shakh your bootie

AKA Sorrow Floats.....

What do the good burghers of the UAE feel about euthanasia (posts pertaining to youth in Asia are disqualified), assisted suicide and the like?

shiva

I can't for the life of me understand why it's illegal in any civilised country.

The end stages of many diseases are utterly horrifying for the sufferer and their families. If someone who is still in control of their mental faculties decides that they neither wish to suffer any more or go through the worst of it to come and also wish to spare their loved ones then why in a so called civilised society should we make it illegal for these people to end or avoid the suffering to come for themselves and of those they love.

Frankly it's utterly barbaric to legally force life and suffering on individuals because of the states (largely religiously based) backward thinking.

There is an almost childishly simple solution.

An independent doctors or doctors plus a lawyer (all separate and not already involved with the individual) should be able to visit someone who's suffering and ascertain that they are a) in control of their faculties and b) wish to end their suffering.
If both conditions exist then the sate should legally empower the relatives and any doctor to then facilitate an assisted suicide.

We have had some very high profile cases of late where some very erudite and passionate individuals have argued in an extremely clear and we'll constructed way that they are suffering, that that suffering will get worse and that they wish to die and need assistance in doing so and that they wish to see a change in the law to ensure that those who help them are not committing an illegal act.

How any reasonable, sane and conscientious individual can argue against that utterly baffles me.

I have an agreement with a member of my family who is very likely to be in the above category at some point in the future. This agreement was not come to lightly by either of us but my promise to one I love is that when the time comes I will not let them suffer beyond what they can reasonably tolerate.
By even writing that I have potentially provided the future means to my conviction. I care not as the law is currently patently ridiculous and if that law contributes to someone I loves suffering at some point then I fully intend to ignore it and damn the consequences.

Meow

We've covered this topic a few times in the past and as before I am fully in agreement with Shiva's post above.

When our pets are old, ill and suffering we do the kind thing and give them a pain free and peaceful death, so we ought to be able to permit rational adults to make that choice for themselves.

There used to be the concept of a 'good death' where someone was permitted to die peacefully having said their good byes. We ought to reconsider that idea rather than forcing people, and their loved ones, to suffer.

scot47

What about Eugenics ? Only the fit should breed ! And while wqe are at it what do you all think about "Race Suicide" ?

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.or...part1/f4.shtml

shiva

Neither has any place in a rational debate among sane individuals

Bahtatboy

Agreed. Except........what do you do about families which rely on state benefits yet produce 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or more sprogs? Cutting benefits harms the kids (and its not their fault they were conceived), and targetting benefits just at the kids provides no dis-incentive for the parents.

scot47

Not a subject for rational debate by sane people ? That is what I feel about Euthanasia.

redShark

So what about people with mental illnesses? Chomical depression, bipolar, and what have you. They don’t necessarily suffer from physical pain but rather mental, which is equally painful and many of them are suicidal! Should the doctor then have the power to decide who can bare it and who can’t and therefore who can die and who can’t?

Boomhauer

Well Shiva aboved mentioned people who are of sane mind, so the argument for or against assisted suicide could be split into those who are for it providing the person is of sane mind , and those who think any and all adults regardless of mental state should decide what is best for them.

I'm definitely in the camp that says it must be legal for those of sane mind undergoing debilitating illness without hope of respite. Regarding depressed persons, I'm not sure on that.

shiva

I'd like to hear your views then as so far this thread is very one sided

shiva

A key difference is depression and bi polar disease are very treatable.
End stage MS for example isn't along with so many of the devastating neuro degenerative diseases and often sufferers face an agonising death over a prolonged period.

The real key is where there is no treatment and hope for recovery then the sufferer deserves the right in a civilised land to choose to avoid that pain.

The hippocratic oath binds doctors to do no harm, yet by forcing people to live in these cases they cause immense harm, arguably far more harm than a painless death.

The Dean

Why do you ask?

britexpat76

I have the same agreement with my Mother.

Myusernamewastaken

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...sia-death.html

"A survey released on Wednesday has added to debate after finding that three quarters of Belgians support the euthanasia of children with incurable diseases, even without their consent."

Millhouse

on a side note, I discovered last night that my cousin is starting chemotherapy for his 5 year old DOG. Absolute nuts. I wonder what his views on euthanasia are!