Assisted Suicide

Assisted Suicide

People are probaly confused at the fact that society approving people to be euthanized. Obviously, if it was stated in a letter to the editor in the Detroit Free Press entitled, “Death, Dignity.” The writer is simply saying it’s okay to end lives. It also states that John Engler, our state government, is supporting two important projects that assist in these suicides. Engler is trying to establish Michigan to be a national leader in death with dignity (Death, Dignity). That doesn’t sound like dying with dignity to me. I think assisted suicide is wrong and we should take an account that killing yourself isn’t dignified.

First of all the writer self-contradicts him/her self. The editorial is stating how wrong Kevorkian was and how crude his methods were for helping people to their deaths (Death, Dignity). But, the writer is clearly stating that what John Engler is trying to promote assisted suicides and that they it’s okay to euthanize someone if the government does it. Michigan has coalition air ads promoting assisted suicides. These ads were paid for by Citizens for Compassionate Care Group of doctors, churches, and disabled rights advocates raised $5 million dollars to have people be assisted to their deaths. Gary Pokorny, president of the Grand Rapids-based Hanon McKendry firm that produced the television ads, said the ads would run in all state television markets through Thursday at a cost of $200,000. “We should be thinking about killing the pain, not the patient” (Michigan: Coalition Airs Ads Promoting Assisted Suicide Alternatives, pg.1). That’s an

abscene amount of money to be wasting on killing someone. Just think of where that money could have been useful at: childcare and regular hospitals, homeless shelters, feeding the hungry, building new homes, etc. Instead it was used to kill someone. How selfish and inhumane that is. Why don’t they just slit their wrist, which doesn’t cost anything?

Next the writer enthocentrized the story. He/she assumes that what methods Kevorkian was using was wrong, but the governments methods are way better. That doesn’t make any sense, Kevorkian was trying to help the terminally ill only. Where as the government wants to use these projects to assist people that are perfectly healthy to their deaths.

Finally the writer hasty generalizes the editorial in the second to last paragraph. “What people mainly want is some assurance of personal control and dignity, freedom from pain and faith that their last wishes will be honored” (Death, Dignity).