What are your opinions about euthanasia?
By bigfatboy
@bigfatboy (54)
Singapore
October 19, 2008 5:10pm CST
myLotters, do you support euthanasia as an alternative to pain and suffering?
Euthanasia means to voluntarily end one's life. There are two forms of euthanasia, voluntary and involuntary. Legalizing euthanasia is a very sensitive and hotly debated subject. I personally believe and support legalizing euthanasia. However, it has to be properly controlled and the conditions very well stated. There should be a strict number of rules so that people do not exploit the fact that they can choose to die. Firstly, the patient must be suffering from some kind of a terminal disease where death is imminent. Secondly, the patient has to agree and authorize it.
We live in a world of human rights, so no one else should have the authority to take that away. It should be the patient's choice if he or she chooses to end her life peacefully. Extending this logic, the power to live or die can be controlled by oneself. A terminally ill patient might choose euthanasia as an option to relieve the pain of the illness. However, it can be debated that no one has the right to end life. Simply put, a patient might possibly regret the important decision. Death cannot be reverted. Unlocking such a important option is immoral as they rob them of their life and they would not be living anymore.
6 people like this
12 responses
@galoforce (263)
•
20 Oct 08
i believe you should be able to choose to end your life whenever, though if its assisted then i think it should go through a light legal process (sign documents with witnesses) so it dont come back on anyone after.
1 person likes this
@kenchihi (121)
• Malaysia
20 Oct 08
Euthanasia? People who have no cure should be allowed to 'move on'. People who willingly asks to 'move on' should be allowed to do so. Of course, it should only be done after a lot of advice and such. I think overall, the issue of euthanasia is minor. I mean, look at the sufferings elsewhere in the world. Those are the real suffering and I believe those people outnumber those euthanasia cases. Perhaps, I have seen too much suffering of the poor. Forgive me for deviating from the original topic.
1 person likes this
@austere (2812)
• Philippines
20 Oct 08
i dont know, i can say that it's a case to case basis.. but i could agree to it if the person is really having a hard time with his or her suffering already. life he is on a life support and you can see how much she is suffering each day and the only way to cut the suffering is to let the person go.. then maybe that's alright.. but as i said it's really a case to case basis..
1 person likes this
@batigirl (15)
• China
20 Oct 08
Well,it's a really debated topic.we always have the right to end our lives. when a patient suffer from a severe illness or a terminal disease, how much the pain for the patient we cannot image.in some cases,the patient would choose euthanasia.but sometimes i think if the patient is delirious or coma,who is not capable of even making a dicision and there is no hope of him,how should they do as his family members,should they make him euthanasia?i really don't know.
@kurtjames (36)
• Philippines
20 Oct 08
euthanasia indeed is an a big deal specially to a Christian community, in my opinion, euthanasia should done by the person involve, willingness and acceptance, thus, the relatives also should follow the willingness of the person involve, it can benefit the person involve as well as the people behind him. Its really painful but thats life, we are just passing memoir in this earth, we have our own destiny, LIFE HAS BEGINNING AND HAS AND END. GOD BLESS US ALL.
1 person likes this
@ljmacca (86)
• Turkey
20 Oct 08
i definetly believe in euthanasia! i took care of my mother in law for four months watching her deterioate from a lively woman to someone who couldnt move out the bed. she asked me once to suffocate her once and i couldnt for alot of reasons, but i think that if a person is definetly without a doubt going to die through illness why and who are we to say that they should die undignified unhappy. why should they have to spend weeks or months in so much pain and suffering. the goverenent should take a close look at what the patient and the families have to go through when if it were legalized we could end the suffering quickly, painlessly and let them rest in peace.
1 person likes this
@know21 (1250)
• United States
19 Oct 08
I think adults should be able to do whatever they want with their own bodies without government interference, so if they are suffering and "can't take it anymore" it's not more ethical or moral to require them to linger in pain. But I don't expect all of America to agree with this any time soon
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
14 Nov 08
I agree entirely. Heck, we put animals down to end their suffering and yet we will allow a human being to suffer on and on endlessly. It is inhumane. I can imagine it has much to do with money. Every day that they keep that patient alive and on treatment is big money for many people. I am sure that religion also will come into play with this argument. I took care of my mother for several months and watched her die. She was in much pain and her mind was not with her. There was absolutely no hope for recovery or for her ever having a "life". In the rare moments that she was in her right mind, she cried because she could not do any of the things that she loved doing. Her emotional pain was as deep as her physical pain. I was almost grateful for her loss of mind as hard as it was to deal with for she would have been thoroughly humiliated if she had been aware of her own craziness that visitors and friends and grandchildren observed. It was very tough on the whole family and all those that loved her. She would not have wanted to leave her friends and family with those memorys.
@dreamhealer (812)
•
20 Oct 08
As people have said, this is a very sensitive subject. Subject to sufficient safeguards, I think it would be right that medical support equipment could be switched off, if that person had previously stated in a living will, when in a sane state of mind, that that is what they would have wished and their condition was terminal.
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
20 Oct 08
This is a very interesting topic, I agree that euthanasia in some cases could be a good thing, and also a bad thing. I think that like you said in certain cases euthanasia should be legal, but I don't think that it should be used against the wishes of others. I really don't understand why it is illegal here in the United States, but I can add this one to my list of things that don't make sense around here.
1 person likes this
@Simplyme31 (240)
• United States
20 Oct 08
I think for an individual that is of sound mind it should definitely be their choice. I do think that there should be some sort of meeting with a counselor and medical professional that completely spells out what the individuals choice means and make sure that it is honestly what they want. After all it really should be ones own personal right not necessarily a great one but still their human right.
@bessiexxl (77)
• China
20 Oct 08
I support euthanasia.My brother in-law is now lying at home all days. no consciousness. He has totolly lost the self-control. But his heart does work.My sister and her parents-in-law take care of him. Nearly five years ago, his head was giver an operation for blood. From then on, he knew nothing and said nothing.He can't speak,move and do anything.I think this hurts himself and his lovers.
