Assisted Suicide

When I taught argumentative writing, my students had to write an essay on which the topic was "an issue of social concern about which reasonable people may differ, and about which you feel passionately." Inevitably, someone would choose assisted suicide. However, on the next essay, they were required to do the research and write an argument in opposition to their prior essay. Generally, those who wrote in favor of assisted suicide were at a loss.

However, I would steer them into a reminder of decision-making until they realized the slippery slope of this issue: if it is acceptable to allow someone suicide, the value of life itself is diminished AND another is given the ability to make the choice. Where then, does that choice end? Is it parents deciding for children; children deciding for parents; spouses making a choice; or the state or courts making the choice. Eventually, in issues of conflict, the courts decide. That means that the state has made the choice.

It all boils down to value: what are the consequences and is it worth it? If the state is making these choices, eventually, the fiscal cost of maintaining life will overcome the intrinsic value of life itself. Then, the value starts being rated against contribution to society. Wow! When the Affordable-Care-Act was being touted, I received a letter from Medicare explaining that the costs of my monthly medication was too high and I could anticipate them being terminated. I was not yet 50 years old, and was told I cost too much. My 20 years of service to the Marines has protected me, but it is a mental blow to be told your life is not worth as much as the medication to keep you alive.

So, do we choose to actively kill those who cost too much and who do not contribute in someone's eyes? And what gives that someone the right to make that decision. If the state is making a cost-benefit-analysis for us, then we need to do some research into Germany, China, and other social-communist history states wherein the state decides that the old, the infirm, or the somehow less than perfect must be destroyed. Where then is the cutoff point?  Is it at age 50? It is when someone is on life-long meds for hypertension or diabetes? 

I don’t know the answers.  I know that my God put me here for a purpose, and as yet, I must not have finished serving it or I would not be here as the opportunity for my death has been stymied too many times.  I know this article scratches the surface of a horrible truth – that we are selfish beings, and in being so, our intrinsic value is also reduced.  Truly, in our humanity we have little enough value.  But, in our ability to do good, to help others, and to worship God, we have no reason nor authority to do ill to anyone who is not first doing it to us!