Euthanasia has raised controversy in the United States because of different views on societal, cultural, and religious ethics. Euthanasia is the killing of a person to end either horrible pain, slow death, or even some coma victims that have been in a vegetative state of a considerable amount of time. Even though I believe that euthanasia is murder, it should not be looked down upon because death should be a right for the victims and their families. The other side of the argument claims that it is immoral to kill even those who are suffering because it is God's decision who lives and who dies. Both sides of this ongoing debate have some compelling arguments. In order to understand why I am defending an action that I admit is murder requires the use of an example. If a pregnant woman is murdered and had planned on keeping her baby the murderer would be charged on a count of murder and a count of manslaughter. Now in a different scenario, If that same woman was killed on the way to an abortion clinic it would only be a count for murder, because the life dwelling inside of her was unwanted. Women are legally allowed to choose whether or not a fetus lives. Therefore, why would we allow someone to suffer when they have declare no will to live. Euthanasia and assisted suicide go together hand-in-hand. The difference between the two is that with assisted suicide the patient is guided through the process of killing themselves, but with euthanasia the physicians take a direct course of action in the death, such as lethal injection or not providing necessary care or food for the patient. An argument for euthanasia is that it provides victims who are in extreme pain or mentally suffering a procedure that makes it end. Another argument can be made that euthanasia could save medical funds in order to provide care to other patients. Euthanasia is protected by the Bill of Rights with freedom of choice. The only state in the United States of America that legally allows assisted suicide is Oregon, and it is one of only three places in the world where euthanasia and assisted suicide is legal. Many states, such as Arizona, California, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin are currently trying to pass bills that would allow assisted suicide to be legal in their states. This is California's sixth time advocating for assisted suicide. They have tried to have the bill passed since 1988, it is almost identical to the assisted suicide laws currently in effect in Oregon. The bill includes that all state facilities should refer to assisted suicide as "aid-in-dying". This is the same bill that was not passed in June 2006. There have been many legal cases wrestling with the concept of assisted suicide throughout the United States, such as WASHINGTON et al. v. GLUCKSBERG et al. This court case occurred when four doctors from Washington, who often work with terminally ill and dying patient, along with non-profit euthanasia advocate groups, filed a suit against the state of Washington. They stated that the ban of euthanasia is unconstitutional. They based their statement on the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause, which states that a mentally competent person has a right to choose assisted suicide over waiting to dye. The state law that banned assistant suicide was recalled because of its contradiction to the constitution. Just as there are the euthanasia advocates, there are the detractors of euthanasia that believe that it is giving the right to kill to doctors. Doctors and other medical care personnel take oaths to uphold the values of life. Allowing them to create death would devalue the oath of which they are supposed to uphold. Those who are "anti-euthanasia" believe that allowing euthanasia to continue will be the begging of a "slippery slope" in which euthanasia would be used more loosely. As of May 1, 2006 Dignitas, a swiss suicide practice, announced that they planned on opening a series of walk-in clinics for those trying to commit suicide. Doctor Ludwig Minelli, the founder of Dignitas believes that those attempting suicide should be told the best way to kill themselves. These clinics would not be limiting their patients to the dying or terminally ill, rather for those with mental conditions. Minelli states, "if they choose to die, they should be helped to do it properly." and that "We never say no". This man has devalued human life and should not be allowed to carry the title of doctor. He makes no attempts to help ease or cure those that want to dye, rather he tells them how to take their lives. As many others argue that most of the patients that opt for euthanasia are chronically depressed, I propose the argument that they are depressed because the patients know they have to suffer until the day that it will all end. Detractors of euthanasia also believe that euthanasia would lead healthcare costs and insurance to stop paying for services to keep patients comfortable, and would instead push euthanasia on all patients. The catholic church states that euthanasia is a “grave sin”, and that only God has the right to take ones life. Allowing euthanasia undermines the commitment of doctors and nurses oath to saving lives. Since euthanasia may become a cost-effective way to treat the terminally ill, the church believes it will discourage the search for new cures and treatments for the terminally ill. Euthanasia undermines the motivation to provide good care for the dying, and those in severe pain. Gen. 27:1-4 "When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older son and said to him, "My son." "Here I am," he answered. 2 Isaac said, "I am now an old man and don't know the day of my death. 3 Now then, get your weapons—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die."
Isaac was old and knew he was dying, but instead of asking his son to take his weapons and put him out of his misery, he asked him to prepare one last meal for him, showing an acceptance of death. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states suicide is contrary to love for the living God. Euthanasia does have it's pro's and con's but as long as humans continue to suffer euthanasia is going to be a necessary evil protected by our constitution. If I was suffering from a terminally ill disease and was going to be stuck in a hospital for the next fours weeks of my life and then die, I would opt out for euthanasia. Why should man kind suffer when peace is already on its way. I believe that patients at times need death to be pushed up in order to avoid agonizing pain. Though I do believe in euthanasia of the dying, I do not agree with Doctor Ludwig Minelli in the killing of the mentally ill and depressed. Especially if they are not already dying, because they are not in a stable or sane state of mind to make a decision of that importance.