Monday, September 22, 2008

SHOULD PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT "TO CHOOSE TO DIE?"

Dementia patients' 'right-to-die'

People with dementia should be able to end their lives if they feel they are a burden to others or to the NHS, according to a respected ethicist.

Baroness Mary Warnock, who has made similar calls in recent years, first made her remarks in a Church of Scotland magazine.

She told the BBC she believed there were many who "sank into dementia when they would very much prefer to die".

But Alzheimer's charities called her remarks "insensitive and ignorant".

Around 700,000 people in the UK have dementia and the number is expected to double within 30 years.

'Dread'

Lady Warnock says there should be more research to establish when people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease can still be regarded as mentally competent, so that they can make a decision that they wish to be helped to die if they reach a certain point in their illness.

"We need more research to find out at what point one can say people diagnosed with Alzheimer's or dementia are still mentally competent to make the decision that they would prefer to die, rather than be a burden on their families or the NHS."

She praised the recently introduced Mental Capacity Act which gives people the right to appoint someone to act for them if cannot make decisions themselves.

But she added: "I still think that there is a very huge number of people who sink into dementia and mental incapacity who would really very much prefer to die rather than continue in the state they are in.

"I think that's something most of us dread more then we dread any other form of dying."

Baroness Warnock said many people with dementia became unable to swallow - "that's one of the most horrible conditions to be in".

"If one wants to avoid that, one should have the entitlement to make it clear what one wants to do, before that situation is reached."

But Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, strongly criticised the peer's comments.

"Lady Warnock demonstrates a shocking ignorance when espousing her highly insensitive view that people with dementia are 'wasting people's lives' and may have a 'duty to die.

"People with dementia can live quite comfortably when cared for properly.

"The solution to our dementia crisis is not euthanasia; the answer is more research so we can find new treatments, preventions and a cure.”

87 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Roger Gray
Period 2

I think if someone wants to die they should just let them because usally when someone wants to kill themselvels and therfore they might end up killing someone or people. People who want to kill themselves should have the right to do it there a 60/40 chance that they can do something whith their lives so people need to watch and becareful. Doctors have no right to help kill a pateint even if they want to be killed beacuse you never no what would have happened. Patents sometimes can be super depressed or messed but a little but that gives no right to help them kill themselves. Its so easy to kill your self you shouldnt want to but shouldnt use a doctors help doctors should help youi live (not help kill you thats my opinon.

September 23, 2008 at 6:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jesus Ramirez 3p.


PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT "TO CHOOSE TO DIE !
Why not because people fell its wrong well its not the peoples choice its the persons choice.
Plus with dementia and mental incapacity do not to suffer for the rest of there life and some of then cant swallow that would be it for me cause if i cant eat i'll pull the plug on my self.Anyway i fell that most of the people that are agenst it are religous people and say no for then and not the person that wants to kill themself.

September 23, 2008 at 6:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Vicmariel Colon
PD. 2

i think that DOCTORS should NOT help a patient try and kill themselves! First of all, it goes against EVERYTHING a doctor represents: a doctor is SUPPOSED to help save lives, not help end them! And second of all, a patient who has dementia, Alzheimers, or any type of mental disease or sickness aren't mentally competent to make a decision as important as that one! And third of all, any doctor that "HELPS" someone kill themselves is a murderer! The doctor is assisting in someone's death... and therefore, the doctor is not helping the patient kill themselves... THEY ARE KILLING THE PATIENT! I think that people need to STOP being lazy and STOP trying to take the easy way out! I think that we need to invest more time in research to find treatments and cures for such diseases as dementia.

September 23, 2008 at 7:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Valeria Moctezuma
Period 3

I think people should have the right to die because they are basically suffering just living.
They forget how to do anything and who their family is what is the point of living.
It says that it gets so bad that they use the bathroom on themselves and and they forget how to swallow and eat.
I would much rather have assistance with my death then just suffer for the rest of my life.
Even though they are not well enough to make a decision to die if they say they want to die then they obviously are suffering and someone shouldn't have to live like that if they don't want to.

September 23, 2008 at 7:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mallory Shephard
Period 4

I think that anyone has the right to make a choice. Therefor, I think that if the person chooses to be put to sleep, they should let them. But if they want to fight through their illness, then we should accept that too. I also think this promblem has do to with some religions too because its a sin to commmit suiside. Even though this is like killing yourself,i think god will understand the choice you made, i mean why would he want you to suffer. Anyways, i also think that docters should research more on this disease so we can know what to do.

September 23, 2008 at 7:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wesley Hundley
P4

I think that the doctors should not be the ones to decide. Doctors could just want the patient to die and plus there not even supposed to kill people. Doctors should tell the patient their family when they are close to the point that they shouldn't go on anymore. Then the family and the patient should decide weather to keep going or for the patient to die. If not then it should be up to a very close friend or the patient. That's what I think about this article.

September 23, 2008 at 8:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Alyssa Samonte
pd.2

This subject at hand is very hard to choose a side.You personaly dont know if the persons happy in that state because of there condition.I think that the closest family member that truley knows the patiant should decide.There is no right awnser,and there wont be (until found a solition).

September 23, 2008 at 8:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think you should choose if you want to die. I mean there will always be that "maybe i shouldn't have done that" feeling. but for the most part most people choose to live their life and the things they do in it, so they should also choose when to die. If they personally don't want to suffer the extra years, then thats their choice. everyone should respect that.
nobody should interfere in that type of way into someone elses life. they shouldn't assist you in suicide but if they just wanted to be put to sleep i see nothing wrong with that.
remember, you're not one to live someone elses life. they make their own choices.

September 23, 2008 at 8:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

eek, that one right above this is Nicole M's from 4th period. sorry, i forgot to put my name :)

September 23, 2008 at 8:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

natasha sheomangal block6
I think that doctors shouldnt help the people that want to kill themselves because you never know they might just be over depressed or stressed out about something. plus you never know whats going to happen because who knows if they start to get mentally crasy and just pick some kind of surgical tool if they can and hurt or kill you with it. I think that someone should come up with a way that we can help people with this kind of sickness with like certain types of medications or needle injections or rehabs you know.I also think that the people in the family that knows about this problem that the specific person has should like try to help them with the situation.Like for example like if someone died in the family or a friend died and they are stressed out about it they might want to hurt themselves. or like if there parents are making them mad because everyday they do bad things with their friends like smoking or drinking and there parents keep screaming at them for it.then they start to get mad and like get suicidle and thats when the sickness develops in the mind. like my uncle in new york he is in a rehab for 2 years for his drinking and suicidle problems. they have been giving him like medicine from needle injections and it doesnt help.but anyways i think that doctors should watch out and be careful if they do try to help them or get near them. I think that i really liked this article.

September 23, 2008 at 8:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

tanner garbutt
pd.1

I understand how someone would feel if they were really sick and just didn't want to suffer anymore, that maybe you think they would want to die! I know if i had the decision to be stuck cripled and not be able to move, or stuck suffering alot and not knowing what or who was around me. I would want to be somewhere where i felt accepted and like i could just be myself, also be able to move and sort of understand. So the decision should be avaliable but they should test the person who had it in mind and keep an eye on them for atleast a couple months or so, so they know for sure that they aren't just physco!

September 23, 2008 at 10:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jonathan Alvarado
Period 3

I think that every person should do what they want to do, if they want to end their lives because they are suffering and can't find anything to get rid of it then that's their choice. No one should make up their minds for others.

September 24, 2008 at 1:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fahren Rivera 1pd

SHOULD PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT "TO CHOOSE TO DIE?

If someone is sick and to the point where they are suffering and it completely hurts to live than I think it would be understandable to let them be treated to die. But if a person is just mentally ill and is choosing to end their life I don't think it's humane or even slightest way right. There is a complete difference in practically laying on your death bed in horrendous pain waiting to die and just being completely insane. I think that if a person decided to follow through with such procedures they would definitely need to go through some type of counseling for preparation and to make sure they completely understand exactly what kind of choice their making.

September 24, 2008 at 4:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

beatriz fraga-gomes
P2

Although it is hard to decide which side i am on, i have to choose patients being allowed to kill themselves over patients not being allwoed to die. Why? Because its their life and they can choose what to do with it, and if they what to end it i say let them. and so what if a doctor hepled/helps them. Yes a doctor is suppose to help people, but in some cases dementia is so bad that you live in pain every momment of life and by the doctor heping kill the patient he or she is actually helping the patient in the long run. And even if the doctor didnt help the patient could still find another way to commit suicide. But if the patient commits suicide itself then the death might be long and painful, but because a doctor knows what its doing he or she can make the patients death quick and painless.

(:

September 24, 2008 at 5:11 PM  
Blogger sarah said...

Sarah Kinney
Period 5

No matter who you are, you, as a person, have the right to choose what you want to do with your life. If you're going insane, losing memories, and forgetting how to do things that should be involuntary, you may want to die. Without memories of the people and things you love in life, what reason do you have for living? People like Baroness Mary Warnock shouldn't say that dementia patients deserve to die, because she's talking about a human being, not a pest problem. People deffinately need to put their preferances about dementia in their will. In the mean time, if people like Warnock say that more research needs to be done on dementia, maybe she should fund it or stop running her mouth.

September 24, 2008 at 5:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thomas tomko
3rd period
I believe that people shouldn't be killed because of dementia.
While it is true that we think their in pain and suffering sometimes it can be hard to tell.
The brain might think that the body is in pain when really it may or may not be.
The solution is not to kill them.
We need to research more about this condition before we can act upon it.
As for the demented, they should be put in cryo-stasis in order to preserve them until we can cure dementia.
This will end their suffering while giving them a chance to live a normal life in the future.

September 24, 2008 at 5:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Everyone has the chocie to live or die. But i say that people shouldnt choose to die. You have your own time to die, not when you want to. When you get old you will just forget all the memories. You also wont be able to do anything. Like you cant be as active as when you were younger. There just doing this for research which is not good.

September 24, 2008 at 6:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

garrett brough
period 2

i think that if a person wants to die because they have dementia that it is their decision to say yes i want to or no i do not.we should not have people saying no they can't die yet or something like that just so they can live with more pain and suffering so they can look at them ane last time. the people with dementia feel that they want to die i say let them. now i know what your probally thinking right now. your thinking that i am mean or crule but the thing is people should have a choise they should choose if they want to die or not.

September 24, 2008 at 6:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jessica Cruz
Furst Period

I think people should choose when they die i think that if they are unhappy the way that they are than they should be put to sleep i mean what is the point of living and you are unhappy and in pain most of the time i think it is sad the way people ahve to live there lives but i think of it like this if you are sick and cant move what is the point of you living your not doing anything useful but just sitting in pain and depressed now i am a christian and i believe there is a better place and there is a god who will free you of your pain i believe that i also think its like its better to die of a natural cause then die painfully so if you so choose to die do someting non painful...

September 24, 2008 at 8:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To me I think a person has there right to die if they want to. Its just that I would not suggest it. Dead is never better. From the description of the bad effects of dementia, i see how they would want to. If I were a doctor I would not incerage these patients to die. Its not there job. There job is to keep them alive and try to get them better and to make them feel better. Its still undecided on what my answer is.

September 24, 2008 at 8:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Javier Suarez
Pd.2

I definitely believe that people should have the right to live or die. It's their life. Imagine that you're put through the worst pain ever and you have to live with it for the rest of your life. Do you really want to live that way? I don't think it's of anyone's business of whether someone wants to die or not. If you're helping someone die because they want to it's not a crime.

September 24, 2008 at 8:53 PM  
Blogger Lord Bow Fox said...

Ricardo Villafane
Period 3

People really shouldn't be able to have the right to die. Just because you are suffering all the time doesnt mean you have to die. Death is NEVER going to be the answer to ANYTHING. You never know, you might kill yourself today and in a week they find a way to cure it or control it.

Also doctors shouldn't help these people kill themselves. A doctors job isnt to kill its to save lives. There's no reason for a doctor to help you kill youself. Theres also no reason to think you need to kill yourself. Absolutely none.

September 24, 2008 at 9:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Borislav jovanovic Period.1 I think that people should have the right to choose to die. Just because someone has a disabilatie of doing something and are suffering and felling the pain of there disabilities should better of dieing then living. Because they are going to die one point in there life. There is no reason for doctors to to help or decide for them to live or die so i think that they should decide to die or live.

September 24, 2008 at 10:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Amanda Figueroa
period 5
9/25/08


I think they shouldnt have the right to kill themselves because they dont know waht there talking about.They are sick so maybe there just having a bad day or something and they wish they were dead and the doctor takes them litterally and kill them.These people dont no any better they are sick and there brains are messed up so they dont really know what there saying.I lso think doctors should help kill these people cause a doctors main purpose is to help people live not kill them, so it wouldnt be right for them to help them commit suicide,to me its just not right.

September 25, 2008 at 6:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Kyle Snead Per2

I Believe that the Person in the State if they are able to make a Choice I believe they can choose because it is their own life. Also I think if the Person is not able to make the Choice for themself then I think the spouse Should make the choice. specially if they already agreed to1 it.Another thing IM sure that the Person who is sick doesn't want to live like that they are ready to move onto the next world. Also that they do no n t want to be a burden on their family.

September 25, 2008 at 7:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jazmyn Streams
PD.6

Dementia patients should have the right to choose to die.Also, these patients are already on the path to death, if it isn't pleasant than they should have the choice to put themselves out of their own misery. Although there are some faults to this right. 1 dementia patients are a little out of their head sometimes and they may or may not be concious what is going on around them. 2 a patient can be having a bad day and want to end their life just because today's pubbing is tapioca, or the cafeteria ran out of tater-tots. 3 a patient could acknowledge that their family is putting up with an emotional burden because of their suffering and they may end their life out of pity to the family. This decisoin should be looked at as a serious one and they should have a close family member present (daughter,son, etc.) to help them think their decision through.

September 25, 2008 at 7:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think if someone wants to die they should just let them because thell end up killing themselves.there already on the path to death, if it isn't pleasant than they should have the choice to put themselves out of their own misery.

September 25, 2008 at 8:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think if someone wants to die they should just let them because thell end up killing themselves.there already on the path to death, if it isn't pleasant than they should have the choice to put themselves out of their own misery.

September 25, 2008 at 8:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

yari dejesus
pd4


well for me i think people shoulnt have that right. So im a christian and i believe that if you committ suicide your definetly arent going to heaven. If i BELIEVE in that they should decide wether if they wanna live or not then im agreeing with suicide if they commit it. I know that its suppose to be within the person if they wanna live or not but me as a christian ,i believe that the only person that can give and take away somebodys life is called God.

September 25, 2008 at 8:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Shanise Green
Period 1

I feel like this is suffering...They should be able to make that decsion if they want to die or not. Once they are diagnosis with these illness they should have that choice. They shouldn't have to go through that if they don't want to. So it should be a self-made decsion. If they can't make that decsion then family members should...

September 25, 2008 at 9:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Amanda Clayton
Pd. 2

I personally think that people with Dementia should be able to have the choice to decide whether or not at a certain point to either die or live and be what some people think is a "burden" to their friends and families. People today who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's or Dementia at an early stage of it should work out a plan with their families and settle an agreement, to when their time might come so there are no difficulties or confusion between the doctors and the family on what they want.

September 25, 2008 at 10:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nick Redmond
Period 6th



So should people have the right to have someone kill them? Well I think yes since it is their life. Also because all people get really old. Like when your 80-90 and living off life support. Some people are just ready to go. See people should have to go through a class to tell if they are mentally stable. And if they are or if they are dieing slowly with pain they should have the choice so have their doctor kill them.

September 25, 2008 at 10:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Katlyn Elbon
Prd: 6


This seems wrong...But its that persons life and if a disease or disorder is stopping them from living how they want, then they should have the choice to end it. Everyone has the right to live happily and free and if thats not what they feel they are getting out of life, then by all means they have the right to recieve help in doing what they really want to do. Doctors shouldn't advise people to do this at all. It should be something the patient thinks up, otherwise it doesn't really seem like their choice at all...cause the doctor then sugested it.

September 25, 2008 at 10:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

anthony
period 1
i kind of slipt on this subject because i think that people should be able to take their own life because its better than suffering. but then again theres people that want to die for absolutely no reason, or because there depressed. so i really dont kno.

September 26, 2008 at 7:55 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

erik howell
6th pd
9/26/08

i don't think that people with dementia should have the right to choose to die. i think that their families should be the ones to choose. i think that because what if they just had a bad day and choose to kill them selfs. with the family choosing it takes that factor out of the way and leaves it all up to the family. also i think that if the family can't come up with what they choose then the person should not be put to death.

September 26, 2008 at 8:20 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Britney Padilla
4th Period

My response to this article is that if they want to die I think they should have that choice. It is their lives whom they control. I think it was nice of the doctor who helped the patients out of their misery. Yes, it would be nice to find a cure for this disease, & when we do we can start to cure people without having them die. But right now they are suffering & can't have a life because of a disease or disorder that they may have. Nobody should interfere in that type of way into someone elses life. People should respect other peoples decision especially if it is not their lives to make that decision.

September 26, 2008 at 8:24 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Meranda Perez
3rd period
I dont think people should have the right to die. just because you dont like your life or you think you cause people pain you dont have to kill yourself. demonstrated as a shocking ignorance when espousing Lady Warnock highly insensitive view that people with dementia are 'wasting people's lives and may have a duty to die.

September 27, 2008 at 8:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maria Ortega
Pd:2

I think that people should have the right to decide if they should live or die in this situation.I could only imagine what pain feel when they have dementia so they should have the right to die if they have lots of pain.People should have a right to choose to die only if in a stiuation like this.I belive that someone have the right to die if they are suffering.

September 27, 2008 at 1:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Kaia Jennings
6th Period.

To me this is a very hard topic.
My grandma who is very old is starting to forget things, and not being able to think right. Way back till where I can remember she and my mom had a talk about how she would want to "have the choice to live or die" at the point she is in. She is still aware and active. She just forgets a lot of things, and forgets to take care of things are certain points. For me being her granddaughter its hard to see my grandma in that state. On the other hand..should she be able to choose if she wants to keep living "getting worse", or keep living?
I don't really want to think about my grandma dying, but then again it is what she wants if she gets to a certain point. I think the answer for this should be yes and no. It all depends on the state of mind they are in when they make this decision. I can't say I agree with that choice. But being a human and having control over yourself, you SHOULD have a right to choose what you want. But it should only be under strong conditions. It should be if you are mentally dead, dying, or a vegetable.

September 27, 2008 at 3:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Melvin Ramos
p.6

this is realy sad people wanting to die. i dont believe in helping some one die, because it might mess you up. also they should still have hope there is no good reason to kill your self in that position. what if a cure is found right after you killed yourself?

they need help to stay alive not to die!

September 27, 2008 at 7:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Vanessa Cruz
period 1

I am kind of in the middle with this because at a certain point were people cant do anything and the illness is really bad then i think they should be able to do whatever they want with their lifes. But there will be certain people who over react to there illness and think its the end of the world and want to die when they still could live a pretty good life and i dont think people should be helping them die. So i feel its how bad the illness is.

September 27, 2008 at 9:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I believe theres a reason for every choice somebody makes in their life.You cant run someones life for them and if they cant run it themselves and keep balance with reality,then yes anyone who decides to die has the right to kill themselves.I do not encourage it and think that throwin yourself away solves anything but its free will.Now helping somebody kill themself is totally wierd but if it has to be done because you are totally 100% fed up with life, i think you should discuss it first with your best friend.


arash akbari
3

September 27, 2008 at 9:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Michael Toribio
Period 6th

I think that old people with sickness that doesnt able them to make smart choices for there own life should be on watch.I think what doctors are doing in this situation is right. I think if the patient cant make the wise choice then the doctor of the family should do it for them.

September 27, 2008 at 10:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Michael Toribio
Period 6th

I think that old people with sickness that doesnt able them to make smart choices for there own life should be on watch.I think what doctors are doing in this situation is right. I think if the patient cant make the wise choice then the doctor of the family should do it for them.

September 27, 2008 at 10:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

jullian sanchez
p4
i think people should have the right to die. i mean if they are ill and dont understand much anymore then whats the point. they will suffer until the day they die naturally. it should be a dicision whey they want to or not.

September 27, 2008 at 10:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

nicolas mees
6th period

i think that people should have the right to die because if they are ill and want to end the pain, its their life,but not to ask them if they wana die or not, they should choose on their own, who has the right to denie you from a life changing decision that will only change the outcome of your life.

September 28, 2008 at 11:14 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i think people that have certain illness' or any conditions dat dont really do anything and r u just dieing with nuthin to do bout it. should have the right to die that way they dont have to die slowly or suffer but if someon is perfectly fine they shouldnt be doing this.


G-DOG
5TH period

September 28, 2008 at 11:38 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Gabriel Maldonado
4th period.

I believe all patients have the right to choose if they want to end there lives. Most dementia patients suffer every moment of there lives? Who are we to tell THEM what they can't and cannot do. I believe if it is 100% of there choice, and the doctor sees that the case is fit for the patient to be helped to death, then I believe it's absolutely fine.

September 28, 2008 at 11:48 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Kiana Chan
Pd 4 :]

Have the right to die? It's up to that individual person, but in my opinion that is called suicide and you get nowhere with that. As a believer in God and the ten commandments, i think that only if the person is suffering should they call upon God to take their lives, but other than that if they don't believe in him, a request to die would be their choice and they should have that right, for noone wants to suffer, its horrible pain. So my suggestion would be to take them out of their misery or deal with the pain!

September 28, 2008 at 11:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tyler McCulley
6th period

I think people should have the choice to die if they wish. Being in that miserable state of mind would suck. It would be hard for the person to make the decision because there mind doesn't compute everything that is put in it so you couldn't answer the person asking you the question. If i was in that position i would rather die than be completely miserable.

September 28, 2008 at 12:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

mae alvidera
pd 4

For me, I’m on both sides for this one. I say they should have the choice of dieing or not, but the doctors should give them a couple of days to be sure of it. Although I'm more on the "let them die" side. They're already suffering and they're bound to die, so why make them suffer more? Unless its what they want then i guess they have a right to that too. Bottom line, people have their rights and they can make their own decisions.

September 28, 2008 at 12:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Starsea Rodriguez
Prd: 3

I believe that it is not our job to choose the death of someone. The only time I think that it is appropriate to stop someone form wanting to die is if they have some kind of mental illness in which the person does not know between right or wrong. These people with dementia do know the difference. Many of these people want to die because they are hurting more just by being alive then dead. It must be torture for them that people like us that DON'T KNOW what it is like to be in their position to want to keep them alive. It makes us look bad and cruel. For example, let’s say you have a dog that is very sick and can't walk because it has become disabled, but you don't want to put it to sleep because you'll feel bad and you just want it to live until it dies itself. This is something alike to the situation that people with dementia are going through. There always comes a time in life where a person can’t keep on going. In this point it is the decision of the person to decide whether or not to keep on trying or just let go. In conclusion, I believe that people with dementia should make their own decisions because I can not see how they can appreciate life in the conditions that there are in.

September 28, 2008 at 1:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

walter hueck
period 2
Well i believe that helping a
patient commit suicide is wrong.it is the doctors job to save a person's life.in another sense if the person is really in pain and there is no other option than i guessit should be done.it goes against what a doctor stands for, but no one would want to see another go through so much pain. the person would also eventually die anyways because the body would eventually be fatigued from the stress and pain it would give out.

September 28, 2008 at 2:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Whitney Gordon
Pd 4

I think that doctors should not be helping other people kill themselves!!! Doctors are there to help and keep you alive as possible not to be like oh well if you don’t want to suffer anymore, I could give you something and you would die but you won’t be suffering anymore. Also the patient is very sick and there has to be something wrong, so how can they be capable to make that huge decision?

September 28, 2008 at 2:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Derrek Bost
Pd.4

This one is hard. If you are in that stage when you can't think to do anything you should ask someone to put themselves out of misery. If not then no, you should not kill yourselves because you are still kind of ok. That is my opinion

September 28, 2008 at 2:41 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

justin preston
3rd

I think that it is not up to us to take someones life no matter what the reason is. if someone with a disability that might have lost their mind came up to you would you take their life? i would not because i believe that no one has the right to say i want to give up and die. that person was brought to this earth by their mother and it would start someone elses pain.I also believe that god is the one that makes us and the only one that should take us back.

September 28, 2008 at 2:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Giovanni J Lopez
Period 3

Well I think that the people should have the decission to die or not. Because they are the one who are suffering not us. No one know how they really feel and how hard it is for them. But I dont think that the doctor should help you to die because if they are doctors they should help you to be better or to solve your problems and not to just help you to die by a medicine or etc. That decision should taked their families. But is really hard to see other people eating, walking, running, or doing other things and they cant do anything else than be sitting or not to remember nothing. If life is a GOD gift why would you have to choose to die... ???

September 28, 2008 at 3:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bryan Vargas
Pd:6

I think that if people should have the right to die because if they are in a time that there are in alot of pain and suffering and they just want to end it by killing thenselfs. There are people that think that if they are in a very bab state and want to stop the pain by dying then they should let then cause that they only way to stop it. People rather die than be in a state that causes much pain to them. I think that people should have the right to end their lives and live in suffering. That there choice only and no one else.

September 28, 2008 at 3:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Michelle Burke
Pd.6

I think think that if someone is ready to die its up to them and not anyone else.You cant stop someone from wanting to die that just there desion.I think that its up to them and God not anyone else.

September 28, 2008 at 4:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jordan Griffin Period 4
9/28/08

I think that they should not be able to choose their death becuase what if they dont remember what their day is like and they choose to end their life, i dont think that really fair because they arent in the state to choose what is best for them

September 28, 2008 at 6:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jordan Griffin Period 4
9/28/08

I think that they should not be able to choose their death becuase what if they dont remember what their day is like and they choose to end their life, i dont think that really fair because they arent in the state to choose what is best for them

September 28, 2008 at 6:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Imani Walters
P.4
humm this world is going nuts anyway so i'm not really surprised in a way because if you know your going to die you should at least have the choice to say whether you want to or not or at least when and how, people and especially doctors take too many things into their own hands not knowing all hell they're raising, if someone is in a bad situation with there life already at least give them the say to choose choices they want. hopefully i explained that making sense (:

September 28, 2008 at 6:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

jonathan cardona
p.2

I think people should have the right to die beacuse they suffer not us. if they know that they will not survive with the punishment put uppon them i say that they have the dision to be able chose how they die. if they are sentenced to death i say that go ahed let them dicide how they want to die. if they think that one way is humane and the other one isnt they should chose the one that they think is the most humae way to die.

September 28, 2008 at 7:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Desiree Reid
Period 4

I believe that doctors have no rights to make a decision whether or not a patient should die. Even if the person is suffering its the doctor's job to help them stop suffering. If someone wanted to die to end their misery part of me would want to help them to end their pain. The other part would want to talk them out of thinking like that. Therefore, the family member should be the one to make the decision.

September 28, 2008 at 7:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lina Habeych
Period 4

I think that people should have the right to choose wether they want to live Or die.The patient Not the doctor should have the right to choose, if there isnt any help left avaliable to be offered to them.I strongly believe that the doctor should have no saying wether that person should live or die.The doctor might think the best thing to do is to have the person be dead while the patient might want to enjoy their lfes to the best of their ability.That person could be going through misery and a large amount of pain that they might want to put a stop to it. If no other help is being given the other way to end the misery is for the patient to die if they desire to.Now if the patient chooses to life it is up to the those people to go into research to find better cures and treatments for the patient.So the Patients not the doctors should be the ones to decide since it is their lifes.

September 28, 2008 at 7:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

nicholas gonzalez
period 2

i think that they should be able to put them to sleep . because they have a right not to suffer during there life . and they need help to be sent to a BETTER PLACE THEY CANT DO IT BY THEM SELVES. they should let doctors do this

September 28, 2008 at 8:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Garrett Thompson
period 6



People should have the choice to die, because in the Declaration of Indipendence, it says that people have the freedom of speech, and freedom to choose.Therefor they should have the choice, and why should innicent people die anyway??

September 28, 2008 at 8:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Michael Castillovetia
9/28/08
period 3



I think these peole shouldnt be allowed to kill themselves..if you think about it these people are sick they dont know what there saying or doing.It wouldnt be right to just let them kill themselves there not really thinking straight,and for a doctor to kill them i think thats worse.A doctor should be saving lives not helping people kill there own it just seems so wrong.

September 28, 2008 at 8:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

christian rozo
prd 5
I think people have the right to chose to die. What happens if there just in a bed can't do nothing beside just stay there. tHEY CAN'T MOVE THEY CAN'T TALK. No body should live like that. I think it would be better for the person just to die. And what happens if there in pain and no docter or any body can do about it beside just watch. That person should be able to chose if they want to live like that or not.

September 28, 2008 at 9:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jorge Claudio
Period-5

I think these people should be allowed to get killed because some of them just live because of a machine. They can't communicate with other people so they just decide to die. Others just can't never move, see, and hear because there are in a cohma. These people that have demensia just have too much problems and they probably can't take it anymore. The decision for them to die is them not ours.

September 28, 2008 at 9:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Shannon Quintana
prd.4th

I think people should have the right to choose wether or not they want to die because they may not want to suffer there thise disease. The doctor shouldnt tell the person they have to live or have to die. If a patient want to dies because he/she doesnt want to suffer then i think they should listent to the patient. If the patient wants to commit suicide i also think doctors should asist them in that just to make if lets painful if anything or a quick death.

September 28, 2008 at 9:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Franshua Figueroa
prd. 4th

The patients with the disease i think they have the right to wether or not they want to die so this way they dont have to suffer if they dont want to. If they are living with this disease then they forget things, and sometimes people with this disease become unable to swallow which is horrible because then they can even feed themselves. They have to stuck on life support. This is why i think people should be able to choose wether or not they want to die.

September 28, 2008 at 9:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Loren Forestier
Period 4



I believe that people with this disease or any other disease should be allowed to choose if they live or not. I believe it is ones choice to stay on this earth. A person should be given a couple of months to get their mind straight on whether they would like to die or not. After the months are up and the person sticks with his decision then his wish shall be fulfilled.

September 28, 2008 at 10:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Devin De Como
period 3

If someone wants to die just give them there wish. They are probobly in pain and fell like if they die then the pain will stop.

September 28, 2008 at 10:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Linda Martinez
Period 5

In my opinion people with this condition shouldn't have the chance to decide weather to be alive or die. Because of their mental illness they may take the wrong decision because of a bad day. This people change mood frequently and this may cause them to regret their decision. Also this goes against different religion beliefs. Their relatives may be mad at the clinic that gave the client permission to take the decision. In addition, they should be given life support until there's certain details liek the client suffering painor it not being able no more to breath correctly.

September 28, 2008 at 10:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Linda Martinez
Period 5

In my opinion people with this condition shouldn't have the chance to decide weather to be alive or die. Because of their mental illness they may take the wrong decision because of a bad day. This people change mood frequently and this may cause them to regret their decision. Also this goes against different religion beliefs. Their relatives may be mad at the clinic that gave the client permission to take the decision. In addition, they should be given life support until there's certain details liek the client suffering painor it not being able no more to breath correctly.

September 28, 2008 at 10:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Alex Serna

Period 4

If the patient is suffering and can still make decisions for themselves than, they shall ba able to choose their future. However, if the patient can't make decisions for themselves a doctor should not be able to put them to death. The only person that should be able to make that choice is the person that is in that being, their wife/ husband, child, or parent. I think people should be allowed to choose wether they want to continue suffering or to die because they have to go through that pain everyday.

September 28, 2008 at 10:40 PM  
Blogger Devin Powell said...

Devin Powell
Period 4

This is a difficult decision to voice my opinion for, because there are so many factors to consider. Euthanasia is considered merciful by some, but murderous by others. On one hand, if people have the right to die, it places a great deal of pressure on the doctor assisting with the suicide and the family members. That person may or may not be mentally competent enough to make the choice themselves, which means that the death may possibly be in vain. Another factor to consider is that of families filing lawsuits against the doctors, which distresses many people. On the other hand, euthanasia can relieve someone of future pain and suffering. It can also save the hours otherwise needed to care for the person, therefore saving money.

Ultimately, I believe that pro-euthanasia is the best way to handle this question, but with certain conditions. For example, I don't think this should only apply to dementia patients, because that wouldn't be fair to other people who are suffering and terminally ill. Euthanasia should only apply to those who: are terminally ill, (can prove they) are mentally competent, and will obviously continue to suffer despite all medical treatment available to them. I also believe that they should go through a mandatory specified amount of therapy before officially choosing to die.

Once again, I cannot stress enough that this opinion is very difficult for me to make. There will be countless other factors I am not accounting for. Despite my point of view, I still believe that euthanasia should be a temporary solution to dementia and other terminal diseases, until other treatments, cures, and solutions to these illnesses are discovered.

September 28, 2008 at 11:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jose Cardona
5th period

I think that people should have the right to die if you know your going to die anyways from a sickness that will only cause pain. If a person has something that if they continue on living they are just going to suffer more mine as well just save them the suffering and let them choose if they want to end their lives or not.I think a docter should help with it if its on the persons final request after having time given to the patient to decide.

September 29, 2008 at 12:31 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

mary ann woodyard period 6th

I agree with the last line of the article where there should be more research, find a cure and prevention done. If people want the right to choose to die it should be decided when they are capable of making that decision like when they write a living will or chose to be a organ donor.

September 29, 2008 at 9:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree that patients should be able to die if they feel they cant go on. I think it is out of someone elses hands to make that desicon for them.If a patient feels like he/she would be better off dead then i think they should let that person be.I also diagree because I dislike the thought of death. But then I look at it like this if someone wants to die then let them!

September 29, 2008 at 5:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Alyssa Libardi
Period 1

I think people should have the right to die. They should be aloud to cut there own line to get out of misery. No one has the right to say that someone HAS to live, if someone says I want to die it should have nothing to do with the government.

September 29, 2008 at 6:02 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

joe haddad
4th

i think the people have the right if the choose to live or die. Its their lives, they can choose what they would like to do with it. If that means to end their suffering then so be it. Its not up to to the government to say that person must stay alive.

September 29, 2008 at 7:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

alyssa rivera
pd. 2

I think that humans should have the right to choose to die. If someone has a low quality of life because of their illness its their right to end their suffering. If a person truly does not want to live we're torturing them by making them go through the rest of their lives with a disease. Though it is very hard to choose a side when each side has very important points.

September 29, 2008 at 7:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Alexander Perryman
Period: 4

I think if thats what you want to do then that is what your right to do. In our society people can choose if they want that or not. In the doctors shoes it is his choice as well. If the doctor says that he doesnt want to do that, then it is the doctors right not to perform the percidure on the human. If it is the docs choice, then that is his choice an he will have to live with that.

September 29, 2008 at 10:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jeremiah Combs
period 2

Dimentia and Altziemers are serius diseases.i recently visited my great grandpa, in Alaska, who suffers from severe dimentia. He is an enourmus burdon to my great grandma. Until my grandfather developed Dimentia he was still very active on his potato farm. However for the last 7 or so years my grandma has oporated the farm alone. If he would be able to make the disision to die, im sure he would. He is most certainly not capable of this dicision, he hardly remembers anything and is not himself anymore. So, i disagree with the statement that" people with dimentia and altzeimers should be able to decide to die" because they arent the people they once were.

September 29, 2008 at 11:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Im very sure on this answer because it goes both ways in this point. I understand what there coming from in both point of views of this situation and I cant really pick a side because there both right.

October 4, 2008 at 12:43 PM  

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