EBME Forums Forums Free discussion Free discussion Euthanasia

Why would people try to fight for the "right" to die with dignity through assisted death procedure? Obviously there isn't any hope for them to continue living with a chronic condition and suffering in unbearable pain.

Some people say their lives are not comparable to a dog who can be put to death to alleviate suffering!

The question is should people be forced to stay alive?

It's illegal in the UK.

Same for many countries!

Legalized euthanasia raises the potential for a profoundly dangerous situation for patients who maybe suitable for long-term care but were put away to die by irresponsible doctors.

Or by "pressure" from family members. Especially when money is involved!

It's not difficult to imagine a scenario where some poor old soul agrees to press the button just because s/he felt (or, more likely, had been led to believe) that s/he was "in the way" or "just being a nuisance"!

Where laws are most needed is to protect the most vulnerable members of society.

What's next for our sick world ... "celebrity deaths" on YouTube?

For what it's worth, my own take is that if a person is (or, more importantly, believes themself to be) reasonably compos mentis, then s/he can take whatever action they choose. As long as they are prepared to take the consequences. I mean this in a general sense, but include suicide as well.

Death is no big deal. It is simply the last act of living. In a civilized society, folk should be treated with dignity and respect at all times. Personally, I find great distaste in the way that the dying are often "fiddled about with" in their final hours. Let them die in peace!

My "bottom line" is that I believe that a person has the right to choose the manner of their demise ... just as long as medics have nothing to do with it! Here in the UK, people are continually banging on about their "human rights" ... so what about this one? But (as with the other thorny issue ... that of abortion), let's bring it out from the realms of seedy hotel rooms and back-street practitioners.

"Consumer choice" has been the cry in the High Street for many years now ... so why not here as well? Personally (as in all topical issues), I welcome the debate, and look forward to clarity from our legislators. It needs to be conducted in an up-front and open manner. Everyone needs to know where they stand from the legal, moral, and human points of view!

No to legalized euthanasia. Yes to legalized suicide!

PS: I guess you are referring to this news item, Roger.

Oh yes it has been a recent debate here about "right to die" or "right to kill" and closely related our country "Advanced Medical Directive" Act.

Surely everybody has the first, but no-one has the second!

Some do believe they have the right to the second, they call it the death penalty. You've got to wonder how some in the USA can support the death penalty but then oppose Euthanasia.

No single person imposes capital punishment. It is carried out in the name of all of the people, or the State.

I should imagine that it's relatively easy for people to separate, in their own minds, the right of "decent" people to die with dignity, and the notion that a criminal, found guilty of a capital offence (or offences) has, by his own actions, forfeited his civil rights.

Once again I assert the right to do what you choose, but the obligation to take the consequences! I see no reason why we should expect one without the other.

As for what people find easy to separate in their own minds that's down to the individual. I'm sure members of Al Qaeda believe they have the right to kill people as much as the USA believes they have the right to the death penalty. But ask the same question of Amnesty International and they might disagree.

If you support the death penalty then surely the decent have a right to die with dignity and if don't support euthanasia the guilty should have the right to live?

I think I'm right in saying that not every State in the Union has the death penalty available on its statute books.

As regards my own position on human dignity ... well, I thought I had already spelt it out with reasonable clarity.

But I certainly don't agree that murderers, whatever the "cause", should have the same rights (as decent folk) in the eyes of the law. The law protects them, although they themselves operate outside of the law. They kill without compunction or remorse. So why should decent people give a damn about them?