The Morality of Assisted Suicides

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America is a country that allows its citizens to enjoy an abundance of liberties including the right to make many of their own decisions. The United States military stands guard to protect each member's right to personal freedom guaranteed by the United States Constitution. The United States Government has very little to say when it comes to a person’s choices about their life. Americans make decisions for themselves about pregnancies, jobs, education and marital status. It is surprising that among all of the liberty and freedom, one topic that seems to continue to draw controversy and government intervention is physician-assisted suicides. Physician-assisted suicides should be legalized in the United States.

Doctor-assisted death is an emotionally charged topic both in America and within the international community. There are several arguments as to why physician-assisted suicide should be legalized in all states. A common argument for assisted suicide is that it is a general practice to humanely end a pet’s life when they are incurable and we should allow humans the same choice. Many pet owners willingly give permission for a veterinarian to humanely euthanize their pets when they are suffering from a terminal condition. Countless animal lovers consider their dogs or cats part of their core family but legally we can end their lives with the help of a doctor. Some of the factors considered when deciding to euthanize a pet are quality of life, pain assessment and insight (Nelson & Zito, 2006). These are the same challenges many family members watch their loved ones struggle with daily. People should apply the same criteria used for pets to determine if they should be allowed to die with the help of a medical professional...

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...com/story/0,2933,392962,00.html.

Hull, R. (2004). The Case for Physician Assisted Suicides. Retrieved from http://www.secularhumanism.org/library/fi/hull_23_2.htm.

Marker, R. & Hamlon, K. (2011). Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from http://www.patientsrightscouncil.org/site/frequently-asked-questions.

Nelson, E. & Zito, S. (2006). Deciding When & How To Humanely Euthanize a Companion Animal. Retrieved from http://www.naturescornermagazine.com/help_companions.html.

St. Claire, J. (2009). 30 Logical Reasons Against Physician Assisted Suicide. Retrieved from http://janestclair.net/30-logical-reasons-against-physician-assisted-suicide.

Swanson, N. (2011, November 18). Assisted suicide is personal. Coquitlam Now. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=2515894891&sid=1&Fmt=3&clientId=

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