РефератыИностранный языкPoPower Of People Essay Research Paper There

Power Of People Essay Research Paper There

Power Of People Essay, Research Paper


There are times throughout the history of the United States when it’s citizens have felt the need to revolt


against the government. One way they might revolt against the government is to disregard the law


peacefully. There was such a case during the time of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., when there was unfair


discrimination against the African American community. They used peaceful protests to eventually get


legislation passed to stop the injustice brought against them. Another name for this is called civil


disobedience. A more recent case of civil disobedience involves Dr. Jack Kevorkian who is an activist for


the right to die. Dr. Kevorkian believes that a person should not have to go through the pain of being kept


alive by machines. There are times when a person can no longer handle such things as terminal illness. Dr.


Kevorkian breaks the law openly for what he believes in knowing fully of the consequences.


In an article out of a May 9th, 1996 edition of The Sacramento Bee reads that “Kevorkian attends


another suicide”, tells about Dr. Jack Kevorkian attending another assisted death during a recess in his


current trial. Austin Bastable, a Canadian right-to-die activist who had multiple sclerosis killed himself


May 6th with the help of Dr. Kevorkian who reportedly gave Bastable the mask and carbon monoxide


canister. Bastable felt that his death was for the fight of freedom to have the right to die under such


conditions as his. In the article it tells us that hours early that same day he testified in his assisted-suicide


trial in the deaths of two women in 1991. Michael Modelski, a former prosecutor said “It’s an in-your-face


kind of thing”, He also goes on to say “It’s par to the course. He’s a loose cannon”. Modelski feels Dr.


Kevorkian shows no respect for the law.


This is the 28th assisted-suicide Dr. Kevorkian has attended since 1990. He is currently on trial


for the two assisted-suicides of two women in 1991. The article also reads that some assisted-suicide


supporters were taken back by his actions. State Senator Jim Berryman said he finds Dr. Kevorkian’s


methods offensive. He also said “He really continues to flaunt this in the face of the Legislature”.


Berryman feels that the focus is more on Dr. Kevorkian rather than the cause of death with dignity. The


Judge of the case has ordered the jury in Dr. Kevorkian’s trial not to read or listen to news accounts of the


case. If there are any jurors indicating that they have heard any of the latest new they would be removed


because of the influence it might have on them. There are four alternate jurors and the article reads if the


count falls below the 12 members there could be a mistrial. If the jurors get a hold of the news it could


influence them by giving them the feeling tha!


t Dr. Kevorkian has no respect for the law. It also might be seen as a man with strong beliefs who does the


right no matter what the law.


In Henry David Thoreau’s “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience”, he tells us that he refused to pay


poll taxes and he was once sent to jail for not paying his taxes. He believed strongly that he should not


have to pay these taxes and would rather end up in jail then go against his will. A certain passage shows


how strong he felt when he said “Your money our you life,” why should I haste to give it my money?


(Thoreau). Thoreau’s strong beliefs are seen in what he did and Dr. Kevorkian’s case is very similar to


what Thoreau does in breaking the law.


Dr. Martin Luther King used peaceful sit-ins and rallies to unite the black community. This was a


very effective way of showing that they would not stand for the unjust discrimination. They used methods


such as banning the busses and instead walked. The busses could not afford to go without their business


and this hurt them enormously. Such protests as these caused the passing of legislation that gave equal


rights to all. King protested without breaking the law such as Dr. Kevorkian does. Dr. Kevorkian b

reaks


the law willingly and openly. He does what he feels is right no matter what the law says. According to


King I think that he might be justified because of the issue Dr. Kevorkian is dealing with. There is not as


much support and publicity of the topic as there is with civil rights for the minorities. Dr. Kevorkian is


only assisting the person wanting to die and I think King would support his acts because the effectiveness


that Dr. Kevorkian gets across in doing !


what he does.


Dr. Kevorkian is fighting for people’s right to die. He wants people in situations such as Bastable


where he has been suffering from multiple sclerosis to be able to decide that they no longer with to endure


the pain and suffering. Dr. Kevorkian attends these assisted suicide cases and usually will assist in the


death of the suffering victim. He does this openly and willingly knowing that he could be punished under


the law. I feel that Dr. Kevorkian’s protest may not be a peaceful one but I do not feel that it is a violent


one. Dr. Kevorkian is not out there threatening high government officials or bombing anything he is just


doing what he believes in. You also may not classify his protest as a peaceful one because he is breaking


the law without regard to it. He shows his openness with breaking the as stated in this article where just


hours after testifying in another trial about assisted-suicide he goes to a home and assists in a suicide. He


openly breaks the law but!


it’s not in harmful against society. The people that he assists are right to die advocates. They just as well


as he believes in the right to die and if he where not there to assist them someone else would be. The have


decided to no longer live for such reasons as terminal diseases and they will kill themselves. In this case


breaking the law will get others to recognize what is going on and it will make them aware that you would


like the right to die if you felt it became necessary.


I feel that the laws Dr. Kevorkian is breaking are his way of protesting. The way he goes about


breaking the law is very open, this makes us question whether his methods are justified. Dr. Kevorkian


knows what consequences can result in his forwardness. His fight is justified because assisting death is


only assisting. The person choosing to die must already have decided for whatever reasons they can no


longer live with the physical pains afflicted on them. They are only using Dr. Kevorkian, as a tool for other


people to know what they believe is right. One way or the other if the person has already chosen to die


they will kill themselves assisted or not.


If the laws were changed because of Dr. Kevorkian and supporters protest, I feel that it would give


many supporters a dignified death, not be an invitation for suicide. Life is the most important thing on this


earth and most fight with everything they have to hang on to it. If the law were different it would give


those few that have decided to die a dignified death rather than having broken the law to die. In Austin


Bastable’s case his death would not have to try to help the fight for freedom of dying but rather he could go


peacefully because he could no longer handle the pain of multiple sclerosis.


Dr. Kevorkian’s protest in the right to die defies the law and many of his supporters also defy the


law. Their protest is not one that harms or endangers innocent bystanders, rather it only carries out the will


of specific people choosing to die. Dr. Kevorkian does not assist anyone in dying who asks. Dr. Kevorkian


does not go around helping anyone with suicide he is there for special purposes. He assists in deaths


because of the person’s living situation such as a terminal illness that brings them pains they can no longer


bear. He will help these people in dying no matter what the law is which shows how strongly of an


advocate and believer he is in the right to die. Dr. Kevorkian’s and supporters are a prime example of civil


disobedience; breaking an unjust law.

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