Euthanasia

[Crazy Legs]

Since there are so many threads right now about life and death it got me thinking. Euthanasia (mercy killings) are something everyone has heard about and different people have different opinions on the subject, but is it reall justafiable to take the life of another who is in a near death situation. I mean all dieases have been survived through and even gotten over, including diseases like cancer and ebola. So with that in mind there is always a chance for survival of a person with a disease and taking there life may not be the best choice. So what I guess i'm asking is should mercy killings be legalized and in what situations should this act be done? In my opinion they should be legalized but should not be acted unless the consent of the close to death person is given.

[The muffin man]

They are legalized. Remember how Terry Schiavo crowded our news space, blocking out MORE IMPORTANT EVENTS!?!??!??! If there is going to be a mercy killing, just do it, gd. I was so pissed how the news wasn't reporting on the status of other countries and our own, but the life OF A VEGETABLE!!! This is silly. The same thing happened with the girl on Aruba, I'm forgetting her name now. The doctor should have the choice, unless the family presses a case. If a case is pressed, there should be a deadline for the case's descision, where they go with the doctor's descision. </end rant>

[EmeraldFalcon89]

The hard thing is there are many factors leading to a mercy killing, we hear about the extreme cases where there are clear-cut guidelines. I agree there's WAY too much hype about this stuff, but if it was to be legalized fully then doctors or family could get away with murder, or if they don't understand the situation.

[Inactive Cargo]

Euthanasia is the best way to die, even here in Australia where it's legalised, when our neighbour was in hospital with terminal cancer, the doctors 'accidently' upped the morphine and he passed away pain free.

Although I don't know how I could live with asking/having a doctor kill me, knowing that when he pushes that button and walks away and you still to feel tired, you won't be waking up, although I have been in a few continual pain -vs- drastic measures situations where I would have taken the drastic measures if I could.

[Lightbringer]

Well I know I wouldn't want to live on like a vegetable. If there is no more hope for recovery please pull the plug on me, afterall all there is left would be my body, my personality etc would already be gone.

Doctors are in a difficult position. The hippocratic oath sais they help people, not kill them, though in some situations they might be better off dead. I can't imagine it to be so easy to standby while a person is dying.

[Crazy Legs]

Mercy killings aren't just about medical problems though. Someone could be under serious stress and wants to end their life but is seriously religios and doesn't want to commit suicide so they could ask you to do it for them. Is this justified.?

[Napalm]

No. There is nothing merciful about assisting suicide. It's murder. Euthanasia is justifiable on a dying person, not someone who wants to die.

[moonshin3]

I wrote a research paper about this.

I think euthanasia should be legal. However, it should only be legal if the person has little chance of survival, wants to die, etc. It shouldn't be for angsty teens who cut themselves.

[Darkraptor]

of cources, the biggest reason why people don't commit suicide is your brains last resort tell you it will hurt like hell. If you know it wont hurt, then that last resort is gone.

[Napalm]

I think that anybody with the idea that mercy killings performed on those who want to die isn't very smart.
Hello?! Killing someone who wants to die is called MOTHERFUCKING MURDER!
There's a difference between MURDER and EUTHANASIA.

[KageOni]

What about the youth in asia? /dosnt read thread.

[Crazy Legs]

I think that anybody with the idea that mercy killings performed on those who want to die isn't very smart.
Hello?! Killing someone who wants to die is called MOTHERFUCKING MURDER!
There's a difference between MURDER and EUTHANASIA.
I agree that it is wrong to kill someone who want to comit suicide over a mental issue, but what about those who want to die because of a health issue? It is still killing someone who wants to commit suicide.

[The muffin man]

No. There is nothing merciful about assisting suicide. It's murder. Euthanasia is justifiable on a dying person, not someone who wants to die.

What about hara-kiri/seppuku?

[pherra]

Mercy killings aren't just about medical problems though. Someone could be under serious stress and wants to end their life but is seriously religios and doesn't want to commit suicide so they could ask you to do it for them. Is this justified.?

NOOOO def. not at all!! I read in article in a magazine once, about these two girls that thought they had a bad life. I'm not 100% sure on how it went, but it was something like they were either going to shoot the other one at the same time, or one of the girls was gonna shoot her friend, then commit suicide. Either way, one fo the girls chickened out. She went to jail for MURDER since she shot her friend. Killing someone because they want you to is STILL murder, maybe it was asked for but it's still killing someone intentionally.

On the other hand, if a person is laying in bed dying, and there is basically absolutly NO chance they will get better, like the Terry umm..(cant spell the last name) case, then I think mercy killing should be considered. There are some cases though, where it seems like the person will never get better, then BAM they're okay. So you have to take that into consideration when you are thinking about mercy killing.

[Napalm]

What about hara-kiri/seppuku?
Last I checked, that died in Japan at the end of the feudal era around the late 1800a and early 1900s. Unless there's assisted suicide in Japan today...

[TripsEX]

Put me in a coma, take what you need organ wise, and let me die.

[EmeraldFalcon89]

"We just took a few parts out Your Honor! We didn't know he would up and croak on us!"

[Ram!rez]

I dont see anything bad about a mercy killing as long as it doesnt include any pain or suffering or if the person is mindless.

[ranger_waha]

If I was in hospital, with terminal cancer, and could kill myself via morphine, I'd do it. But, since they rarely forget to put a limit on the morphine, I'd ask a doctor to, and would kindly ppreciate his aquiesance. If I want to die, and am going to die anyways, I'll take no pain, thank you.

[Mastaninjapirate]

This seems like the abortion arguments. On the one hand, life is life nomatter what kind of a life it is and ending it because they're going to die anyway isn't considered morally right. We're all going to die someday, right? With that reasoning, might as well kill us all.

On the other hand, there are things a lot worse than death and ending someone's suffering/fear/fate is always a good thing.

Yeah, so basically I'm partial with this. If I were a doctor and had to decide whether to perform a mercy killing on a person with a severe disease, I don't know if I'd do it because "they wanted me to." I'd have to have a better reason than that.

[butterballs]

look, if you are braindead, in a coma, on life support, pull the goddamn plug!

if someone has terminal cancer and there is no hope of recovery, then they should be asked if they want to just die.
sometimes euthanasia is the best option; you can die comfortable, in your own bed with your family around you, instead of collapsing somewhere in agony surrounded by strangers.