In the case, the US Supreme Court sought to evaluate the legality of a statute by the Washington state which prohibits physician-assisted suicide. Glucksberg, together with four other doctors, three fatally sick patients who had died, and a not-for-profit organization which advises people considering physician-assisted suicide, presented the litigation which challenged the Washington State’s prohibition on physician-assisted suicide (Washington v. Glucksberg, n.d.). The Washington State has traditionally outlawed the encouragement of suicide efforts by people who intentionally aid or make another individual to try suicide. Glucksberg purported that Washington’s prohibition was illegal. However, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Washington State.
In my opinion, the Washington is constitutionally right. Essentially, the liberty to assisted suicide is a non-fundamental right which the Due Process Clause protects as its practice is against the US traditions and practices (Watson, 2017). Before a right can be considered fundamental in nature, it should be profoundly embedded in a nation’s legal history. Because physician-assisted suicide is contrary to the history, practice and tradition of the US, it is not a fundamental right (Frank and Anselmi, 2011). Besides, through the ban, Washington legitimately wants to protect medical principles, shield incapacitated and critically sick individuals from discrimination that could promote them to end their lives and most significantly, the preservation of human life.
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Moreover, I support Washington because the common law in the US deems it illegal and punishes the people who try to kill themselves or assist others to do so. Also, it is evident that in the US, most of the states outlaw physician-assisted suicide. Therefore, not only the Washington State should continue with the ban, but also all other US states should ban physician-assisted suicide. As a Christian and according to the scripture, I believe that since it is God who gives life, it is only Him who should take it, and not any human being.
References
Frank, R., & Anselmi, K. K. (2011). Washington v. Glucksberg: Patient autonomy v. cultural mores in physician-assisted suicide. Journal of Nursing Law , 14 (1), 11.
Washington v. Glucksberg. (n.d.). Oyez. Retrieved March 29, 2019, from https://www.oyez.org/cases/1996/96-110
Watson, K. (2017). When Substantive Due Process Meets Equal Protection: Reconciling Obergefell and Glucksberg. Lewis & Clark L. Rev. , 21 , 245.
