Essay/Term paper: Euthanasia

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Politics

Euthanasia

Euthanasia means gentle or easy death for those who are incurably ill and in
pain. So should a person have the right to take another person's life or his own
when he/she is incurably ill and in pain. That is what whole of Australia is
trying to decide. The N.T all ready has passed a law that legalise euthanasia in
that state. Now other government leaders and members are in support of this are
pushing for an Australian euthanasia law. Christian Groups and Anti-Euthanasia
have seen euthanasia as a sin and a choice that no-body should make. Some
doctors have taken ill patients life's as a request from the patient should this
now be openly done.

On the 18/06/96, The head of the NT chapter of the Australia Medical Association,
Dr.Chris Wake, and Aboriginal leader Rev.Djiniynni Gondarra put forward the NT
euthanasia law .But was dismissed by the NT Supreme Court. After appealing and
with the support of three major party leaders the law was passed. Prime
Minister John Howard disapproved with the Law and saying that he has no problem
reconciling his views on federalism with his views on life and death by voting
to over turn the law. Also Kevin Andrews was strongly not in favour and with
Howard's support he introduced a bill overriding the N.T laws. But still in
the end the law was still standing. If our leaders are divided we could say that
the citizens of Australia would have been divided on this Issue. Maybe a
referendum would have been appropriate, but still euthanasia would still occur
illegal and secrecy.

Christian groups and Christian have strongly supported their view on euthanasia ,
they have seen it as a sin. For a Christian his life is not just his because his
life is part of god's. In the Bible, chapter of (Romans 14:18) it states "If we
live ,we are responsible to the Lord and when we die we are responsible to the
Lord. Both in life and death we belong to the lord. Christian view the death of
a human person as their turn to meet god." As Christian Rights groups and Anti-
euthanasia believe in these views they have protested in a number of occasions
to stop any euthanasia Laws going ahead. As Christian's try to obey these laws
it is wisely to say that most Christian's are not going to support euthanasia.

As in the advancement in technology and medicine why would people end their life.
There is always hope , miracles such as a Sydney man in 1990 with cancer was
predicted to die in months ,but instead he was cured of cancer. Also new drugs
are been invented each year. Drugs these days relieve pain and suffering .. How
about if a person has to much pressure to deal with and can't cope, they might
want to end their life ,can euthanasia be used? So where do we draw the line. If
euthanasia was illegalised or used ,what should the reason be Medical, Physical
or mental states. Most people that want to die are assisted by doctor of some
medical profession. Should those people who save lives as occupation end them
too. In the United states Dr Jack Kevorkian has brought a lot of publicity to
euthanasia. He has assisted in about 40 deaths and been trailed for many but
only convicted for less than 10% of those mercy killings. If this is happening
everywhere wouldn't it be better if it was brought out in the open so it can be
monitored.

People that support euthanasia see that life is there's and theirs only. They
might view that suffering people are less than human. Terms like a vegetable
is used often. Are they really vegetables then you can tell me what kind? a
cucumber? Carrot ? A human being is always a human no matter what. Support's of
euthanasia might think that killing a terminally ill that want's to end this
life would benefit the nation by decrease of unnecessary medical cost and etc.
But if this nation support's these view, then we are a nation with out a heart.

So should this whole nation legalise euthanasia? If they do some serious
question must be answered like, when should a life be terminated? Put as a
nation of about 55% of Christian's I can not see this happening to the whole of
Australia. In my heart I truly hope this is the case. Human's are never
vegetables and should never be considered as vegetables. If they are in pain
there are always drugs that can relieve that pain. So euthanasia should not be
legalised throughout the rest of Australia. They have already made one mistake
letting the N.T .Remember we were not the one to decided the time or manner
in which we came into the world, why should we decided the time to leave this
world.