Thi Thi Le
Professor Stephanie Bridges
English 110
December 2, 2014
A Helping Hand
Everyone believes the saying that you are in control of your own future to a certain degree. This saying is pretty much accurate, as long as you are a law abiding citizen. The world is not so black and white. I believe that we live in the world of different shades of greys. Nothing in life is a simple as a yes/no or right/wrong. People should be able to decided their fate and their choice along should supersede anyone elses. One should be able to choose to live the type of life they want. If they are dealt with a bad hand in health, these people should be able to choose the quality of life they want and even if that should included assistant suicide . To denied this to these people would mean that we are condemn these people to live out their lives in pain or in a drug induced world. Yes, in a drug induced state, relieves patients of their pains to a certain degree, but what kind of a state of mind are these patient's really in? Are they aware and enjoying their quality of life or are they just surviving and the body is functioning for them with the technology of modern day science. PhysicianAssisted Suicide(PAS)should be a legalized option for those who are terminally ill and are suffering chronic mental/ physical pain. This option should be decided by the patient and they alone should be based on their value of their belief of quality of life.
One of the most quoted values of the United States government is that it believes all its citizens here in the States should have the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The government is a system established to guide people through society’s expectation to live a peaceful and safe environment. Suicide is a legal act that is not charged as a crime and is
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in a sense available to all. But to a person who is terminally ill or to someone who is in a hospital setting or is disabled may not be able to exercise this option either because of their mental or physical limitations. They are being discriminated against because of their disability.
Should they be given the same access to the suicide option as ablebodied people have?(Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide) Death with Dignity Act Law (DWDA) allow mentally competent, terminallyill adult state residents to voluntarily request and receive a prescription medication to hasten their death (Death with Dignity.org). Currently the only states that recognized and legalized the Death with the
Dignity Act law are Oregon, Washington, Vermont and as of November 2014 the state of New
Jersey passed their own version of the Death with Dignity Act Law. The state of Oregon has had this law in effect for over twenty years, but yet a majority of the states still does not recognize this law. Laws are placed in the United of States of America for the protect from each other and from harming one another, but what about when the government is harming the patient by denying them with this option to end their life. With the laws set there is a judicial system in place that will give anyone a fair trial before they are determined guilty and sentenced jail time.
If a crime is committed against society then the person is held liable, but what about when a crime does not involve or harm any other person? Does the government have the right to deny people the right to end ones lives? This is a victimless crime that is outdated and needs to
