In the beginning of the second paragraph in the Declaration of Independence, these famous words are written, "That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." These words have been America's inspiration, the building blocks of our nation, and the foundation for our moral standard. While analyzing the Declaration of Independence and the Hippocratic Oath, it is difficult to clearly see if legalizing euthanasia in American is unconstitutional or purely an expansion of the phrase, "right to life and pursuit of happiness." Euthanasia should not be legalized in American hospitals because it is unconstitutional and violates the Hippocratic oath causing a permanent effect to a patient. .
Because of the Declaration of Independence, Americans are all given the right to life. As a result of that right, we are given freedoms and privileges to be able to express ourselves through customs, religion and lifestyle. American citizens are given equal opportunities and are able to choose which school they will attend, which career they will have, which god they will serve, and which life style they will live. These freedoms have been earned and fought for by Americans for centuries. If we have the right to live as we choose, do we also have the right to die as we choose? Does the woman, lying in her hospital bed, suffering endlessly in pain for months with a terminal disease, have the right to choose a peaceful and painless end to her agony? When looking at it from the viewpoint that it is constitutional to be able to choose what we do with our own lives, it appears as though assisted suicide could be an option that a suffering America should be able to have. Why should a doctor or physician force a dying patient to endure the final antagonizing days of life when they wish to peaceful end life? While in the hospital, some patients are not at their full mental capacity.
