Is Euthanasia ethical or unethical?
In my opinion, Euthanasia should be considered an ethical act in today’s society. We are so willing to do everything possible to make the event of birth an easy one but yet we are so hung up on letting a life go.
We are taught that taking life away is wrong and unethical and should only be left to God or nature, but in hindsight, aren’t we interrupting the death process when we pump medications into our bodies to destroy a natural enemy or extend the inevitable by machines of life support. Whatever our belief of the afterlife, isn’t it truly our fear of the unknown that keeps us hanging on for dear life?
If we could change our way of thinking and teach about death as a new beginning instead of an end then perhaps we would look at the idea of euthanasia as an alternative for someone in severe pain or discomfort. Wouldn’t it be more humane to allow a loved one to die with dignity and hope for the hereafter instead of the fear of more pain not to mention the trauma on the family left behind?
This topic came to heart after my beloved mother received her death sentence after a diagnosis of Lou Gehrig’s disease. It was heartbreaking to see this once energetic and totally independent person loose all capability of taking care of herself. It was my mother who brought this idea to me when she asked that her feeding tube be removed. Not thinking of her feelings but only thinking of myself and the realization that my mother was dying, I would not even discuss this with her. How could I let my mother die? How would I deal with her loss? If at all possible, I wanted her to live forever.
I stayed by my mother’s side throughout her illness and was there to witness her leave this world. Her death was fortunately a peaceful one and even though I felt extreme sadness, it was at the same time comforting to see her finally relieved of the torture that held her captive for so many years.
It was at this time that I changed my opinion of Euthanasia. Yes we should most definitely grant individuals with no hope of recovery from an illness the choice to end their lives with self-respect and dignity. With strict and regulated requirements, every terminally ill patient could die with the ease of knowing their demise is totally under their control. With this form of a “planned” death, it would not only benefit the dying but it would help the family and friends to grieve their loved one in sense of celebration instead of wondering whether the passing was one of pain.
