During Operation Iraqi Freedom I played an integral part in the largest transportation operation since World War II. deployed with the 375th Transportation Command Group from Mobile, Alabama we were responsible for motor, air, rail, and sea transportation operations in support of Operation Iraqi and Enduring Freedom geographical areas.
I was responsible for maintaining visibility and control of convoy operations, preparing reports, and briefing the chain of command on the transportation assets in the Iraqi and Kuwait Theater. I was also responsible for coordinating the offloading of ships, clearing out the sea ports, pick up and drop off times, as well as tasking security forces to escort the convoys to the various locations.
I also served as a convoy security escort. Armed with a M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) Machine Gun, I was the machine gunner in the event we encountered hostile forces my job was to eliminate the threat if possible. I was also tasked as a Liaison Officer, a representative of the 375th Transportation Command Group in northern Iraq, commissioned to serve our down trace units and provide them with resources to fix issues ranging from vehicle maintenance to food supplies.
The duties I performed during my tour of duty I did as a solider. A servant of my country functioning as a part of a well tuned machine, the United States Army. I served a cause bigger than myself by being a protector of freedom and a liberator of the oppressed. A United States solider is what I am.
Monday, November 14, 2005
Perscribed Suicide
Before a dive is taken into the controversial issue of euthanasia or medical assisted suicide, lets take a quick moment to clarify the two terms: Euthanasia is when a physician deliberately and directly administers a substance to cause death. Medical Assisted Suicide is when the doctor prescribes the patient with a lethal dose of medication which he/she will take when they are ready to die.
Some doctors say “they” couldn’t stand to see a patient suffer so euthanasia or medical assisted suicide was the right or noble thing to do. But, there is nothing noble about intentional killing. Pain and suffering are not grounds to kill someone. Euthanasia and medical assisted suicide undermine the physician’s role as a healer.
So, what’s noble about it? Both terms listed above involve taking another persons life. One involves the doctor directly while the other indirectly. The only difference between suicide and murder is the person committing the act. In a court of law if someone were to stand trial before a jury because they had knowledge of someone wanting to commit suicide and provided them with the means to do so, they would be charged with negligent homicide. Negligent homicide is a felony with a maxim sentence up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine up to $50,000.
Proponents argue the patient should be granted the right to die due to pain and suffering. In “The Case for Physician-Assisted Suicide,” Richard Hull writes, “the [severely compromised patients] ability to demand-and-receive physician aid in dying may be severely compromised patients’ only way to tell caregivers that something inhumane stalks them: the inhumanity of neglect and despair” This false dilemma sounds more like an issue of the hospice care rather than illness. Human beings naturally learn from pain and suffering. The pain and suffering experienced produces character, and character produces perseverance and perseverance produces hope. Taking a life because it does not equate to the “ideal” living arrangement or pain and suffering is not good enough. Not to down play terminal illness, but terminal just means the cure isn’t available-yet. If no one is ill then cures can’t be found, if cures can’t be found the ill can’t be healed, and if killing the ill is the answer then everyone is in trouble.
The physician’s main role is, or supposed to be, to sustain life for as long as it can be sustained, exhausting all resources available. How would the confidence in the relationship between patient and doctor sit if it were perfectly legal to prescribe or administer death? The patient would question where the physician stands, therefore undermining his role as a healer. For example, a congregation has found out that a pastor has cheated on his wife. Most of the congregation will now question, does this pastor really practice what he preaches, therefore undermining his role as a pastor. So, would the patient feel comfortable knowing the approach of sustaining life by any means necessary has been struck with a low blow by to an effortless fix all cure? Most likely not, due to the shortcomings of man many patients will lose their life through misdiagnosis, laziness, and selfish motivations through the practice of euthanasia and medical assisted suicide.
A physician who chooses to take a life and calls it a noble thing or takes a life due to pain and suffering undermines and tarnishes his/her role as a healer. Take an all pro athlete immobilize him/her for life and everything they have ever known is gone. Take an everyday citizen stricken him/her with a terminal illness and every thing they have ever known is gone. As a result of sin, we have all been stricken with an illness that leads to death and one day we will all die. Just some will die sooner than others. Euthanasia and medical assisted suicide is a cheap way humans will try to take control of something that is uncontrollable and to calm the fear of the process of dying. It’s murder and if murder is to be legalized based on an illness, the patient isn’t the only one ill.
Some doctors say “they” couldn’t stand to see a patient suffer so euthanasia or medical assisted suicide was the right or noble thing to do. But, there is nothing noble about intentional killing. Pain and suffering are not grounds to kill someone. Euthanasia and medical assisted suicide undermine the physician’s role as a healer.
So, what’s noble about it? Both terms listed above involve taking another persons life. One involves the doctor directly while the other indirectly. The only difference between suicide and murder is the person committing the act. In a court of law if someone were to stand trial before a jury because they had knowledge of someone wanting to commit suicide and provided them with the means to do so, they would be charged with negligent homicide. Negligent homicide is a felony with a maxim sentence up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine up to $50,000.
Proponents argue the patient should be granted the right to die due to pain and suffering. In “The Case for Physician-Assisted Suicide,” Richard Hull writes, “the [severely compromised patients] ability to demand-and-receive physician aid in dying may be severely compromised patients’ only way to tell caregivers that something inhumane stalks them: the inhumanity of neglect and despair” This false dilemma sounds more like an issue of the hospice care rather than illness. Human beings naturally learn from pain and suffering. The pain and suffering experienced produces character, and character produces perseverance and perseverance produces hope. Taking a life because it does not equate to the “ideal” living arrangement or pain and suffering is not good enough. Not to down play terminal illness, but terminal just means the cure isn’t available-yet. If no one is ill then cures can’t be found, if cures can’t be found the ill can’t be healed, and if killing the ill is the answer then everyone is in trouble.
The physician’s main role is, or supposed to be, to sustain life for as long as it can be sustained, exhausting all resources available. How would the confidence in the relationship between patient and doctor sit if it were perfectly legal to prescribe or administer death? The patient would question where the physician stands, therefore undermining his role as a healer. For example, a congregation has found out that a pastor has cheated on his wife. Most of the congregation will now question, does this pastor really practice what he preaches, therefore undermining his role as a pastor. So, would the patient feel comfortable knowing the approach of sustaining life by any means necessary has been struck with a low blow by to an effortless fix all cure? Most likely not, due to the shortcomings of man many patients will lose their life through misdiagnosis, laziness, and selfish motivations through the practice of euthanasia and medical assisted suicide.
A physician who chooses to take a life and calls it a noble thing or takes a life due to pain and suffering undermines and tarnishes his/her role as a healer. Take an all pro athlete immobilize him/her for life and everything they have ever known is gone. Take an everyday citizen stricken him/her with a terminal illness and every thing they have ever known is gone. As a result of sin, we have all been stricken with an illness that leads to death and one day we will all die. Just some will die sooner than others. Euthanasia and medical assisted suicide is a cheap way humans will try to take control of something that is uncontrollable and to calm the fear of the process of dying. It’s murder and if murder is to be legalized based on an illness, the patient isn’t the only one ill.
Freedom...
Freedom is choice with responsibility. When I make a choice I am responsible for the consequences, whether good or bad. America is a place of freedom, free will, and choice. As an American citizen I can choose who I want to marry, what I want to say, where I want to work, and live. These are all the benefits of liberty. But nothing free comes without a price. For one person to experience independence another has to make a sacrifice, a selfless act of service by the laying down of his or her life. At its core freedom will only continue to exist if this attitude of service is adopted.
Serving in the Iraqi Theater of Operation really opened up my eyes to the reality of selfishness and what can happen when you don’t care about anyone’s life but your own. Saddam Hussein built his empire deeply rooted on these things. President Bush knew life was much more valuable and decided to intervene.
Operation Iraqi Freedom is giving the Iraqi people the same opportunities we have been blessed with. Removing Saddam and his oppressors will help produce a country where greatness can be achieved.
In America freedom and opportunity is the foundation we stand upon. From our military super power, to the engineering marvels, to people being able to exercise their opinions and creativity has fashioned avenues of opportunity for new jobs and ideas. Personally, serving in Iraq has created thankfulness for the freedoms we possess. I realize that freedom is not as common as we may think. Being raised in a free country you take for granted, freedom of speech, voting a president in or out of office, and just being able to do as you choose. It’s hard to realize how free you really are until you witness first hand the depravity of a culture under the control of an evil dictator and empire.
Serving in the Iraqi Theater of Operation really opened up my eyes to the reality of selfishness and what can happen when you don’t care about anyone’s life but your own. Saddam Hussein built his empire deeply rooted on these things. President Bush knew life was much more valuable and decided to intervene.
Operation Iraqi Freedom is giving the Iraqi people the same opportunities we have been blessed with. Removing Saddam and his oppressors will help produce a country where greatness can be achieved.
In America freedom and opportunity is the foundation we stand upon. From our military super power, to the engineering marvels, to people being able to exercise their opinions and creativity has fashioned avenues of opportunity for new jobs and ideas. Personally, serving in Iraq has created thankfulness for the freedoms we possess. I realize that freedom is not as common as we may think. Being raised in a free country you take for granted, freedom of speech, voting a president in or out of office, and just being able to do as you choose. It’s hard to realize how free you really are until you witness first hand the depravity of a culture under the control of an evil dictator and empire.
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