Yes, euthanasia is certainly something that is waiting to take its rightful place on stage. It is the next logical step on the way to insuring the respect for human life is lost. Sure, many will say the opposite is true, that it is respectful of life to terminate it when the time is right, but that is not where it will end. It will end with the government pushiong for the deaths of the old and the infirmed, not to mention the mentally ill and the handicapped.

There are a multitude of ways to commit suicide. Do we really need doctors to facilitate this?

Personally, if someone commits suicide, then so be it. There really isn't anything we can do about that and after the fact, their reasons become more or less meaningless.

As for the passive euthanasia, people do funny things. My grandmother died this way by choice. Although it is probably not something I would do, if a person refuses treatment while still in their right mind they have that right.

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
Yes, euthanasia is certainly something that is waiting to take its rightful place on stage. It is the next logical step on the way to insuring the respect for human life is lost. Sure, many will say the opposite is true, that it is respectful of life to terminate it when the time is right, but that is not where it will end. It will end with the government pushiong for the deaths of the old and the infirmed, not to mention the mentally ill and the handicapped.

Right on, TC. You took the words out of my mouth, in terms of my offensive against Euthanasia. This euthanasia stuff is indeed an advertising that seems to be aimed at devaluing the human spirit. Especially passive euthanasia, since it's essentially based on ending the pain someone is suffering. Passive euthanasia should not be an option... why would anyone want to prolong their suffering any further?

Now, my defense of Euthanasia, is this: If you are really, really depressed (for any reason, terminally ill, debilitated or otherwise) with the way your life is right now and do not possibly see an alternative that would assist your position... then it is far better than committing suicide yourself. Although I do not believe in the immorality of suicide (im not advocating it either... it's a very, very sad fact of life that shouldnt even exist), I believe that this is, at least, more of a morally-appropriate manner for those who want to kill themselves but think they may be punished for it (not saying im the authority on this, but I strongly doubt that you would be punished).

Society the way it is today is completely irrational and wrong. The fact that suicide exists supports that argument, as a society that is a utopia or at least tries to meet the needs and desires of its population will never have people trying to kill themselves out of despair (again, for any such reasons).

I would like to take this oppurtunity to express my sorrow and regrets for those who have died committing suicide and for those who have lost people this way. To the latter, please think that, at the very least, they have found infinite peace and are no longer suffering from the pain they had and will never feel such anguish again.

I would like to take this oppurtunity to express my sorrow and regrets for those who have died committing suicide and for those who have lost people this way. To the latter, please think that, at the very least, they have found infinite peace and are no longer suffering from the pain they had and will never feel such anguish again.

beautiful words.... i take my hat off to thee AlnilamOmega...


But in regards to Euthanasia, i feel that if someone is suffering so much that they feel death is their only escape denying them this is vilating their rights as humans and forcing them to suffer needlessly... if i was de-abilitated with a terminal illness, or even so old i couldnt look after myself, i would expect to be 'put down'... unfortunately my government (like that of the US) is a little backwards (in my opinion of course) on this issue... they seem to prefer to stick to traditional, old fashioned values than to improve learn and evolve (damn conservatives!)...

In regards to Euthanasia being used by the government to erradicate the disabled and elderly... that is a risk and i can see the concern... but there are already laws in place that the government have that could wuite easily strip you of your freedoms... we just gotta be careful on how the law is worded and ensure there are no loopholes...

IN CONCLUSION

EUTHANSIA = GOOD IF NOT ALLOWED TO BE CORRUPTED.

If you do not have a right to end your on life what do you have? It is your life not the governments or someone elses. I am against suicide but I can not get around that fact.

TC: Anything can be abused. That should be no reason to reject the idea of euthanasia. Rather, we should find ways to keep it from being able to get deviated...if that is your only reason for not liking the idea of it.

KJ: But there are those who are not able to simply commit suicide or even able to press the plunger on the lethal dose. The comatose patience, the brain dead patients, the extremely disabled (see Lou Gerhig's Disease) cannot just kill themselves. If it is apparent that these people would not like to carry on, DNR or other orders before being debilitated, would it be wrong to keep them alive because they cannot kill themselves? Would it be wrong to let them, at least the disabled, slowly die if it is clear that they do not want to live? Writing off the other forms of euthanasia is not just that simple, IMO.

Ox, everything starts out that way, and there has never been anything of such nature come down the pike but what people said we merely have to insure it is not abused. There's a saying that sin always takes you fartehr than you ever wanted to go, and if you look at your own life as well as society as a whole, you'll see that it holds true more often than not.

Eventually, everyone will have the right to die if they decide, no matter what the reason. The government will have the right to terminate people who are a drag upon society, etc,

I imagine it'll happen about the same time that LAMBLA is getting some of its "temporary civil union" rights. Yes, temporary, as nobody is Peter Pan and everyone has to get older. Say that's nuts? Homesexual marriage used to be, too.

Both governments as well as societies have a bad tendancy to devolve instead of evolve.

[Edited on 29-3-2004 by Thomas Crowne]

Originally posted by OXmanK
TC: Anything can be abused. That should be no reason to reject the idea of euthanasia. Rather, we should find ways to keep it from being able to get deviated...if that is your only reason for not liking the idea of it.

KJ: But there are those who are not able to simply commit suicide or even able to press the plunger on the lethal dose. The comatose patience, the brain dead patients, the extremely disabled (see Lou Gerhig's Disease) cannot just kill themselves. If it is apparent that these people would not like to carry on, DNR or other orders before being debilitated, would it be wrong to keep them alive because they cannot kill themselves? Would it be wrong to let them, at least the disabled, slowly die if it is clear that they do not want to live? Writing off the other forms of euthanasia is not just that simple, IMO.

OXmanK,
I agree with your stance. If anyone is familiar(sp) with hospitals and
health 'institutions', Euthanasia happens every day, for many
reasons, prognosis and other.
It's a touchy subj', but anyone with a 'condition', can sign a N.F.R.
form, provided they are 'compus mentus'(sp). If the patient is
comatose or other, next of kin can get and use 'medical power of attorney'
This is subject to a family background check.
A patient can also sign a N.F.T.

N.F.R.-not for resus'
N.F.T.-no further treatment

S.

Yeah, TC. As was Catholic/Protestant marriage used to be taboo. Also, was interracial marriage was once taboo. If we kept from changing things, we would still be #ting in hole somewhere in the woods.

Though my opinion my change when the time is near, if I go down, I am going down in a flaming ball of death. I will fight that mother to my last nerve ending. I would much rather die from something exciting and painful than die in my sleep.
I suppose where you thought you were going next would be a factor along with how naive you were about how much control you had over your life.
You learn from pain and I don't see it as a bad thing, just unpleasant. It would seem to me that the best time to experience ultimate pain would be right before you die. Everyone should have whatever rights they were born with as long as it affects no one; even if I disagree with it. Euthanizers (second party) should not be punished as they are acting out of sympathy.
After all, we live in a society of short-cuts.
But, if you lived through it...

I already have my motorcycle and concrete bridge column picked out. About the time the lung cancer I'll probably end up getting from smoking gets too bad, I know what to do...

I think legal Euthanasia is enevitable. It really needs to be carefully handled though. As with everything there will be those who will use it for their own advantage and/or greed. Pre-existing documents like Living Wills and DNRs are the best preperation for situations where the person can't be consulted, but there will probably always be those really tricky judgment calls.