Running Head: CLASSICAL ORATION

Classical Oration on California Right to Die Bill

Lisa Tran

Westminster High School

Mr. Lim

AP Language, 2015-2016
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Classical Oration on California Right to Die Bill

I. Exordium (Introduction)

Jack Kevorkian, a pathologist who assisted 130 terminally ill patients to die with

dignity brought to light the controversial debate on euthanasia (Schneider 2011). He

pioneered a new perspective to mercy killing as virtuous and appropriate for those with

inoperable illnesses (Schneider 2011). At Thomas Youks request, an ALS victim,

Kevorkian end his suffering with a lethal injection (Schneider 2011). Doctor Death was

then charged with second degree murder on March 6, 1996 (Schneider 2011). Recently, a

29-year-old woman, Brittany Maynard was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer (Firger

2015). Under Oregons aid in dying law, she took her own life before her deadline (Firger

2015). Brittany was glorified and praised by many, whereas Dr. Jack Kevorkian was

villainized for not extending the lives of his patients. Maynards decision, arises the

question of what is the meaning of a worthwhile life? To what degree is it fair to end

someones life? Death is inevitable and a frightening reality. Each and every persons

view and attitude towards the prospect of death differs. Therefore, the practice of

euthanasia should not be legalized because it will open too many doors to ethical,

clinical, and legal issues in society.

II. Narratio (Background)

During the early age, people equated euthanasia as committing suicide. Smith,

Dunsmuir, & Alter, 1998). The only acceptable reason to end your own life is because of

illness and the lack of ability to contribute to society at a certain age (Smith, et al.,1998).

Furthermore, many religions consider committing suicide a taboo (Smith, et al.,1998). As

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technology and medicine advances, the debate on physician-assisted suicide became

more visible. The concern of quality of life and on the right to determine at what point

is it acceptable to cease living came to focus. As of today, Californians have the right

die with dignity (McGreevy & Wilson, 2015). By legalizing euthanasia, you are

robbing the richness of a persons life before their deadline. How arrogant of someone to

to want to die, while others with no medical benefits desire to live.

III. Confirmation (Proofs/ Evidence)

To promote euthanasia poses danger because in result assisted suicide will

become an accepted norm. Thus, making the interpretation of what is unbearable pain

and exceptional cases debatable. Society often only concentrates on a dramatic

individual case rather than the problem making physician assisted suicide seem

applaudable. Ergo, states are forced to approach this issue by giving approval to assisted

suicide under medical judgement. This draws the peoples attention away from the bigger

picture that by accepting euthanasia it will lead to consequences.

Opening doors to physician assisted suicide is fraught with danger because if

forces society to just embrace death and give up on their loved ones. By allowing

euthanasia, you are welcoming the fact that killing yourself is the solution to the problem.

As a terminally ill patient, you focus on alleviating your pain that is so unbearable it

forces you to believe that you are incapable of contributing to society (Golden & Zoanni

2010). Thus, forcing your family members to coerce with euthanasia as a solution to

make the weight of death light. As a society, we can do more to help the patients by
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finding new effective treatments, but instead we present euthanasia as the option because

it is the easier way out.

Moreover, assisted suicide is cheaper than the treatment relating to the patients

problem, patients and family members are coerced to accept the cheaper method.

According to Golden and Zoanni (2010), the cost of lethal medication is about $300,

which is the least costly treatment for illnesses compared to the long-term medical

condition. The cost of the medical bill will push people to deem that the compassionate

choice for patients who are suffering is to obtain lethal injection. Inviting coercion to this

issue drives patients to believe that the only option to resolve the feeling of being a

burden to their family is to volunteer to die (Golden & Zoanni 2010). Given the absence

of any real choice, death by assisted suicide becomes not an act of personal autonomy,

but an act of desperation. It is fictional freedom; it is phony autonomy (Golden &

Zoanni 2010). The incentive to save money leads to the act of desperation.

The media glorifies those who are dying with dignity, which impacts and will

lead to more young teens or depressed people to commit suicide. The publicity in

favoring assisted suicide promotes solving problems through ending ones life since it is

normalized (World Health Organization 2008). Those who neglect their problems will

depend on lethal injection as the easier way out. Depression causes people to make

decisions that are only temporary because it is based on their emotions. Therefore,

allowing euthanasia to be legal ruins the persons chance of surviving an illness or

condition. The drive to legalize euthanasia comes from cases of people in excruciating

pain, yet data shows that those who wish to die are making their decisions not based on
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physical symptoms but on depression and other forms of psychological distress

(Northern California Oncologists and Medical Oncology Association of Southern

California 2007). Pain is not the main reason patients seek to commit suicide. When

someone wishes to die is this not a cry for help? It is our responsibility to call the cops

when we see a child being physically abused. It is our obligation to perform CPR and

save someone who is drowning. If it is our duty to prevent someone from harming

themselves when we can, then euthanasia should not be legalized.

Broadening euthanasia will lead to the discrimination of the elderly, disabled,

minority, and poor. Approving assisted suicide as a solution is dangerous for individuals

because of inadequate resources and ingrained social disadvantage and lack of access

to good medical care according to (New York State Task Force Life and Law 2000).

Euthanasia cannot be limited to a certain group of patients. No matter how carefully

guidelines are presented, there will be discrimination made in terms of euthanasia

because of social bias and inequality. In different regions around the world, the delivery

of service for health differs. Areas with a wealthier community will more likely have

better medical benefits than a socially and economically disadvantaged community. In

Snead's words, the association Exit in Switzerland voted physician assisted suicide as

suicide because of old age (2014). Elders are being coerced to die because the only

options presented to them are death, burdening family members, and the dreariness of a

nursing home (Snead 2014). Legalizing euthanasia will blur the line that draws to when is

it acceptable to cease someones life. More harm will be done than benefits.
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Assisted suicide contradicts the purpose of medicine. In the Hippocratic Oath, it

states that a doctor one should never prescribe medicine to kill (Snead 2014). A

physician's role is to heal a patient not kill as an act of caring. Doctors who support

euthanasia are murders. Aid in dying deprives a person of the chance for a miracle to

happen, since there are cases where patients live longer than their expected diagnosed

deadline. A persons life should not be extended by every medicine possible, nor should a

doctor be permitted to purposely end someones life.

IV. Refutatio (Refutation)

Advocates of euthanasia argue that it is a compassionate response to alleviate the

patients pain. Allowing people to die with dignity is better than forcing them to

continue to live while suffering. For the terminally ill, medical treatment only prolongs

the patient's suffering. Therefore, it is the best means for terminally ill patients to end

their pain caused by an illness, which no drug can cure. People have the right to decide

matters affecting themselves, especially when it comes to when to dying. As a society,

we should respect the wishes of the dying.

V. Peroratio (Conclusion)

Physician assisted suicide is not a private matter because it involves another

person intervening to take someones life. Because it includes a public and societal

action, as a society, we should help improve the patients care not end their life.
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References

Firger, J. (2015). CBS News. Family releases final Brittany Maynard video as California debates

Right-to-Die Law. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/brittany-maynard

-video-california-debates-right-to-die-law/.

The CBS News narrates Brittany Maynards case as an inspiring movement of

euthanasia. CBS News quoted Maynards family members perspective on her decision

and summarizes her goal to end her own life before cancer does.

Golden, M., & Zoanni, T. (2010). Killing us softly: the dangers of legalizing assisted suicide.

Disability and Health Journal, 3(1), 16-30. Retrieved from http://www.second-thoughts

.org/home/files/killing-us-softly.pdf.

This article is an overview of problems why physician assisted suicide should not be

legalized. These factors include potential harm, lack of oversight of abuse, the reality of

who uses euthanasia, and more. Legalizing euthanasia would invalidate

self-determination in effect impacts society. Golden and Zoanni addresses common

misunderstandings and explores the fears and bias towards the disability-related effects of

euthanasia.

New York State Task Force on Life, & the Law. (2000). When Death is Sought: Assisted Suicide
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and Euthanasia in the Medical Context. Retrieved from http://rci.rutgers.edu/~tripmcc/

phil/taskforceonlifeandthelaw-whendeathissought-executivesummary.pdf.

This report highlights distinctions and questions for the public to reflect on. It focuses on

how allowing euthanasia would extend risk of individuals, forgo treatment, and will lead

to greater problems. Distinctions between private act and public policy is presented and

how individuals find certain cases desirable or feasible. The main point of this report is

to recommend laws prohibiting assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Schneider, K. (2011). New York Times. Dr. Jack Kevorkian Dies at 83; A Doctor who Help End

Lives. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/04/us/04kevorkian.html?_r=0.

New York Times summarizes Dr. Jack Kevorkians case and the effect it had on

euthanasia. The article is an obituary that honors Kevorkian.

Smith, M., Dunsmuir, M., & Alter, S. (1998). Euthanasia and assisted suicide. Retrieved

http://publications.gc.ca/Collection-R/LoPBdP/CIR/919-e.htm

This article consists of arguments for and against euthanasia.

Snead, O. C. (2014). Carter Snead lecture" Physician Assisted Suicide: Objections in Principle

and in Prudence". Retrieved from http://scholarship.law.nd.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?

article=1023&context=law_faculty_lectures.

This powerpoint put together by Carter Snead includes terminology, history, law,

arguments for and against euthanasia. He address societys views pertaining cultural and

legal parts. The author then defines fair and points out why euthanasia is and is not fair.

Overall, the speaker lists arguments against and for assisted suicide and supports his

arguments with evidence like statistics and anecdotes.

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World Health Organization, Preventing Suicide: A Resource for Media Professionals (WHO:

Geneva 2008). Retrieved http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/resource

_media.pdf.

World Health Organization warns society to not glorify assisted suicide to prevent

increase of suicide rates. The organization involves series of activities, ranging from the

best possible conditions for children and youth, through the effective treatment of the

mentally ill, to the environmental control of risk factors. The purpose is to just get the

information out there to raise awareness.