Taak Farst Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 In the UK, It is now legal to kill someone, (more specifically help with suicide) who is terminally ill under their request, only for compassionate reasons. I'll find a source and edit it in - but for now - thoughts? Me, I think, Finally. I think it's a law that's very overdue and basically I think it's a needed legalization. That's all I can really say for now Edit: Hmm can't seem to find a source - anyone got one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astor Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 In the UK, It is now legal to kill someone, (more specifically help with suicide) who is terminally ill under their request, only for compassionate reasons. I'll find a source and edit it in - but for now - thoughts? Me, I think, Finally. I think it's a law that's very overdue and basically I think it's a needed legalization. That's all I can really say for now Edit: Hmm can't seem to find a source - anyone got one? I'm afraid you couldn't be more wrong. All these guidelines do is clarify the existing law (which means it's still illegal). The clarifications explain what circumstances will be taken into account in each case. Nowhere do they state that it assisted suicide is now legal in the UK, and rightly so. This BBC story will clarify things. I don't know whether it should be made legal - it's a very heated issue, and simply declaring assisted suicide as legal could potentially leave it open to all kinds of abuse. I do think the clarification was long overdue, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taak Farst Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 I'm afraid you couldn't be more wrong. All these guidelines do is clarify the existing law (which means it's still illegal). The clarifications explain what circumstances will be taken into account in each case. Nowhere do they state that it assisted suicide is now legal in the UK, and rightly so. This BBC story will clarify things. I don't know whether it should be made legal - it's a very heated issue, and simply declaring assisted suicide as legal could potentially leave it open to all kinds of abuse. I do think the clarification was long overdue, however. huh, thats not wat was said on the radio It should be made legal imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan7 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 It should be made legal imo My name is Harold Shipman, can I write your will and then come and visit? (This was just a joke, seeing as some seemed to think it was snarky) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jae Onasi Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Shipman and Kevorkian can have tea together before going to their 'guest' for dinner. Seriously, this is ripe for abuse, so I'm not generally in favor of being able to end someone else's life. However, I've also seen plenty of people suffer their last days. What we do need to do at the very least is research on pain control and maximizing end-of-life positive experiences to make sure that people don't suffer their last days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Muffin Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 I don't see a big diff between assisted suicide and a family member signing papers to "pull the plug" when a loved one can't make the decision themselves and have become terminal. On that note, I still think it's sad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabretooth Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 I happen to be one of the six people that must have bothered to read the official timeline on the Unreal Tournament 2004 homepage. According to it, the official canon says that the New Earth Government legalised consensual murder (not very far from this). This opens the gates to the Tournament, a formerly underground gladiatorial competition where the losers die and the winners win popularity and cash. Think WWE with guns. While this won't happen in the scenario, it's a small window of the kind of abuse possible. I am therefore, naturally against this. I think that every case of euthanasia should be taken up in court, to ensure complete justice on each case, just like for execution. To end a life is a serious deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimartin Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Having witnessed my father, my step-mother and most recently and more closely my step-father as they were slowly ravaged by cancer I really have mixed emotions about this subject. I’ve always thought of suicide as selfish. However, after watching the people I love suffer my perspective has changed. I’m still against throwing away anything as precious as life; however I will not condemn such a practice after watching how they suffered. One of my biggest fears when setting with my step-father was that he would ask for my help in such a matter. He had bone cancer and was confined to the bed. Once or twice I do believe he came close to asking. I don’t know what stopped him, but I am glad he did not ask because I do not honestly know what I would have done. I could never see myself taking a human life, but I also cannot imagine the pain he was suffering. Either way, no law would have played any part in my decision had he asked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web Rider Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 Based on age, the specific illness, estimated life expectancy, and physical ability to recover, I think it should be ok to "pull the plug" in very specific situations. Nobody wants to watch a loved one essentially decay while alive, and I think it's unreasonable to expect children, who may not be financially strong enough to support them, care for their parents or grandparents long after there's any real reason to do so. My grandma is a person, not just a body, keeping her physically alive while she's mentally dead would be more hurtful than letting her die. People are supposed to die when they become very old, very ill, and very weak. And at some point, we forgot that this is natural. I agree there is room for abuse, there is always room for abuse in any system and this has not stopped, and will never stop all abuse. We don't deny freedom of speech because some people are jerks, we don't deny the right to vote because some people are dumb. Under the limitations of very specific circumstances, I think it's OK to let a person die when there is really no hope of improvement. There is no reason we need to keep people around well beyond the time that their mind and body has deteriorated into nothing. Do I know what the best outline for the situation is? Of course not. That's up for doctors, politicians, and families to decide. Though I wish we could take "politicians" out of that mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mur'phon Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 I'm generaly in favor of asisted suicide simply because I believe people deserve the right to die, even if they are not capable of doing so themselves. While there should be a lot of regulations (like they for instance have in the Netherlands linky). I don't see why people shouldn't be alowed to end their life when in pain. And so far, it doesen't even seem to increase the number of such suicides linky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pho3nix Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 I believe everyone should have the right to end their lives, as comfortably as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urluckyday Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 I personally can't imagine at any time no matter how sick or in pain that I would want to end my life. So by this idea, I don't support such laws. To me, Life is too precious to have to even consider ending it intentionally. Even if it means I'm making the choice for someone else, I wouldn't vote for a law like this... Just my view. I'm not the kind to be strongly apposed to people who disagree with my points. Their points are valid too but I usually base my opinions on how I would act in my own life changing situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrrtoken Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 I personally can't imagine at any time no matter how sick or in pain that I would want to end my life.Emphasis mine; that's the key word there. You might not be comfortable with the idea of euthanasia, but there's a very good chance that others would be willing to take their own lives to escape a tremendous amount of suffering. Therefore, this is why assisted suicide should be legalized for this matter in question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urluckyday Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 ^Right, I understand that my opinion isn't what these people would be thinking. However, because I value life so highly, I personally don't think it's right for anyone to end their lives. I was just putting it in a personal perspective. Which is how I usually come to terms with my decisions. Like I said, my view differs with the ones who are trying to die, but because I make my decisions based on my own life, I'd have to go against this particular law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mur'phon Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 The problem is that you are using your admitedly subjective views as a basis for a law that'll apply to people who do not share it. As an example I personally would never want to listen to techno music, but it doesen't mean I'd vote in favor of a law banning it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urluckyday Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 ^True, but isn't that the basis for all laws. Take abortion for example (I personally don't care but let's say hypothetically that I'm against it)...because of my personal views and opinions (subjective), wouldn't that mean that I would want it banned? Which is how it's done every day in law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machievelli Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 There are times when the 'quality of life' issue becomes a problem, especially in the assisted suicide situation. A few years ago a woman was on full life support and the husband wanted to end it, and got the court to agree. However in her case, while she was able to breathe and had a heartbeat without support, she was incapable of cognitive functions. The court allowed that she could be removed from life support, but in her case this meant no food or water, no more. Such laws will always have people giving knee-jerk reactions. I had expressed once to a co worker that I wasn't worried about dying, and her reaction was that I'd whine like a baby if I were bleeding to death. Yet that is not what I meant. I had meant that if I had a terminal illness I would request that they not expend heroic efforts to keep me here. That is why eventually I will have to add DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) to my medical files. Since I only see doctor when I feel sick, obviously this will not happen anytime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Te Je'karta Mand'alor Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 I believe everyone should have the right to end their lives, as comfortably as possible. i couldn't agree LESS... as a Catholic i believe life should end when god wishes it to end - not when humans wish it to end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web Rider Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 i couldn't agree LESS... as a Catholic i believe life should end when god wishes it to end - not when humans wish it to end By those standards, then, shouldn't it be equally wrong to attempt to preserve a dying life? Clearly God it TRYING to end it, and humans are getting in the way. If you say yes, then your point is really somewhat irrelevant as you're saying people should be allowed to die if "it's their time", which is generally the case in these situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Te Je'karta Mand'alor Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 God gives humans their own free will. If they get drunk and die in a car accident that doesn't mean he WANTED it. Euthenasia is still euthenasia even if the victim WANTS it. (The Catholic church is srongly against euthenasia) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jae Onasi Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 I don't see a big diff between assisted suicide and a family member signing papers to "pull the plug" when a loved one can't make the decision themselves and have become terminal. On that note, I still think it's sad In the case of 'pulling the plug', that's talking about discontinuing the use of machines, usually respirators, or medications that are artificially keeping someone alive who would have died otherwise. Assisted suicide is killing someone who is not already on life-support. There is a difference in that case, albeit subtle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web Rider Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 God gives humans their own free will. If they get drunk and die in a car accident that doesn't mean he WANTED it. Euthenasia is still euthenasia even if the victim WANTS it. (The Catholic church is srongly against euthenasia) So people have the right to die in excruciating pain, but not peacefully? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jae Onasi Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 So people have the right to die in excruciating pain, but not peacefully? Those are not the the only options, Web Rider. Dying with good pain control under the care of expert hospice nursing and family support is also an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pho3nix Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 i couldn't agree LESS... as a Catholic i believe life should end when god wishes it to end - not when humans wish it to end Good for you. I'm glad you're not old enough to vote mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astor Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 i couldn't agree LESS... as a Catholic i believe life should end when god wishes it to end - not when humans wish it to end While I respect your religious convictions, I believe that if someone is determined to end their own life, and have been judged to be of sound mind, then that's between them and whatever beliefs they hold. I'm still not entirely sure about assisted suicide, but if someone decides to end their life on their own, instead of prolonging their own suffering (and I do accept Jae's point that you can avoid pain through the use of painkillers and other medication), then that's their decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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