W.9/02/01The Right To Die "...no-one is truly free to live, until one is free to die." -Martin Luther KingThe issue of euthanasia has been hotly debated in America over the past several years. Like drug decriminalization and abortion, such “personal liberty” issues can be seen from a multitude of viewpoints, and public opinion varies widely. Recent events concerning euthanasia have brought this issue to a higher level of visibility and raised the public’s awareness of the American political landscape. Most notably among these events: the first-degree murder arrest of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the infamous advocate and practitioner of physician-assisted suicide, and the 1997 passage of the Death With Dignity act in Oregon.The American Heritage Dictionary defines euthanasia as “the act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurable condition, as by lethal injection or the suspension of extraordinary medical treatment.” Informally, this practice has long been known as mercy killing, and has been practiced by many societies over the course of history. When a person wishes to die but is incapable of doing so without help, a conflict arises between those who would offer assistance and those who oppose such practice. To some, it is considered to be a compassionate act to help a suffering individual end of a painful, unenjoyable existence. To others, it is seen as an act of murder, the taking of a life that should be left to run its course however painful and unfortunate that course may be. There exist several variations of the concept of euthanasia. Voluntary Active Euthanasia is the deliberate intervention by an individual other than the patient, with the pure intention of the termination of that patient’s life. This would include the afore-mentioned lethal injection. Passive Euthanasia is the discontinuation of life-sustaining medical pro...
