I understand the question at hand is whether or not euthanasia is ethical or unethical. May I ask of you a more fundamental question first? Should someone other than you decide whether or not you should be allowed to die peacefully, if that is your wish? If you are suffering and you wish to end your life, should someone else be able to tell you, “No, you must suffer”?
If you believe that euthanasia is unethical, then do you believe that a human being should endure devastating pain, against their wishes, until they die a “natural” death, even if thier life continues for months or even years?
If you answered no, than the question of ethics is moot. If you answered no, you must answer “ethical” to the question, “Is euthanasia ethical or unethical?”
In college I took a medical ethics class. We watched videos of people who knew that they were dying due to an accident or illness. They were made by the government to lie in their beds and suffer instead of dying peacefully they way they would have wished.
One particular man I remember well. He was burned one hundred percent of his body and was in uncontrollable pain. He insisted on being conscious so he could wage his legal battle in court for his right to be euthanized.
We have fought to keep comatose people alive for decades and for what reason? While we extend the horrible grief of their family members. Unable to let go of their loved ones because of government intervention.
We purposely end others lives because of the crimes they have done onto society. Typically, this happens after years of appeals and thousands of taxpayer dollars including those taxpayers whose loved ones the inmate life may have taken!
We refuse adequate healthcare to those who are too ill to work and thus can’t afford it. We charge exorbitant amounts for those who can. Pre-existing conditions carry a penalty if not a refusal of care altogether.
When I say we, I mean this country, our government. I certainly don’t mean myself; I mean the group of which are mostly hypocrites, that lead us.
How ridiculous is this way of thinking? Let the ones who need help suffer and let the ones who should be punished be vindicated?
Who is the government or anyone else to tell me how or when I should perish? Why would anyone other than myself be allowed to make that ultimate and irreversible decision?
Playing God? What do they think they are doing when they push the plungers on a death row inmate? When they refuse a person medical care that is very much needed? When they make insurance and prescriptions nearly impossible for the elderly and underprivileged to afford?
Money being spent to fight these battles is being wasted. Money to keep the burned and dying man alive against his will. The money to fight the death sentence of the inmate to be executed and also to be housed and fed These funds could be going toward healthcare for those who desperately need it.
Ask yourself, it this was you, would you want it to be your decision, or the government’s?
