 | Cierra King is a Senior at Northwest High School. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Newspaper staff, and the varsity track and field team. Outside of school King is involved in her church youth group, and participates with Fashionetta. After graduating King plans to attend the University of Kansas, and major in journalism and mass communications. After graduating the University of Kansas, she wants to become a magazine editor for Teen People magazine. |
Teens' Forum
2006-12-01 15:48:00
Mourning the loss of a loved one
ANSWER: People mourn when a loved one dies and they find out that their loved one committed suicide. People mourn of death anyways, so what makes it all right for terminally ill patients to decide when they want to end their life? It is not morally correct nor ethical. What happens to our society should the Supreme Court pass such a major decision? The issue of other decisions similar to the Death with Dignity Act may be proposed and passed.
"Suicide is wrong because of the fact of what is does to everyone else, and then the victim’sfamily has to go through a life altering change. People should not have to go through that," Katie Dunmire said.
Since 1994 the state of Oregon has been going against the Supreme Court, to prove that the Death with Dignity Act could be passed. In 1997 the law was passed but only applied to mentally competent patients. As of January 17, 2006 the final decision was passed that the governments cannot use drug laws to keep doctors from helping others commit suicide.
With the act a patient must be terminally ill and have six months or less to live. The patient must be able to communicate about his own health state, and make his own decisions. In order for the process to go through, the patient must have a prognosis completed by two doctors, and a signed request by two witnesses, one including a relative and the other no relation. It is also said that the patient must administer the prescription, and the doctor can only provide it for the patient.
Over 200 people have used the law, and an average of 25 people a year chose to use the act.
The states of California and Vermont are looking to pass a similar bill. Many questions rise from the new act being passed, such as what will happen next or what do we do from here. Does anyone really think about the pros and cons of what is to be expected?
"One of the consequences that could come out of this new law is that more states will start to allow it just because of all of the different views. I can see if the person has been in the hospital for a long period of time, and the hospital bills are just accumulating, then that may be the reason why that person chooses to go ahead and do it, just so they would not leave that financial burden on their family," Dunmire said. "I think we are in that stage when we say anything is all right."
Is it true that our society is allowing too much to be passed? We are a country built on Christianity, and we have the major law that says we cannot kill anyone, or someone is faced with life in prison or execution, but yet the Supreme Court justifies that it is right that a doctor can assist a terminally ill patient to end his life. What happened to this country's boundaries?
"I am a religious person and God is the only person that can decide to take a person's life and the person should not have the choice to decide when they want their life to end. You never know if the person could come back, you do not know what God has planned for you. I believe in miracles and you never know what could happen," Geraldine Alvarado said.
Other people view differently about the Death with Dignity Act and look at it as being more as a benefit.
"I agree with it, I think with all of the freedom our society has, we should have the freedom to die when we want to as well," Kobee Burnshire said.
This delicate issue has not had any bad side effects yet, but when it starts to settle in, will there be any strong protesting or demonstrations, like with the controversial abortion issue?
"There will be some turmoil; religion and science are involved in this, and with those things being closely related, things could tend to go on the chaotic side," Alvarado said.
On the other hand, others see nothing delicate about the issue and that it is not that big of a deal.
"There are alot of issues, so no one is really going to pay it much attention. It is not in the mainstream like a lot of other political issues are," Burnshire said.
