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Euthanasia, Opinions

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Well, this woman with Motor neurone disease has had her request for her husband to be immune from prosecution if he aids in her death refused. She is destined to die a horrific death and whos life is worse than we can imagine.

Euthanasia

What is everyones opinion of this ruling? Should the husband be immune from prosecution? Or should he be hit with the full weight of the law despite having his wifes explicit permission to end her life?

I happen to believe that if someone wants to die and is too weak to kill themselves then they should be able to get someone to help them. So long as the person involved is of sound mind then it should be no business of the courts.

"Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If a person wants to die, instead of being faced with a painful illness, why should they be made to endure it? As long as they are in sound mind when they request help, it should be legal.
    However, it is a form of suicide which is usually the wrong and simplest choice out of a bad situation, it usually ends with a lot of pain for those close to victim, believe me I know. Euthanasia might not always be the right choice, but if it ends unbearable suffering I am behind it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm with you BD on this one.

    peacechild
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I agree as well. I have to say that medical advances have meant that so many people are surviving diseases that would have killed in centuries gone by, which is good, but I personally would far rather die than live a half-existence.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Snow White:
    I agree as well. I have to say that medical advances have meant that so many people are surviving diseases that would have killed in centuries gone by, which is good, but I personally would far rather die than live a half-existence.

    I also agree, as with the right to life, I think everyone has the right to death as well.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Doctors dont take an oath to save lives but to relieve suffering I believe.

    It should nobodies business but your own if you want to off yourself. If you cant do it yourself due to disability then you should give written permission to a family member or doc and have them do it for you. Ones own death is one area the government shouldnt have control over

    "Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by *Groovaybaby*:
    I can see where the medical guys are coming from, in graduating they swore an oath to save life no matter what.
    From memory we haven't had our doctorts swear the Hypocratic Oath for a good while.

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think that people should be allowed to make a choice about the way they want their life to end, particularly if they are faced with such a painful death. However I kind of understand why it is so difficult to change the law, because the whole euthanasia thing is subject to abuse.
    I just watched my granny die - we had the choice of taking her to hospital or letting her stay at home. Basically by going to hospital her life would have been sustained by drips etc, and it would have taken longer for her to die, at home she had great care, farmiliar voices, smells and sounds. It took a week for her to die - luckily she wasn't in loads of pain and so we basically waited until she got weaker and weaker and died. Must be horrible, though, to watch someone in severe pain go through a similar kind of death.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Personally I struggle with this one. Suicide is fine I have no problem with it (although I do believe its a cowards way out at times), and I have a friend who took his own life.

    If it can be set up so that the ONLY person who could administer the death inducing drug, was the person who was going to die, then I guess I could support it. Where I have difficulty is where the drug could be administered by someone who would benefit from the death - a beneficiary perhaps. There is also the possibility that it could be administered on a purely selfish basis - when the family don't want to watch the person die...

    Question is, how can you be sure that it IS suicide and not murder?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    While I beleive in the right to die, and the right to have assistance in exercising that right I can't envisage a framework that would protect people from pressure to exercise that right; or one that would protect those that are going through a rough patch.

    On a different note, I really feel sorry for the husband. To see your partner in so much discomfort that you are prepared to assist in their death nust be truly horrifying
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Its interesting to know that in days gone by, the penalty for attempting to kill yourself was......................... death!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I guess that the debate for euthanasia is difficult because there are so many different ideas about it.

    From a Christian perspective, only God has the right to take somebody's life, to take someone's life is to play God. Just as abortion is seen as "murder" in the eyes of many Chrisitains, euthanasia is also seen in this light. "Thou shalt not kill": one of the commandments. You could argue that it refers to killing in cold blood, but you could also take it literally. Some people believe that suffering is God's way of making us stronger and that God meant for this to happen...

    However, much of society today is atheast; science has replaced religion, we put our faith in cold facts, not what can merely be described as superstition. Western society, although extremely rusty around the edges, has greater emphasis on human rights than it has ever had. We believe that people should have a quality life, not suffer in such terrible pain and live a life as a vegetable, being able to see the world around us moving, but not being able to touch, or respond to anything in front of you. I a way, you could argue that we're softer.....or maybe we're just more conscious of others.

    Looking at it from a colder, but more economic point of view. maybe the equipment and drugs being used to keep this woman alive could be used to help someone else to live a better quality of life. This woman is too far gone to save, she has a terminal illness and they can't make her better.

    Im my own opinion, I believe that the woman has the right to die. What is the point in living when it has no meaning? I think that if i were in her position, I probably wouldn't want to live either. Think of all the things that make you happy...
    kissing
    drinking
    playing an instrument
    petting your cat
    You think this woman can do these? So many things that we take for granted, she can't do and never will do again. I believe that it is crueler to keep her alive, than it is to let her rest. Her life is over and she deserves the right to be set free from her suffering.

    What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Balddog:

    It should nobodies business but your own if you want to off yourself. If you cant do it yourself due to disability then you should give written permission to a family member or doc and have them do it for you. Ones own death is one area the government shouldnt have control over


    Well said.

    peacechild

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I completely agree. The whole point of euthanasia is to not prolong a very painful death and if this woman wants it then she should get it. For as much as doctors know she is the only one who knows how much pain she is in. And her husband should get immunity to the law. Its the best thing to do in that situation.
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