Hi guys, Id like to ask you a favour!
I was asked told to write a speech about a controversial subject by my English teacher and this Tuesday i will have to read it out loud (Eek!) in front of my class!
I have worked really, really hard on it and i just wondered if you would read it and let me know what you think?
Just to warn you the subject matter is Euthanasia.
Euthanasia Speech
Ladies and Gentlemen, Imagine that a close loved one was suffering from a severe, painful and debilitating illness. They are unable to wash, dress or preform any personal care needs independently and are totally reliant on others, whilst suffering great pain and discomfort. Do you think they should be allowed the right to end their life?
Euthanasia. According to the Oxford dictionary, means “The painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease” or an “irreversible coma”. In the Greek language it means “Easy Death”.
I believe that everyone has the right to choose to die. It is a basic human right. We have the liberty to choose all other aspects of our lives such as where we work, our religion, our sexual preferences and so on, So why cant we choose to end our lives if we are suffering? Animals, when they are very ill and their quality of life is at a downward slant are put to sleep so that they don’t suffer. Surely human beings deserve the same compassion?
Quality of life plays a big part in an individuals choice to die. If that person is trapped like a prisoner in their own body, then their quality of life would be dramatically reduced. Imagine yourself as a highly independent person, who was equally private all of your life, then with misfortune you contract a terrible life wasting disease and are then bound to others caring for you. Humiliating and degrading are two words that can explicate how this could make you feel.
If you need to make the serious and final decision to end your life, you can choose to spend your last moments with your loved ones. It also gives those family members a chance to come to terms and deal with it. I’m not saying this will be easy for them, death rarely is – natural or planned, but in my opinion more bearable knowing your family are with you, holding your hand until the end.
If Euthanasia is legalized then it would be safeguarded and monitored. In countries where it is legalized such as Switzerland and The Netherlands there are strict legal guidelines, that if someone requests Euthanasia they will be seen by two doctors, sometimes more, to carry out an assessment to verify the terminal nature of their illness and also to give a psychological examination to make sure the reason for their choice to die are valid. It is not just a case of “Doctors letting loose” on their patients.
There are many people who are against euthanasia, reason’s being religion, culture or it simply goes against their personal beliefs. One argument is that if voluntary euthanasia becomes legalized then it wouldn’t be long before involuntary euthanasia would start to happen and then doctors would start killing people without their permission. There is a huge difference between people dying who ask for death and people being killed against their will. Thankfully there are very few people lacking in moral understanding that would ignore this distinction. There are also very few people who lack the intelligence to be unable to see the difference between lawful and unlawful killings and quite frankly any doctor or person who ignored the distinction wouldn’t care about breaking the law anyway!
I feel my belief of supporting euthanasia is well and truly justified. Everyone should have the right to make their own choices, in life and equally in death. I know if I contracted a life diminishing illness then I would definitely want the choice to end my pain.
Thanks for reading it and i look forward to hearing your opinions, constructive critisisms and what not!
Love Nadine xx
