Euthanasia is a highly debated topic around the world. There are quite a lot of organizations for euthanasia, like Dignity New Zealand and many against, like religious groups.
A fresh batch of debates have occurred recently in New Zealand sparked by Margaret Page. Who wished to be euthanized because she was living in a rest home and needed assistance with everything, down to eating and bathing. Her family, excluding her husband, wished for Margaret to be euthanized because that’s what she wanted. But couldn’t as it is illegal in New Zealand. A few years ago there was another case where a man helped his mother die, on her wishes, after a failed attempt at suicide. The son, who was a doctor ended up writing a book which vaguely references that he helped her die.
Euthanasia was briefly legal in New Zealand for around four months in 2003. As of 2003 euthanasia is only legal in three countries –the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland- and one state in America -Oregon. In other countries people who euthanize others will get prosecuted and possibly be sent to jail. These countries see it as basically killing another person, no matter how close to death or how much pain they are in.
Euthanasia is not only performed on humans but animals as well, like at the SPCA when without it dogs and cats would live in tiny cages with many other dogs and cats, who would probably attack each other and live miserable lives, and never get adopted out, no matter how good they look after them it’s inevitable. Animals also get euthanized at the vet when they are sick and nothing can be done to fix them or the owners, much to their dismay, cannot afford to fix their pet. Why let them suffer? Who could do that to their beloved pet? So how is it different for people?
One religious group who are strongly against euthanasia is the Roman Catholic, who play a huge part in how Italy is governed, which led to a request for a man to be euthanized to go in front of the courts. Most people who are against euthanasia are against it for religious and other reasons, such as, let nature take its course, it’s not God’s way or a more reasonable excuse –they aren’t in the right frame of mind to be making these decisions, they can’t see past the pain their in now. Some people even call it a cop out, they need to toughen up, which seems incredibly uncompassionate. Others think that if we euthanise these people and cut there life short, then whats to stop us euthanizing everyone with a medical disability (such as Nazi Germany's euthanasia programme), illness or people who are obese. Because their quality of life-medically-isn't as good as others. But these people are'nt always in constant pain, they can live their life perfectly fine- it may just be more difficult than others. What they don’t realize is that people only get euthanized if they are already dying/terminally ill from illnesses such as cancer. They are just trying to put them out of their misery, making the inevitable as peaceful and as comfortable as possible. Wouldn’t everyone like to die a nice peaceful death? Instead of spending a long period of time in a huge amount of pain and discomfort. That’s how everyone would remember them, looking sick and being in a lot of pain.
There are five different types of Euthanasia; Active, Passive, Voluntary, Involuntary and Assisted suicide.
The most common being Voluntary: where the patient asks to die; and Involuntary: where the patient dies without prior knowledge (this mainly happens with animals though).
A lot of people seem to get the meanings of suicide and euthanasia crossed. Suicide is purposely killing yourself without being sick (although they could be mentally ill, most likely depression) and euthanasia is your own choice to die while being terminally ill and have no hope of surviving, but you do not wish for your death to be prolonged and painful.
Euthanasia is such a controversial topic because in a way, it kills people. People who are for euthanasia don't want these people to die, they just don't want to see them suffer any longer than is necessary. It's like watching a horrible car crash in slow motion. You know the car is going to crash, but the slower the more painful, the more time to freak out and panic, but no time to actually prevent the crash from occurring. It ends up just being a waiting game, when you know what the outcome is.
People who wish to be euthanized don't wish to die, most of them would prefer to live a happy, healthy life, otherwise they would commit suicide. These are people who will never be healthy again. They will just get sicker and sicker until they reach the inevitable -death. Throughout the whole process they know they are going to die. Could you imagine waiting round days, months, even years and knowing your pain is going to get more painful, only to die a painful death that can not be prevented?
Dignity NZ (2005). http://www.dignitynz.co.nz/
Nz Herald (2010). Euthanasia debate rages in Italy as man asks to die (13/12/06). http://www.nzherald.co.nz/euthanasia/news/article.cfm?c_id=192&objectid=10415153
Stuff (2010). Between a rock and a small, furry place (27/10/01). http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/blogs/four-legs-good/2988790/Between-a-rock-and-a-small-furry-place
New Zealand Parliment. Voluntary euthanasia and New Zealand (22/09/03). http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/ParlSupport/ResearchPapers/7/2/9/729250622d0244a9b43774f6270ddbcb.htm
A fresh batch of debates have occurred recently in New Zealand sparked by Margaret Page. Who wished to be euthanized because she was living in a rest home and needed assistance with everything, down to eating and bathing. Her family, excluding her husband, wished for Margaret to be euthanized because that’s what she wanted. But couldn’t as it is illegal in New Zealand. A few years ago there was another case where a man helped his mother die, on her wishes, after a failed attempt at suicide. The son, who was a doctor ended up writing a book which vaguely references that he helped her die.
Euthanasia was briefly legal in New Zealand for around four months in 2003. As of 2003 euthanasia is only legal in three countries –the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland- and one state in America -Oregon. In other countries people who euthanize others will get prosecuted and possibly be sent to jail. These countries see it as basically killing another person, no matter how close to death or how much pain they are in.
Euthanasia is not only performed on humans but animals as well, like at the SPCA when without it dogs and cats would live in tiny cages with many other dogs and cats, who would probably attack each other and live miserable lives, and never get adopted out, no matter how good they look after them it’s inevitable. Animals also get euthanized at the vet when they are sick and nothing can be done to fix them or the owners, much to their dismay, cannot afford to fix their pet. Why let them suffer? Who could do that to their beloved pet? So how is it different for people?
One religious group who are strongly against euthanasia is the Roman Catholic, who play a huge part in how Italy is governed, which led to a request for a man to be euthanized to go in front of the courts. Most people who are against euthanasia are against it for religious and other reasons, such as, let nature take its course, it’s not God’s way or a more reasonable excuse –they aren’t in the right frame of mind to be making these decisions, they can’t see past the pain their in now. Some people even call it a cop out, they need to toughen up, which seems incredibly uncompassionate. Others think that if we euthanise these people and cut there life short, then whats to stop us euthanizing everyone with a medical disability (such as Nazi Germany's euthanasia programme), illness or people who are obese. Because their quality of life-medically-isn't as good as others. But these people are'nt always in constant pain, they can live their life perfectly fine- it may just be more difficult than others. What they don’t realize is that people only get euthanized if they are already dying/terminally ill from illnesses such as cancer. They are just trying to put them out of their misery, making the inevitable as peaceful and as comfortable as possible. Wouldn’t everyone like to die a nice peaceful death? Instead of spending a long period of time in a huge amount of pain and discomfort. That’s how everyone would remember them, looking sick and being in a lot of pain.
There are five different types of Euthanasia; Active, Passive, Voluntary, Involuntary and Assisted suicide.
The most common being Voluntary: where the patient asks to die; and Involuntary: where the patient dies without prior knowledge (this mainly happens with animals though).
A lot of people seem to get the meanings of suicide and euthanasia crossed. Suicide is purposely killing yourself without being sick (although they could be mentally ill, most likely depression) and euthanasia is your own choice to die while being terminally ill and have no hope of surviving, but you do not wish for your death to be prolonged and painful.
Euthanasia is such a controversial topic because in a way, it kills people. People who are for euthanasia don't want these people to die, they just don't want to see them suffer any longer than is necessary. It's like watching a horrible car crash in slow motion. You know the car is going to crash, but the slower the more painful, the more time to freak out and panic, but no time to actually prevent the crash from occurring. It ends up just being a waiting game, when you know what the outcome is.
People who wish to be euthanized don't wish to die, most of them would prefer to live a happy, healthy life, otherwise they would commit suicide. These are people who will never be healthy again. They will just get sicker and sicker until they reach the inevitable -death. Throughout the whole process they know they are going to die. Could you imagine waiting round days, months, even years and knowing your pain is going to get more painful, only to die a painful death that can not be prevented?
Dignity NZ (2005). http://www.dignitynz.co.nz/
Nz Herald (2010). Euthanasia debate rages in Italy as man asks to die (13/12/06). http://www.nzherald.co.nz/euthanasia/news/article.cfm?c_id=192&objectid=10415153
Stuff (2010). Between a rock and a small, furry place (27/10/01). http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/blogs/four-legs-good/2988790/Between-a-rock-and-a-small-furry-place
New Zealand Parliment. Voluntary euthanasia and New Zealand (22/09/03). http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/ParlSupport/ResearchPapers/7/2/9/729250622d0244a9b43774f6270ddbcb.htm
