Assisted Suicide – the act or practice of helping in taking the life of one who willfully wants to die. Just by definition alone it becomes painfully obvious; this is going to be a controversial subject. A term that goes hand and hand with assisted suicide, one in which I will be discussing at great length is Euthanasia. That is the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy. The term is from a Greek word meaning "good death". In case those definitions didn't make it obvious enough, assisted suicide is usually done by doctors. I've done quite extensive research on this subject over the past month and a half and I'm going to give you several facts, and opinions (including my own) on the subject.
             In order to understand the great amount of controversy behind the topic, one must first realize its history. Over the past few decades, America has witnessed a strange and keen shift in society's view of life. In the 1960s the shift began as some states began legalizing abortion. In the 1970s, the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade put the federal government's stamp of approval on abortion nationwide. Today, the value of life is being obscured at the other end of the spectrum as the courts grant the elderly and sick the so-called "right to die." The right to die theory states that when someone is ready to go, they should be allowed the right to do so.
             While abortion and assisted suicide are two different things, many people opposing euthanasia point to the legalization of abortion as the beginning of "society's downfall" as Nat Hentoff said in the book "Euthanasia" a part of the Opposing ViewPoints series. Other opposers like the late Dr. Leo Alexander who is also quoted by Hentoff said "It is much like Germany in the late 20's and 30&a...