Euthanasia and the Robert Latimer Case
Euthanasia is undoubtedly an issue that plagues the minds of those living with
children or adults who are severely disabled. Rarely is one found to have a
neutral' outlook upon it; that is, a side must be chosen, for or against. It is
too delicate a topic to be in the middle' about. Over the years, cases
involving euthanasia have caused massive controversies as to whether or not it
is feasible to take the life of another human being in order to put them out of
their misery'. One of the strong questions raised in my mind is: Does the killer
really want to put the victim out of their misery? Or is it the killer who is
under the extreme pressures of living with the victim, and is it their own
lifestyle that they are truly fed up with?
In the Robert Latimer case, as in many other cases of euthanasia, it can never
be proven whether or not Latimer killed his young daughter Tracy to save' her,
or to save himself. While I have never experienced living with someone who is
severely disabled, I have had the chance to discuss the issue with many friends
and associates. From what I have learned, it is, indeed, an extremely tough
matter to deal with. While no-one I have spoken to has been suicidal over the
matter, they have seen the true pain and misery that some severely disabled
individuals are forced to deal with every day of their lives. Still, many agree
with myself on the point that a human life is just that, a human life; and that
everyone alive has the right to live, no matter whether or not it is under
tougher circumstances than another person. Nobody has the right to take the life
of another person, and technically, the law states that nobody has the right to
take their own life as well.
A severely disabled person may have to deal with much pain in their lives, but
they are entitled to the right of simply enjoying being alive, and denying them
that right would be an infringement upon their freedom. Latimer should have... [continues]
Euthanasia is undoubtedly an issue that plagues the minds of those living with
children or adults who are severely disabled. Rarely is one found to have a
neutral' outlook upon it; that is, a side must be chosen, for or against. It is
too delicate a topic to be in the middle' about. Over the years, cases
involving euthanasia have caused massive controversies as to whether or not it
is feasible to take the life of another human being in order to put them out of
their misery'. One of the strong questions raised in my mind is: Does the killer
really want to put the victim out of their misery? Or is it the killer who is
under the extreme pressures of living with the victim, and is it their own
lifestyle that they are truly fed up with?
In the Robert Latimer case, as in many other cases of euthanasia, it can never
be proven whether or not Latimer killed his young daughter Tracy to save' her,
or to save himself. While I have never experienced living with someone who is
severely disabled, I have had the chance to discuss the issue with many friends
and associates. From what I have learned, it is, indeed, an extremely tough
matter to deal with. While no-one I have spoken to has been suicidal over the
matter, they have seen the true pain and misery that some severely disabled
individuals are forced to deal with every day of their lives. Still, many agree
with myself on the point that a human life is just that, a human life; and that
everyone alive has the right to live, no matter whether or not it is under
tougher circumstances than another person. Nobody has the right to take the life
of another person, and technically, the law states that nobody has the right to
take their own life as well.
A severely disabled person may have to deal with much pain in their lives, but
they are entitled to the right of simply enjoying being alive, and denying them
that right would be an infringement upon their freedom. Latimer should have... [continues]
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