Instead of arguing whether euthanasia is a good or bad thing, we should leave the choice to those concerned.

America is the land of the free, yet in this society certain morals are placed above a person's right to life or death. Tens of thousands of terminally ill patients are slowly wasting away in hospital beds around the country, and those courageous souls are fighting a losing battle while suffering immense pain. Why aren't they afforded the option of ending their lives in a safe medical environment if they so choose?

The Constitution states all men have an inalienable right to life, but nowhere does it state that one must continue to live until they die naturally. The ability to prolong life against powerful diseases is a testament to our medical achievements, but we should never allow the ability to be exercised against a patient's will. Doctors need to adjust their moral compasses and focus on the patients' wishes, instead of constantly attempting to test new medicines and the human body's reaction. It might seem that I am staking a claim to a gray area here, but that is exactly how it should be looked at.

In addition to the suffering of people with terminal illnesses is the pain their family and friends feel. They have to juggle hospital trips, taking time from work and returning each day to see a loved one slip away. Being afforded the option to end a life with humility allows everyone the opportunity to make their amends, say their goodbyes and be at peace with their lives instead of waking each day and wondering if it will be the last.

While finances are the last thing someone in this situation wants to bother with, hospital bills are unmerciful. Medical insurance companies have caps on the amount of money they will provide, and debt piles up. There is no humanity in racking up incredible amounts of debt to be shouldered by the survivors of a terminally ill patient simply because a doctor feels morally obligated to prolonging a life.

Basically, it is not about being pro-life or pro-death but instead about the an individual's right to choose. If people have money and want to live as long as medically possible, that it is their choice; but if not, it should be their choice as well.

America's success in the world has resulted from the individual's right to choose. We choose where and how we live and what to do with our lives. Our place as the most powerful country in the world was earned through the ability to make choices. Euthanasia is simply offering someone a choice — there is nothing more American than that.