A Dignified Death Wish
In the children's story, "More Or Better", a boy meets an old woman in the forest, who is selling magical beans. She offers him "more" or "better". He chooses more and spreads it around his house. The bean plants grow so high he can't get out. He then goes back to the old woman and tells her he's changed his mind and he wants "better". She gives it to him, and again he spreads it around his house. After that, he had the best vegetables ever grown. This dilemma of quality versus quantity is one which people have wrestled with for years. It is also one thing that must be considered when discussing doctor-assisted suicide. Is it better to live a long time in pain or to die when the pain becomes unbearable? Should this be an individual decision or should society, the voters, or the law decide? Doctor assisted suicide has only been a major political and ethical issue since the mid 1970's. In previous centuries, any terminally ill person would die in a relatively short time. Now, with the miracle of modern medicine, life can be prolonged. A person with terminal cancer can live months, even years, longer than he or she would have lived one hundred years ago. (Docker) As of now, doctor assisted suicide is ill
4. Two doctors with at least five years experience must diagnose the patient as terminally ill and beyond medical help during the seven days; 7. The two doctors can't be related either through their families or their businesses; and terminally ill is defined, as the patient will die if extraneous measures are not taken to save his or her life. There are no guidelines in the bill about the method of suicide; however, it does allow the government to prescribe a method. All assisted suicide deaths must be reported to the coroner who is responsible for making sure all legal requirements have been fulfilled. (Last Rights World News.) I think doctor assisted suicide should be legalized in all states. I believe everyone should have the right to die if they are terminally ill. It is very painful to have to watch a loved one die in pain. It is also very painful for the person who is dying. 6. Both doctors must be satisfied the patient has considered the implications of assisted suicide on his or her family. Dougherty, Charles J. "Legalizing Euthanasia Would Harm Society." Euthanasia. Opposing Viewpoints. Carol Wekesser, book ed. David Bender and Bruno Leone, series ed. San Diego: Greenhaven Press Inc. 1995. 64. 5. One of the doctors must have diploma level psychiatric qualifications and certify the patient is not suffering from depression related to terminal illness; Currently thirty-one states have laws explicitly banning assisted suicide, while the other nineteen ban it in precedence set by the courts. "Lawful Exit" makes another point about the laws against assisted suicide, "Most American states do not make suicide or attempted suicide a crime, but they do continue to make assisted suicide a crime. Those which do not have a specific statute could charge it as manslaughter or second-degree murder" (Humphry 27-28). Toufexis, Anastasia. "Killing the Psychic Pain." Time. 4 Jul. 1994
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1400
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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