Mercy+Killings

=**__Mercy Killings__**=

__What is Mercy Killing?__

 * Mercy killing, also known as euthenasia or assisted suicide, is the practice of ending someone's life to dismiss the pain and suffering they are enduring. It first became a major issue when doctor Jack Kevorkian publically euthanized Janet Adkins, who was suffering with alzheimers. Euthanasia is stronlgy opposed by both reigious and moral beliefs. This has caused a lot of conflict between opposers and supporters of euthanasia.



__Examples in History__

 * Euthanasia has been a normal practice since Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. It was practiced through ending the suffering of someone by the use of //Hemlock//, a poisonous plant. Although euthanasia has been around since so long ago, the current debate has only been so hot since the late 1800s. In this time, a teacher by the name of Samuel Williams proposed the use of //Chloroform// to end a suffering patients life. Since his article was released, Euthanasia has been a very controversial subject.



__Justification:__ There is a lot of conflict going on between supporters and opposers of Euthanasia, and there are many reasons why supporters support this practice.
 * One reason why people think it it okay is that people are choosing thier own fate, which they believe that these people have a right to.
 * Another reason is that rather than making a person suffer, they are relieving that person's pain.
 * Next, supporters show the example of places in which it has been allowed. They make the point that their have not been unnacceptable consequences in those places.
 * Finally, supporters want people to understand the difference between passice and active euthanasia, active being much more harsh than passive. Passive Euthanasia is when someone is taken off of Life Support, while active Euthanasia is when the doctor injects lethal drugs into the patient's body.

__**BIBLIOGRAPHY:**__
cal.vet.upenn.edu davidstreetsbeverlyhills.com iptv.org forumonlawcultureandsociety.org showcase.netins.net horseswithamie.com manaphy.edu.glogster.com blogs.itb.ac.id newmexicoindependent.com ancienthistory.mrdonn.org solomonspalding.com natureskills.com recoverylife.com en.wikipedia.org telegraph.co.uk [] [] []


 * __STUDY GUIDE__**

1. Define mercy killing. > 2. What is another name for mercy killings? 3. Who is the doctor that made the first public euthanization? 4. How far back do mercy killings date? 5. When did the debate over euthanasia in the U.S. begin? 6. Who sparked the controversial issue over euthanasia in that time? 7. What two sides are there on the issue of mercy killing? 8. Why do people believe euthanasia is wrong? 9. Why do people believe euthanasia is correct?
 * The practice of ending someone's life to dismiss the pain and suffering they are enduring.
 * Euthanasia
 * Dr. Jack Kervorkian
 * Back to Ancient Rome and Greece
 * The late 1800s
 * Samuel Williams
 * Supporters and Opposers
 * Some people argue against mercy killings because they believe that killing someone is killing someone; and people should die on their own.
 * Because they believe that no one deserves to live through pain so excruciating that they prefer death.

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