Achievement of social and legal acceptance of total self-determination for dying.
Liberty is the right to define one's own concept of existence.
II. A. History of euthanasia.
a. Euthanasia Society of America, 1938.
b. Society for the Right to Die.
B. Court cases .
a. Compassion in Dying v. Washington.
b. Quill v. Vacco.
c. Death With Dignity Act, Oregon 1994.
C. Facts on euthanasia in Oregon. .
a. Death rate by euthanasia is 25 people per year.
b. All euthanasia patients were suffering from a chronic disease.
D. The Netherlands without laws on euthanasia.
a. 11,840 people were put to death by euthanasia.
b. 1,040 died involuntarily.
c. 14% of the 1,040 were completely competent.
E. Laws are safeguards for us. .
a. Reason for Prohibition .
b. Restrictions used for our safety. .
F. Euthanasia is a growing idea.
a. Australian citizens trying to legalize euthanasia.
b. Australians introduce death bags.
III A. Conclusion: Legislation or lack of.
a. 10,000 Americans are permanently in a vegetative state.
1. They are legally bound to life.
b. 20,000 people die a year from handguns.
1. 20,000 people die without choosing too.
c. The justice system imposes death on people and we can't impose it upon ourselves.
d. We do have compassion.
a. Yet, we lack the compassion to allow euthanasia.
.
Assisted Suicide.
The heart of liberty is the right to define one's own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life (Green Haven Press, 96). The primary goal for the advocates of euthanasia is: to achieve a social and legal acceptance of total self-determination of dying. .
The word euthanasia comes from the greek, eu meaning good, and thanatos meaning death. Death has been an attainable possibility for the suffering ever since the proposal of euthanasia in 1906. Euthanasia began as a way for permanently and fatally diseased people or even mentally incapacitated people to end their lives. Many people were skeptical about the thought of euthanasia so the idea grew slowly.
