Euthanasia: The Right to Die with Dignity

Euthanasia taps into many controversial motives such as government, religion, ethics, and human rights. It is a very challenging issue to fully understand because of the different stances that can be taken on the subject. Euthanasia is the act of ending a person’s life by either lethal injection or the postponement of medical treatment. It is a way of allowing an ill patient to die with dignity. The debate of whether or not euthanasia should be legalized has gone on for many years. If a person is terminally ill, they should have the right to choose to die if they do not want to suffer any longer than they feel necessary. Society is split on whether it should be legalized due to more of the morality of the situation. Is it morally and ethically right to euthanize a person that still has a little more life to live? Should euthanasia be legalized to allow patients to have options of how to deal with their situation? Most people are open-minded to the thought of saving a terminally ill patient from suffering any more than they have already. Then there are those such as religious leaders, politicians, and doctors who are reluctant with the idea of allowing a very sick person to die without trying other treatments and methods first. Patients should have the right to choose to either fight their illness or die with dignity. Legalization of euthanasia will allow patients their right to control their life and make their own choices.

Euthanasia is a combination of two Greek words eu and thanatos meaning easy or good death; which is exactly what a person should have when their life is coming to its end. In extreme cases such as horrible deformed babies at birth, intense pain and suffering, or worsening of a being with age, the option of euth...

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...mportant to allow a person to end his or her suffering rather than continuing on with what can be painful daily treatments; not to mention the bills that are racking up with all these treatments. At the end of the day, it is the patient’s life that is being affected. They may not be happy with all the hurt they are going through as well as the hurt that their family can be going through by having to watch their loved one go through so much. Give patients the right to die and die with dignity.

Works Cited

Baird, Robert M., and Stuart E. Rosenbaum. Euthanasia: The Moral Issues. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus, 1989. Print.

Rachels, James. "Active and Passive Euthanasia." Bioethics: An Introduction to the History, Methods, and Practice (1997): 77-82.

Snyder, Carrie L. Euthanasia: Opposing Viewpoints. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2006. Print.