route to take. I also hate seeing someone suffer...This truly is a complicated topic. There is scarcely any black and white, many I think would fall into a grey area regarding this.

Faith

11/17/2019 10:29:24 am

I agree that “assisted suicide” is the wrong term for the situation. People should have the right to let go if they are suffering.

Ezra

11/17/2019 10:40:02 am

You are right that this choice would take a long time to think about, and to find an answer. That is why I think that there should be a wait time to when you can actually act.

Alyssa Farnworth

11/17/2019 04:42:32 pm

I liked that you mentioned your deep belief that life is sacred but still came to the conclusion that if one is truly suffering they should get to make the decision on if they die or not. What process do you believe someone should go through before they can make the decision to die?

Kately

11/17/2019 01:50:30 am

Death is a topic that never gets easier to discuss, especially when someone wants to take their own life. In my mind, life is a gift. A gift many people would claim they never asked for, but were nonetheless gifted with; The potential to offer something to the world. Life is never easy, and can be especially cruel to some. If someone is terminally ill, or are only able to survive with the aid of technology while in constant agony, I believe they should be able to make that decision provided they are sound of mind. While it is difficult to see a loved one go, it is even more difficult to see them suffer. The best one can do in that stage is to ensure they are as comfortable as possible,

Faith

11/17/2019 10:31:07 am

Life really is a gift. It is harder to see a loved one suffer than to acknowledge that they are really gone.

Andy Gebhardt

11/17/2019 02:20:02 pm

You are right that life is never easy. Everyone goes through struggles and has trouble at some point in their life. With assisted suicide though, if there is a possibility of new technology that could save a person, should un prevented death be legal?

Tori Weir

11/17/2019 02:32:58 pm

It is interesting how people think of life and never fully understand why a struggle in their life is in there. Especially with having a more common mindset of having a difficult time of getting over a challenge they face that they automatically wish they want to die, jokingly or literally. If assisted suicide becomes legal to anyone, do you think people will use it even though they are not terminally sick or suffering?

Madicyn

11/17/2019 06:59:14 pm

Life is a gift for sure, but when one is in constant pain and suffering, it will be quite hard for them to remember and agree with this statement. I agree that they should be able to take their life with assisted suicide if they chose to do so.

Ezra

11/17/2019 10:34:28 am

I think that assisted suicide should be legal, and anyone should be able to be helped. I think people should have to sign up for it through extensive paperwork, but there should be a pending date or some wait before they can use it. In the time that they are waiting, they must attend a mental heath clinic for a certain amount of time. At the end of the time, they get one final decision, and if they carry on then it is their choice. This is an ethical fair way to give people a way out of this world. They will be helped as much as possible to show that life is worth living, and if they want help they will have it.

Andy Gebhardt

11/17/2019 02:15:01 pm

Your point about having to sign up for assisted suicide is a good one. A person should not be able to do it whenever they want to because then there could be rash decisions made that are not ideal. Do you think every age should have the ability for assisted suicide?

Alyssa Farnworth

11/17/2019 04:47:44 pm

I agree there should be a waiting period. Outside of a clinic though how do you think someone could be shown they want to live, because there are some who don't respond to therapy? Also do you think family should be involved or do you feel that it should be a personal decision?

Sabrina

11/17/2019 06:35:30 pm

At first I thought that obviously when you're younger than 18 you need to have a parent involved, but now I'm wondering if after 18 you should too. I don't think that the family can veto it after 18, but it would definitely help to have support or people trying to convince you otherwise.

Brax Kauffman

11/17/2019 05:05:32 pm

I really like this idea. It allows for anyone to be aloud to think about it but then force them to reconsider it multiple times before they make the final decision.

Aiden

11/17/2019 05:49:57 pm

I like the thorough checklist of things to do. It definitely allows the person to think deeply about what they think needs to happen in terms of there life and growth.

Andy Gebhardt

11/17/2019 02:11:02 pm

The decision to take your own life is one that is very uncommon in most people unless they are experiencing serious trauma, pain, depression, or other mental disorders that cause a lack of good judgement. The idea of assisted suicide is a similar problem to suicide except that someone is aiding that person in death. At first glance this obviously constitutes as murder. However, someone that is in so much pain should have some ability to control their life. The choice to die is a hard decision at any stage and to have a sane person decide this truly means they are severely suffering.
As far as whether assisted suicide should be legal I believe that it should be. There would need to be specific parameters that it could be allowed but to a certain extent it should be. A person should be considered “sane” as the first post suggested because if they are not then it is hard to say if their decision is truly the one they desire. For a loved one to make the decision, the emotional ramifications are extreme as well. But as much as a relative wants their loved one to live they should also be able to understand the suffering that each day brings. That should influence their decision as well if the loved one is not using their own mind.

Paige

11/17/2019 04:45:10 pm

I'm glad that you noted that if a sane person wants to die then they are truly suffering. I think declaring an individual "sane" is a very important step in assisted suicide. Without this, assisted suicide would be seen more as murder if it was done to a patient who is not mentally stable.

Tori Weir

11/17/2019 02:27:31 pm

Suicide usually relates to people who are struggling with a mental disorder, trauma, or any other effects that makes a person want to end their life. It is a touchy subject due to how many people simply give up and the realization and guilt of others to experience their loved one commits suicide. Assisted suicide is even more of a delicate subject because no one wants to see their loved one die and know they are partly responsible too. If a person is in pain and suffering really bad that the doctors know they will not find peace in living then they should be allowed to have assisted suicide. The decision to do it should be discussed with family and see if it is actually the best option for that person. Other than that, assisted suicide should not be allowed for anything else. People should not be able to decide if they should die because life is precious and not everyone gets lucky to live a fulfilling life. If this was legal for anyone else to use people will use it as an excuse to die because they see other people do it.

Paige

11/17/2019 04:41:26 pm

You bring up a good point in that assisted suicide is a delicate subject but that if an individual is in deep suffering they should be allowed the option. I like how you included family in your post and how it would affect them.

Madicyn

11/17/2019 04:17:06 pm

I have had conversations with my mom that led to the topic similar to this. She asked if when she is old, sick, or dying, to not let her sit there and rot. If she ever became a "vegetable", to pull the plug. It is her wish not to live unable to do any of the things she used to be able to, or to be in constant pain and suffering. Now for assisted suicide, death due to the aid of another person, i believe should be legal everywhere under specific guidelines and situations. If someone is in chronic pain constantly, and there's no chance in them improving or getting better eventually, I think it is their rightful choice. There is also an extreme difference in suicide, and assisted suicide for medical reasons. Suicide is a much more traumatic choice people make, and it's usually not done out of physical pain.

Aiden

11/17/2019 05:54:28 pm

I like that you pointed out how big of a contrast it is between suicide and so called assisted suicide. If someone is not able to preform simple life functions it’s nearly impossible for them to find purpose in life and may need to move on.

Sabrina

11/17/2019 06:31:57 pm

Should assisted suicide requested because of mental health issues and depression not be legal and instead try and and help them? Alyssa told of an experience where that was the case.

Brax Kauffman

11/17/2019 04:19:41 pm

I believe that assisted suicidal should be legalized under certain conditions. While suicide is usually brought on by a multitude of mental disorders and trauma, there can be other reasons for a person wanting to end their own life . The most prominent example of this is if someone is in physical pain and there is a low chance they are going to be able to live there life the same. When there are instances such as this, I think that the person should be given an opportunity to not have to continue to live in suffering. I know there are many moral questions that are brought up because of this topic but I think that if there is a way to determine a set guideline for those that should be allowed to go through with this and those that are not, then there is no reason for it not to be legal. The main question is how to determine who qualifies and who doesn’t. I think it should mostly be based off of physical aspects rather than a mental disorder since majority of the time there are treatments around mental problem. The other reason physical should be factored as the most important feature is because there are some illnesses and diseases that keep a person from being able to function normally without pain.

Erykah

11/17/2019 06:58:36 pm

Not all people are applicable to assisted suicide. The patients who have no cure or treatments to alleviate pain deserve the right to make this decision, but I agree that there should be a way to determine whether they are mentally stable to choose. Do you think a medical diagnosis from a psychiatrist would be the best way to see if the person is ready to make a decision like suicide?

Alyssa Farnworth

11/17/2019 04:35:10 pm

There are many reasons people choose to end their life, but to sum it up it usually has to do with varying degrees of suffering. For this reason, I feel that assisted suicide should be legal. If someone's quality of life cannot be improved. I feel they have the right to say if they want to remain living. Death is a hard subject for many to talk about therefore if someone is repeatedly asking to die, it is not without thought.
There are traumas in people's lives that may keep them from ever reaching happiness. For some that can be terminal illnesses in which they are in a terrible amount of pain and or want to end their life on their own terms and there are those who have severe depression, were sexually assaulted, etc. In one case a 17 year old girl was sexually assaulted as a child and it caused her to stop eating as well as experiencing severe mental and emotional trauma. In order to be euthanized doctors had to conclude that her struggling had no end in sight. She went through three youth care facilities and a year in the hospital being tube fed before the decision was made. To me this seems a long time to let someone suffer. But I understand trying to help ones life improve before ending it.
Deciding if one’s life will improve is a hard decision to make. Therefore I feel that some counseling as well as other methods to test their improvement should be administered. It should also be made sure that the person is of sane mind when they ask to die. For those who are suffering from terminal illnesses and will die anyway, I feel they should be allowed to make the decision of how and when they will go.

Source:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/euthanasia-clinic-suicide-depression-rape-anorexia-netherlands-teenager-noa-pothoven-a8944356.html

Erykah

11/17/2019 07:06:34 pm

Although it was horrible that she suffered for so long, I'm glad people were trying to help her. Each person in prolonged pain deserves the right to assisted suicide, but there should definitely be some way to determine if it's the only decision. Do you think a jury and a judge should make this decision or the patient's family?

Paige

11/17/2019 04:38:41 pm

I honestly do not know how I feel on the topic of assisted suicide. I believe that there are times when people are suffering and need help but I do not know if the answer to their problems is death. However, depending on the situation and the amount of pain an individual is in, death might be the only option and assisted suicide would provide that. I believe that life is precious and should not be taken no matter what age. But in the case of the suffering elderly, taking life may be the only and best option.
If assisted suicide were legalized I feel it would be important to take note of the patient's mental abilities, age, illness(es) and family concerns and beliefs. Some patients are unable to care for themselves and make the best decisions as they age. Taking into account these various aspects would help the patient and their family if they are considering assisted suicide.
I have never been OK with any legalized form of death. However, I see the benefits this could have among some individuals. In the end, I am choosing to remain indifferent on the topic and hope for whatever would be the best in this situation.

Erykah

11/17/2019 06:45:32 pm

As long as the patient is in the right mind to make the decision, assisted suicide should be legal. If I were in a situation where one of my family members or myself contracted an agonizing illness with no cure, I would resort to suicide because life has more value than sitting around waiting for death. Even if assisted suicide stays illegal, people with incurable diseases will find a way to kill themselves.

There are quite a few people who are not mentally capable of making a wise decision. Many of these people believe there is only one answer to their problem without seeing a professional who can talk to them or prescribe them medicine. I can only imagine that life with anxiety, depression, or any mental disease is painful and can get intolerable, but assisted suicide is not the answer. Having a therapist and medication to alleviate the pain is important to lessen or rid of suicidal thoughts.

Life isn’t about anguish. It’s about pleasure and fulfillment, and there are times where there is no further treatment or cure that could make life enjoyable. The law shouldn’t be in control of this personal decision; it should be between the family and the struggling patient who both put a lot of thought into this difficult choice.

Josephine

11/17/2019 07:38:07 pm

This is a difficult situation. My 10th grade English class actually dussuced this. I remember reading a news report about a father mercy killing his daughter suffering from an incurable spine condition. He watched her suffer for years and nothing the doctors did ever worked. Assisted suicide should be legal is some situations. Those suffering from chronic, painful, incurable conditions should be given this option. I would not want to live each day in excruciating chronic pain. At that point one is not living.

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