Jack Kevorkian or Jack the Ripper
Jack Kevorkian or Jack the Ripper?
The ending of one’s life, terminally ill or not, should not be done purposely by another man’s hands. If such procedures were considered acceptable, every ill person with no will to continue living would try to find ailments that deem assisted suicide. Jack Kevorkian, also known as “Dr. Death,” was a lifelong activist for physician-assisted suicide. Kevorkian was said to have assisted in 130 suicides of terminally ill patients during his life and is looked at as a sick and twisted killer to many, but as a brave, respected pathologist to others. To look back on his history and past activity, is extremely bizarre and unusual; there is everything from leaving pathology in the 70’s to make a movie, to advocating for the usage of medical experiments on criminals during execution. Assisted suicide violates the Fourteenth amendment, which prohibits government from depriving a person of life, liberty and property without ensuring fairness. The act is also by a general consensus, seen as morally and ethically taboo. However, if the patients asked Dr. Kevorkian to assist in their suicide, is he deserving of the criminal charges he has landed, or should he be seen as merely a doctor obeying his patients’ wishes? The facts that present themselves show that Dr. Kevorkian’s actions were arguably unjustified.
Jack Kevorkian was born May 26, 1928 in Pontiac, Michigan to his Armenian immigrant parents, who themselves were survivors of the genocidal holocaust against their people by the Turks. He was raised Catholic and attended church weekly. His parents’ suffering caused him to leave his orthodox religion altogether at a young age. He believed that if there were a god, such suffering would not have happened to good people. Jack had a relatively normal upbringing. A model student from a very early age, he was alienated from his peers and gave up on friendships and romantic endeavors very early on. He had many talents including
The ending of one’s life, terminally ill or not, should not be done purposely by another man’s hands. If such procedures were considered acceptable, every ill person with no will to continue living would try to find ailments that deem assisted suicide. Jack Kevorkian, also known as “Dr. Death,” was a lifelong activist for physician-assisted suicide. Kevorkian was said to have assisted in 130 suicides of terminally ill patients during his life and is looked at as a sick and twisted killer to many, but as a brave, respected pathologist to others. To look back on his history and past activity, is extremely bizarre and unusual; there is everything from leaving pathology in the 70’s to make a movie, to advocating for the usage of medical experiments on criminals during execution. Assisted suicide violates the Fourteenth amendment, which prohibits government from depriving a person of life, liberty and property without ensuring fairness. The act is also by a general consensus, seen as morally and ethically taboo. However, if the patients asked Dr. Kevorkian to assist in their suicide, is he deserving of the criminal charges he has landed, or should he be seen as merely a doctor obeying his patients’ wishes? The facts that present themselves show that Dr. Kevorkian’s actions were arguably unjustified.
Jack Kevorkian was born May 26, 1928 in Pontiac, Michigan to his Armenian immigrant parents, who themselves were survivors of the genocidal holocaust against their people by the Turks. He was raised Catholic and attended church weekly. His parents’ suffering caused him to leave his orthodox religion altogether at a young age. He believed that if there were a god, such suffering would not have happened to good people. Jack had a relatively normal upbringing. A model student from a very early age, he was alienated from his peers and gave up on friendships and romantic endeavors very early on. He had many talents including
Cited: Farrell, Courtney. "Background and Early LIfe." Jack Kevorkian. Ipswich, Massachusetts: Ebsco, 2007. Champion, David R. "Jack Kevorkian." Great Lives From History: Notorious Lives. New York City: Salem, 2007. “Kevorkian, Jack” Gale Encyclopedia of American Law. 6. Detroit: 2011 Nicol, Neal, and Harry Wylie. Between the Dying and the Dead: Dr. Jack Kevorkian 's Life and the Battle to Legalize Euthanasia. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin/Terrace, 2006. Print.