by Alicia Black

Created on: September 02, 2008

My life is my life. I choose what I want to do with it. It is not up to anybody except me what I want to become of my body and mind. I should be well educated about everything I put into it and decide from there if it is worth it. I am the one who has to live with the outcomes. Since when was it the governments role to decide what is right and what is wrong for my body?

A ninety year old man is sick and dying. He knows that he will never again leave his bed. He has seen and has done more in his life than any of us ever will. He created life, worked hard, and risked his life for his country. He out lived it all and know all he wants to do is die peacefully. Who are we to take that all away from him? Instead he subjected to days, maybe months of pain and agony because it illegal for anyone to take his life. Instead he starves himself to quicken the process. His family watches as he slowly kills himself. Wouldn't it be easier if there was some way for all his pain to just go away? Oh, wait there is. Except anyone who tries this method knows the consequences, so they ignore the problem.

The most famous doctor to ignore the law is Dr. Jack Kevorkian. He has publicly announced his opinions on assisted suicide. He had assisted in many deaths, even going as far as opening suicide clinics where patients could go to die. Then he was convicted to 10 to 25 years in prison. The world sees him as a criminal even though he was only trying to help. Now, I am not saying everyone who wishes for an assisted suicide should be granted one. I only believe that someone who is suffering and will never recuperate should be granted some privileges.

Before Christianity euthanasia was well tolerated. After the fall of Rome everything changed. Suicide corpses were usually dragged through the streets then nailed to a barrel which would be set to sea. Today we would view that as harsh punishment, but that is what the churches said was OK. It was a way for the Christians to enforce their beliefs. Today those beliefs are still intact Suicide is still viewed as wrong as is assisted suicide. The subject of euthanasia increased in the 1900's. In 1915 a strong controversy broke loose which rose arguments from all over the country. Harry J. Haiselden was the chief of staff at a Chicago hospital. He was also the man who allowed a new born baby to die. The baby was well deformed when it was born. It was concluded that without surgery the baby would die. Haiselden decided not to perform the surgery.

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