Posted by spoonman Tuesday 8 July, 2008 07:08 PM
One of the biggest and longest running public debates the Western world is having is about the right to die with dignity - or with as much as is possible - for the terminally ill.
Broadly, the subject is known as VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA, or mercy killing. We do it daily with sick and injured animals and call it Œputting them down'.
It is considered the humane thing to do unless, of course, you are a human.
But for people who are terminally ill that concept of humanity is turned on its head. People who want to die want release are actively prevented by law from seeking assistance to kill themselves.
Opponents of compassionate EUTHANASIA laws claim that doctors and nurses would go on a murder spree. That terminally-ill patients would be forced to choose death, rather than take up costly beds in the system.
At the end of the day, the whole issue became so clouded with ill-considered ³noise² any potential to change this stupid law was whacked in the too-hard basket.
That, and a lack of desire by all political parties to have a massive fight with the Catholic Church.
Under our current laws a doctor who under a patient¹s instructions gives them a bit too much morphine or turns off a life-support machine can be charged with murder, even though he or she was following a patient¹s desire.
The same applies to loved ones who might assist a terminally ill person to 'pass on'.
For the record, I demand the right to take my own life should I become terminally ill. Even if I need some help to do it. It is my life and no-one but me should have the legal right to keep me alive against my wishes.
Keeping a person alive against their will is surely an act of torture, especially when 'alive' in this context is wracked with pain, discomfort and disability.
I believe some form of assisted suicide should be available to terminally people of sound mind who want the right to die with some dignity.
Over to you.....
