Euthanasia

Euthanasia

The fear of enduring unceasing pain, of being trapped

by medical machines, of losing bodily integrity and personal

dignity and of being an emotional and financial drain on

one's loved ones- such fear lends strength to the movement

for euthanasia and for physician-assisted suicide (PAS).

Support for euthanasia/PAS has been spurred on by the

Hemlock Society, founded by former journalist Derek Humphry

and based in Eugene, Oregon. The society's political arm

helped draft initiatives aimed at legalizing euthanasia.

Ballot initiatives in the states of Washington (1991) and

California (1992) were both narrowly defeated by a 54 to 46

percent margin. The defeat of these "euthanasia" initiatives

shifted the focus to "assisted suicide," which gives more

control to the dying patient.

In 1994 Oregon passed its Death with Dignity Act by a

51 to 49 percent margin, becoming the first state to

legalize PAS. The statutes of Washington and New York

prohibiting PAS were subjected to constitutional review. In

June 1997 the Supreme Court ruled on Washington v.

Glucksberg and Vacco v. Quill, declaring that PAS is not a

constitutional right. This ruling left each state free to

make its own decision about whether PAS and euthanasia

should be legally permitted within its borders. The Supreme

Court ruling recognized that our nation is already engaged

in an intense debate about the morality, legality and

practicality of PAS, and it encouraged the debate to

continue.

Michael Manning, a physician and a Roman Catholic

priest, reviews the arguments and takes a stand against

euthanasia/PAS. While giving unequivocal support to the

Roman Catholic position, his book is fair in its treatment

of opposing views.(...

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Herbin, Herbert. "Dying of Resentment." New York Times 21 Mar.

1996: Editorial Desk.

Humphry, Derek. Dying With Dignity. New York: Birch Lane, 1992.

Kearl, M. "Euthanasia and the Right to Die." Sociology of Death

and Dying. *http://www.trinity.edu/~mkearl/dtheuth.html*

McCuen, Gary E. Doctor Assisted Suicide: and the Euthanasia

Movement. Wisconsin: Gary E. McCuen publications inc.,

1994.

Robinson, B.A. "Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide: All

Sides of the Issue." Religious Tolerance. Ontario: Ontario

Consultants on Religious Tolerance, 1997.

*http://www.religioustolerance.org/euthanas.htm* 1 Jul. 2001.

Simons, Marlise. "Dutch Becoming first nation to Legalize

Assisted Suicide." New York Times 29 Nov. 2000:

Foreign Desk.

10. Walker, Richard. A Right to Die?. New York: Franklin Watts,

1996.