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By Olivia Hnat, Former Community Editor, The Miami Student
olivhnat@gmail.com
A pretty phrase with capital letters does not hide the fact that The Miami Student's editorial board justified suicide in 604 words.
The most disappointing and alarming parts of their editorial on "Death with Dignity" is their failure to even mention the word "morality" and their incorrect assumption that we live, or in this case die, for ourselves. In case they missed it - that is not what Jesus did.
I commend The Miami Student for weighing in on a controversial issue and appreciate that they recognized the can of worms "Death with Dignity" laws would open.
However, even after describing various scenarios, from the elderly with Alzheimer's to minors choosing to end their lives, the board justified that these laws be expanded based on their belief that control over one's death is "something everyone deserves to have."
If this was published while I was The Miami Student community editor, I would have quit.
The editorial board left the question of right versus wrong, and the meaning of life and death, at the door. Instead, they considered the choices between pain and comfort or uncertainty and control to justify a person ending their own life.
"Death with Dignity" is another phrase for suicide, just as "Pro-Choice" is for abortion. We cannot re-wrap and rename them to justify devaluing LIFE, with a capital L-I-F-E. It is dangerous and called moral relativism.
Unfortunately, The Miami Student editorial board was blinded by the rhetoric. They forgot that purpose is given to those who value, Love and Honor life, not to those who control it.