ipl-logo

Sue Rodriguez Essay

542 Words3 Pages

Sue Rodriguez: Right-to-die

Sue Rodriguez was born August 2nd, 1950 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She was a Canadian right-to-die advocate who suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). She was diagnosed with the terminal disease in 1991 and was told she would live a maximum of three more years. Rodriguez decided to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada to allow a doctor to assist her in committing suicide. The court ruled 5-4 against her, however on February 12, 1994, she passed away in her home with the help of an anonymous doctor to assist in euthanizing her. Sue Rodriguez believed it was a legal right and fought in court but ultimately lost the battle. Under the Criminal Code of Canada, assisted suicide is outlawed and is punishable by …show more content…

“Whose body is this?” With those four words she single-handedly launched the right-to-die debate onto the public stage. She took her cause to court without caring what society thought. Knowing that there was a big chance her plan to legalize physician-assisted suicide would not work, she sacrificed her self-confidence by staying true to her beliefs and what she thought was right. In the end she ultimately committed suicide, with the help of a physician, proving her point; that no one could control what she did when she had her own fate decided. It has been 21 years and physician-assisted suicide is still one of the biggest legal issues today and in the Supreme Court. “When Sue Rodriguez took her case to court, she changed the very nature of the decision-making process that might affect how she would live out her final days and how she would die. She tried to change the law of the land” (Bereza). This impacted today’s society and law; in fact the federal government will appear in front of the BC Court of Appeal later this month for discussion of the band on assisted-suicide. The crucial debate on this controversial topic continues to

Show More
Related
561 Words | 3 Pages

In the book Assisted Suicide in Canada: Moral, Legal, and Policy Considerations by Travis Dumsday, a counter argument to the legal precedent for medical assistance in dying (MAID) in Canada is constructed. The main approach Dumsday makes to substantiate his stance is exhibiting the moral and ethical controversy that MAID creates in Canda, and how the Legality of MAID should be overturned. Several types of avenues of data and methodologies are used in the book to support Dumsday’s anti-MAID arguments. Firstly, they develop the historical context of MAID in Canada and attempt to express errors in the original Carter V. Canda supreme court case and how flawed logic and immoral practices corrupted the case, which has led to the expansion of Medically assisted euthanasia in Canada. The author then begins an explanation of the morality and ethical quandary he feels about MAID and how morality should point toward if not a cessation of MAID that a governmental decision to not fund the program.

Read More
137 Words | 1 Pages

However, s.241 of the Criminal Code prohibits the giving of assistance to commit suicide. Sue Rodriguez applied to the Supreme Court of British Columbia on the grounds that s.241 of the Criminal Code is a violation of her s.7, 12, and 15(1) rights of the Charter. The court dismissed her application

Read More
646 Words | 3 Pages

Maria Martinez, also known as Marie or ‘Pond Lily’, was an artist that was world-renowned for her amazing pottery. After her birth in 1884, she lived in the San Ildefonso Pueblo in the Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico. Martinez was a Native American of Tewa heritage. In Pueblo, pottery is seen as a communal and common activity and this is how Martinez picked this skill up. By the time she was an adult, she met her husband, Julian.

Read More
543 Words | 3 Pages

They say it’s very difficult to succeed as a Latino girl in the Hollywood entertainment industry. Anyway, actress Gina Rodriguez, the star of The CW’s comedy-drama “Jane The Virgin” is absolutely doing it. Last year, she won the Golden Globe award for her mesmerizing portrayal of a young woman named Jane Villanueva. This 32-year-old actress inspires with her motivation and self-confidence. She is beautiful inside as she is outside, and she poses as a role model for healthy living for many of us.

Read More
1043 Words | 5 Pages

In Culture of Death, Wesley J. Smith is very clear about his opinions on where the future of healthcare is headed. In my essay, I will be discussing Smiths’ statements regarding assisted suicide, euthanasia and removal of food and fluid and why he believes the government should put an end to legalizing these practices. I will also discuss the important cases of Annette Corriveau, Robert Latimer, and others. Wesley Smith is a bioethicist and human rights activist that advocates for the illegalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Read More
642 Words | 3 Pages

The documentary, A Death of One’s Own, explores the end of life complexities that many terminal disease patients have to undergo in deciding on dying and dignity. It features three patients, their families, and caregivers debating the issue of physician-assisted suicide or pain relief than may speed up death. One character, Jim Witcher has ALS and knows the kind of death he is facing and wants to control its timing. Kitty Rayl is suffering from terminal cancer and wants to take advantage of her state’s Death with Dignity Act and take medication to terminate her life. Ricky Tackett, on the other hand, has liver failure and together with his family and caregiver agrees on terminal sedation to relieve his delirium and pain.

Read More
1193 Words | 5 Pages

Lee did not want to go on anymore. Since he lived in Oregon, he was able to opt for Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act to end his life with a lethal dose of pills prescribed by his doctor (Karaim, 2013, p. 451). This occurrence is an example of physician-assisted suicide, which is essentially suicide with the help of a physician by prescribing the patient with lethal medication. Today, physician assisted suicide is legal in only five states: Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and most recently California. Undoubtedly, physician assisted suicide is a highly controversial matter; due to this fact, California will certainly have effort groups who will want to repeal the “End of Life Act,” by which Governor of California Jerry Brown signed earlier this month

Read More
1554 Words | 7 Pages

Public opinion polls showed increased support for physician assisted suicide. This was due in part to technological advances in medicine as well as a greater recognition of patient’s rights.” Twenty-nine-year-old Brittany Maynard, utilized Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act, took her own life in November 2014 following a diagnosis of terminal brain cancer. “A Pew poll conducted after Ms. Maynard’s death, revealed that people viewed this as a heroic act. Also, revealed, the majority of Americans, most likely including physicians, now favor legalizing physician-assisted suicide for painful and incurable conditions: 68 percent in favor, 28 percent opposed.

Read More
874 Words | 4 Pages

According to Cambridge dictionary, euthanasia, also called assisted suicide, is the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering. Although many think assisted suicide should be legalized in Canada to avoid violation of Freedom of Choice Act, I strongly disagree with its legalization. Permitting euthanasia prevents advancements in care facilities for the terminally-ill, leads to non-voluntary use of euthanasia and diminishes society’s respect for life. To begin with,

Read More
887 Words | 4 Pages

A young man named Ramon Sampedro was 25 years old when he encountered a crucial diving accident which resulted in him being a quadriplegic. Although he was ill he did not allow that to stop him on making an impact on the world, for the next 29 years he fought for his right in assisted suicide where he sought legal help in the courts of Spain to exercise his “right to die”. He was an individual who had already had his mind made up on what he wanted and would commit suicide himself but he was physically capable of doing so which lead to him wanting to be a victim of assisted suicide. This brought about a lot of controversy from his story and on what he wants but only him could understand why he wanted to end his life but he felt as though suicide was his right and he was being denied his right.

Read More
1461 Words | 6 Pages

Drum affirms, “I will ask my doctor for a prescription sedative that will kill me on my own terms¬—when I want and where I want” (60). Therefore, the passing of the “physician-assisted suicide” (Drum 28) bill will provide countless others the choice of ending their suffering surrounded by those who love them while enjoying as much as possible all the time they have

Read More
516 Words | 3 Pages

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was accomplished many things in her life. She was a fashion designer, boutique owner, spokesperson, actress, and probably her most successful endeavor was her music career. Selena was often known as the the Queen of Tejano music. Making herself well known in a genre of music dominated mostly by men. She was arguably one of the most successful women singers to live.

Read More
714 Words | 3 Pages

“Death with dignity is a human right: to retain control until the very end and, if the quality of your life is too poor, to decide to end your suffering; the dignity comes from exercising the choice.” says Jason Barber, whose wife, Kathleen Barber, died in his arms. He had one question in mind when she died. What was he going to say if someone asked him how she died? Whether she went peacefully? He decided to tell people that his wife died in peace, without any pain or suffering.

Read More
1838 Words | 8 Pages

The Death with Dignity Act has two arguments: those who believe we have the right to choose how and when we die, and those who believe we do not possess that right; that we should not interfere with the natural order of life. Every year, people across America are diagnosed with a terminal illness. For some people there is time: time to hope for a cure, time to fight the disease, time to pray for a miracle. For others however, there is very little or no time. For these patients, their death is rapidly approaching and for the vast majority of them, it will be a slow and agonizing experience.

Read More
536 Words | 3 Pages

In Canada, passive euthanasia is legal, however, active euthanasia is prohibited as a form of culpable homicide. In June of 2016, Euthanasia will be legal across Canada.

Read More

More about Sue Rodriguez Essay

Related Topics

Open Document