To be or not to be

[Vladimir]

I'll do it for free AND clean up the mess! Deal or no deal?

[Viking]

Just wanted to post this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...006003,00.html

"
A MOTHER of three suffering from a disfiguring, incurable disease and battling incredible pain has pleaded for the right to die by euthanasia.

....

"In 2000, I lost my sense of smell and taste, and then the tumour evolved and ate into my jaws, before attacking the eye socket. I lost my sight in October last year," she said.

The disease caused "atrocious bouts of pain that can last up to four hours at a time".

"In 2000, I lost the sense of smell and taste ... and I lost my sight in October 2007," she said.

"One would not allow an animal to go through what I have endured," she said in a plea aired on France 2 television and urged President Nicolas Sarkozy to pay heed to her request.

[LittleGrizzly]

I believe someone who wishes to end thier own life due to medical reasons should be allowed to do so.

Most Euthenasia cases involve people with terminal diseases so we are simply shortening a life that would end anyway, I think the freedom of assisted suicide is the ultimate freedom, these people have had thier own ability to do many simple things taken from then, after this follows pride, dignity.

If a loved one was ever in such a situation where they're racked by pain an have everything taken from them i would offer any assistance they requested and no potential jail time would distract me

The ultimate test is to put yourself in that position, and if i was ever suffering a painful dehabilitating terminal illness i would want help to get it over with

Of course numerous checks and balances would have to be put in place, family agreement (a few of closest relatives) doctors agreement 2nd 3rd or even 4th opinions, certian conditions such as, its a terminal illness, sufferer is of sound mind (and requested it), its a painful illness.

If all the above conditions are met and euthanasia is refused that is imo just cruel, i don't see why some peoples religous beliefs should force an extension of pain on those who have suffered enough, a few people have brought up the fact we put down animals for thier own good, why should a human deserve less when they request it thierselves...?

[Conradus]

I agree with Banquo's Ghost, euthanasia should be available, if properly regulated by the government, it is inhumane to prolong a suffering life.
In granting the right of euthanasia and abortion (though that's another discussion), I really can't see a slippery side. This isn't justifying murder, this is ensuring that those who live will actually be taken care for (as children) or don't have to suffer unnecessary pain (as elder).

Further I wish Insane Apache and his relatives the very best of luck in these hard times.

off-topic: sorry for thread resurrecting

[KukriKhan]

It seems we all agree that a mentally-competent adult human in pain, with no prospect of relief, should have the right of self-termination. I mean, what's the state gonna do - lock up the cadaver? That decision is between his god and himself.

The euthenasia issue then is: what about the killer/assister? Should they go free as a humanitarian? Or be jailed as a killer (whatever their intentions)? And who do we allow to decide such things? Doctors? Lawyers? Family? The citizenry at large?

[LittleGrizzly]

The euthenasia issue then is: what about the killer/assister? Should they go free as a humanitarian? Or be jailed as a killer (whatever their intentions)? And who do we allow to decide such things? Doctors? Lawyers? Family? The citizenry at large?

this is why i think it should be legal as the thing becomes a process with checks and balances instead of a case of mary helping her husband die and then the authorities trying to determine if she had the paitent in mind or she just wanted her hands on his money.

Legalisation of euthanasia would help stop people falsely claiming on someones behalf for the wrong reasons.

I think the people with the decision to make should be the paitent and the state at large, the doctor i see as more of an advisor letting you now the facts of the disease and such rather than a decision maker.

[Beirut]

I don't know if it counts as euthanasia, but we took my mother off the drugs that were keeping her alive in the hospital and brought her home. She died a few days later.

She was in the final stages of brain cancer and the drugs might have kept her going for another few months, but my father had died of brain cancer a year or two before, and after that long and excruciating and pointless battle, we thought it best that our mother not go through the same thing.

All of us kids decided that we would never go through what they went through. Honestly and for true, I would rather be dead six months sooner than suffer like that.