Persuasive Speech: Euthanasia.

The word “Euthanasia” comes from the Greek words meaning “good death.” In practice, it has come to mean the selective killing of those who are old, young and sick. Worldwide, support for the practice appears to be increasing. However, in today’s society, there are deeper and more layers of meaning to euthanasia than before. There are three basic types of euthanasia: Voluntary, non- voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary euthanasia concerns itself with the express wish of a mentally competent person to die through the assistance of others. Voluntary euthanasia can further be divided into two categories: passive voluntary, which is the specifically requested withholding of unwanted medical treatment, and active voluntary which is the deliberate action of killing the patient at that patients informed request. Should dying human beings be made to suffer horribly during their last days in this world before looking forward to a painful and undignified death when they wish it to be otherwise? The answer is no. As such voluntary euthanasia should be legalized for the terminally ill patients. For many people, euthanasia is a preferable option to dependence and unbearable suffering. A study was conducted on patents’ assessment of states worse than death by Robert Pearlman, a physican specializing in geriatric care at the Seattle Veterans Heath Center. In depth interviews were held with 56 suffering from cancer, AIDS, or who had spent time in a coma from heart attacks. The results, published in the journal of Clinical Ethics, showed that 96% felt it was worse to be kept alive under hopeless circumstances with impending death than it would be to die. 82% felt that total loss of independence would be worse than death, and 73% were so averse to a life of unremitting pain and suffering that they would rather be dead. For patients suffering from terminal illness, the pain they undergo as the disease progresses can sometimes only be relieved by rendering them unconscious. They would have to spend the last days, weeks or even months of their heavily sedated and unware of their surroundings. This places stress on their loved ones well, who have to stand by and watch as their mind and body degenerate before their eyes. The measure of life lies not only in its quality as well. The law reform commission of Canada believes that considerations of quality of life are legitimate factors in decision making and are valid criteria in justifying certain acts. Merline Brown was 42 year old mother who suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig Disease. Soon she would lose the ability to speak, swallow, walk and move her body without assistance. As the disease progressed, she would be unable to breathe without a respirator, to eat without gastronomy and would eventually be confined to bed. She wished to obtain the assistance of a physician in ending her life by her own hand when she would be in a condition in which she was unable to enjoy life. In 1993, Brown appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada, but was denied the right to doctor –assisted suicide. The Supreme Court found against her favor, five by four, and one of dissenting judges in the case held that “state prohibitions that would force a dreadful, painful death on a rational but in capacitated terminally ill patient is an affront to human dignity.” Merline Brown died in February 1994 asisted by an anonymous doctor.