Quick poll: Is the term Euthanasia offensive?

[...of J.Temperance]

Is the term Euthanasia offensive?

Are people offended by the word Euthanasia? I've had this trouble previously...and I do try to explain to people that Euthanasia is NOTHING like the Eugenics Program that the Nazi's had. They are two VERY different things.

The Oxford Dictionary defination of the word Euthanasia:

"Euthanasia: the bringing about of a gentle and easy death in the case of incurable and painful disease"

Euthanasia is actually the correct term for this.

Euthanasia and Eugenics are two DIFFERENT things and NEITHER has anything to do with the other. The Oxford Dictionary defination of the word Eugenics:

"Eugenics: the SCIENCE of IMPROVING the human population by CONTROLLED BREEDING for DESIRABLE inherited characteristics"

The few people who might be offended by the term Euthanasia, I'm afraid that I think they're getting two incredibly different things confused. Also my other poll, if one reads the write-up prior to the actual voting section...I do EMPHASIZE that the Euthanasia would be the SOLE DECISION of the persons Doctor/s AND family members.

Not ONE time do I mention "the State deciding who should receive Euthanasia" as one person introduced "the State deciding" into their response.

I DO wish people would read more CAREFULLY what other people write.

[Mojambo]

1. Certainly not.

But you can't help but encounter uninformed people occasionally.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Just proving how stupid some people are...euthanasia is the correct

term and should be no more 'offensive' than 'surgery'.

[...of J.Temperance]

5. I felt the need to put this separate poll up, because

Somebody in my other poll, confused Euthanasia with Nazi Eugenics.

It's shocking, it really is...I mean we DO have Google as well as dictionaries where people can learn about these things if they're NOT entirely sure whats what.

On Edit: Spelling error.

[eyesroll]

3. Well, there is such as thing as assisted suicide.

The doctor prescribes a lethal dose of drugs, but the patient administers them him/herself. Hence, it is a suicide (the patient is ending his or her own life) that is assisted by the doctor knowingly prescribing the drugs.

"Euthanasia" is when the doctor administers the drugs (or ends the patient's life in another way). This is also called "active euthanasia." There's also "passive euthanasia," which is when the doctor allows the patient to die naturally after withholding life-sustaining medication.

It's not an offensive term. It may or may not be the most precise term, depending on what you mean.

"Eugenics" is unrelated.

[...of J.Temperance]

7. Okay, I agree with that

I actually only put this poll up MAINLY so those people out there who are confused by the terms...can understand that Euthanasia and Eugenics are two totally different things.

I'm going to edit the Assisted-Suicide part out, as you pointed out what you did...and I was wrong about Assisted-Suicide :)

[AntiCoup2K4]

4. It's only offensive to Chimpy

Because everytime someone mentions the word, he gets a puzzled look on his face and says "Huh? I thought we was talking about assistable suicide, so what's kids in China have to do with it?"

[MADem]

6. All I can think of is Emily Litella

Why all this disparaging of YOUTH IN ASIA???

Oh...........NEVER MIND.....

[Oceansaway]

8. No

[applegrove]

9. Some people have the right to assisted suicide. The very sick you

beg for it repeatedly.

Problem is it terrifies people with physical disabilities. Because sometimes they are murdered.

I don't know what the exact meaning is. It is a loaded word I find. Perhaps using the word assisted suicide is just safer. So that one does not terrify people who are vulnerable but lead full lives.

So we better err on the side of clarity.

IMHO.