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Euthanasia and assisted suicide

Should a person have the right to choose death?

  • Yes

    Votes: 53 94.6%

  • No

    Votes: 3 5.4%
  • Total voters
    56
Sure, let people with certain conditions and circumstances choose to die provided they pass a mental evaluation. Can only do it if they are of sound mind. And this should only be an option for people who are terminal and in a lot of constant pain.
 
MaggieD said:
No, but you missed the memo that I can't just do what I want with it. That's sorta' what the thread's about.
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Why not? It's your life. People can do most anything they want if they are willing to discipline themselves to do what is necessary to reach their goals or are willing to accept the consequences of their actions.

I suffer from several conditions that cause me to live in constant pain, it has been over a decade since the last time I didn't have any pain. It's my life, if I choose to end it, it is my choice. If I make the choice to end my life and relieve the pain, I have to accept the consequences of what that action would do to others. If I was willing to accept those consequences, then there should be nothing preventing me from making the choice I want to make. I chose not to make that particular choice for several reasons, one is that I do not want to be responsible for causing pain to those who might care about me, but it is my choice. Some may argue that because it would cause others pain that they should also have a say in the choice, but I don't really accept that argument. Sure my death would cause them pain, but they would also know that I no longer have to suffer constantly, and that may offset the pain of my departure. Right now I don't chose to quit, that doesn't mean that at some time in the future as I deteriate and suffer more I won't chose to, but I don't think I will, it just isn't in my make up to do it. But I don't hold making that choice against those who do chose it, it's their life and their choice.
 
Wicked Weasel said:
Sure, let people with certain conditions and circumstances choose to die provided they pass a mental evaluation. Can only do it if they are of sound mind. And this should only be an option for people who are terminal and in a lot of constant pain.
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Uh, how do you pass such a mental evaluation when wanting to cause harm to yourself, dying, is an automatic failure of a mental evaluation?
 
DVSentinel said:
Why not? It's your life. People can do most anything they want if they are willing to discipline themselves to do what is necessary to reach their goals or are willing to accept the consequences of their actions.

I suffer from several conditions that cause me to live in constant pain, it has been over a decade since the last time I didn't have any pain. It's my life, if I choose to end it, it is my choice. If I make the choice to end my life and relieve the pain, I have to accept the consequences of what that action would do to others. If I was willing to accept those consequences, then there should be nothing preventing me from making the choice I want to make. I chose not to make that particular choice for several reasons, one is that I do not want to be responsible for causing pain to those who might care about me, but it is my choice. Some may argue that because it would cause others pain that they should also have a say in the choice, but I don't really accept that argument. Sure my death would cause them pain, but they would also know that I no longer have to suffer constantly, and that may offset the pain of my departure. Right now I don't chose to quit, that doesn't mean that at some time in the future as I deteriate and suffer more I won't chose to, but I don't think I will, it just isn't in my make up to do it. But I don't hold making that choice against those who do chose it, it's their life and their choice.
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I agree.

And I am sorry that you are in pain.
 
DVSentinel said:
Why not? It's your life. People can do most anything they want if they are willing to discipline themselves to do what is necessary to reach their goals or are willing to accept the consequences of their actions.

I suffer from several conditions that cause me to live in constant pain, it has been over a decade since the last time I didn't have any pain. It's my life, if I choose to end it, it is my choice. If I make the choice to end my life and relieve the pain, I have to accept the consequences of what that action would do to others. If I was willing to accept those consequences, then there should be nothing preventing me from making the choice I want to make. I chose not to make that particular choice for several reasons, one is that I do not want to be responsible for causing pain to those who might care about me, but it is my choice. Some may argue that because it would cause others pain that they should also have a say in the choice, but I don't really accept that argument. Sure my death would cause them pain, but they would also know that I no longer have to suffer constantly, and that may offset the pain of my departure. Right now I don't chose to quit, that doesn't mean that at some time in the future as I deteriate and suffer more I won't chose to, but I don't think I will, it just isn't in my make up to do it. But I don't hold making that choice against those who do chose it, it's their life and their choice.
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Not to butt in, but I think she only means legally.
 
ChrisL said:
Not to butt in, but I think she only means legally.
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True, but I am also refering to legally. What justification is there for the government to take that choice away from an individual? None that I can see, but then, maybe my point of view is a bit slanted.
 
DVSentinel said:
True, but I am also refering to legally. What justification is there for the government to take that choice away from an individual? None that I can see, but then, maybe my point of view is a bit slanted.
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I think that nobody should be forced to suffer with a terminal disease and pain. I don't know why the government wouldn't allow it. Perhaps because of liability issues? I really don't know.
 
DA60 said:
I agree.

And I am sorry that you are in pain.
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Thank you, but there is no reason to feel sorry for my pain. It is the result of choices I made in life and a little genetic predisposition, but even that had to have a trigger. Ahhh, if we only knew the consequences of some of our choices and just how long life can be.

Since one of my choices was to serve the people of my country and other of those choices arrose from that, the people of the country have been kind enough to provide me with medical care and financial means to sustain myself. If you are a tax payer in the US, then thank you.
 
DVSentinel said:
True, but I am also refering to legally. What justification is there for the government to take that choice away from an individual? None that I can see, but then, maybe my point of view is a bit slanted.
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Simple: Our governing body views itself to be a living god.
 
Amigo said:
That is sick, 92% say "Yes".
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Many, myself included, see quality of life as important. When one can no longer enjoy life, must endure pain daily and has no real chance of "recovery", then why not allow the choice to "give up" and make a slightly earlier exit? All that are born will die, that fact is not going to change. Allowing those that make the decision to end their own life to not be considered "criminals" is not too much to ask. Medical care is very expensive and need not be wasted on those that face reality and come to understand that "surviving" a few days, weeks or months longer is not going to make a positive contribution to anyone else and simply wastes medical resources that could be put to better use.
 
Schutzengel said:
While I never would choose that for myself, a free people, should be able to choose what to do with their own lives. period.
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The question is about euthanasia, which is someone else killing you. Choosing what to do with one's own life, is a different matter. Iow, I can choose to kill myself. The issue gets more complicated when you're asking someone else to kill you.
 
lizzie said:
The question is about euthanasia, which is someone else killing you. Choosing what to do with one's own life, is a different matter. Iow, I can choose to kill myself. The issue gets more complicated when you're asking someone else to kill you.
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I don't think so. The core of the issue is "is suicide murder". If it is not, then someone assisting you in doing it is also not commiting murder.

Euthanasia is a bit more complicated because how do you prove that it was the persons choice to have assistance committing suicide or whether it was the choice of the person doing it. That is a key difference. Killing someone without their consent is murder. Killing someone with their consent and stated desire is assisted suicide.
 
DVSentinel said:
I don't think so. The core of the issue is "is suicide murder". If it is not, then someone assisting you in doing it is also not commiting murder.

Euthanasia is a bit more complicated because how do you prove that it was the persons choice to have assistance committing suicide or whether it was the choice of the person doing it. That is a key difference. Killing someone without their consent is murder. Killing someone with their consent and stated desire is assisted suicide.
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Unless the person asking you to kill them has a mental illness. Most mental illness can easily be controlled with medications and therapy. The problem with people who are mentally ill is that they feel better, so they stop taking their meds, and then they end up psychotic with suicidal/homicidal ideation, auditory/visual hallucinations and paranoid delusions. It is a VERY fine line. I am against this for the mentally ill, unless their disease is incurable.

I find this topic very interesting in relation to murderers and serial killers who obviously cannot be cured of their mental illness and have expressed a desire to have the death penalty applied.
 
OscarB63 said:
If a woman has the right to choose death for an unborn child, then an adult should be able to choose death for themself
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It does open up all kinds of cans of worms. I wish people would open their minds and look at ALL of the unintended consequences of things. There are ALWAYS unintended consequences. Always. If this were ever to be applied, it would have to be done with the utmost care, respect and humanity. It should NOT be acceptable for people to be offing themselves for any and all reasons whatsoever. It is really quite bothersome to me when people think we should just "allow" suicides to happen because someone wants to die. Some people do want to die . . . for a short time, and then they get over it and can live healthy productive lives. Sorry, just venting a little. LOL!
 
It's nonsensical to create anti-euthanasia laws. People who want to kill themselves, will do it and that's it. The most we can do is make easier and less painful for those already suffering to pass on to whatever they think comes after death. It's the only HUMANE thing to do.
 
Hatuey said:
It's nonsensical to create anti-euthanasia laws. People who want to kill themselves, will do it and that's it. The most we can do is make easier and less painful for those already suffering to pass on to whatever they think comes after death. It's the only HUMANE thing to do.
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It's the end of the world as we know it. I agree 100% with Hatuey on an issue.
 
OscarB63 said:
It's the end of the world as we know it. I agree 100% with Hatuey on an issue.
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Let's start liking each other's posts and sing Kum-Ba-Ya.
 
I want in.

Kum-Ba-Ya my Lord. Kum-Ba-Yah...
 
DVSentinel said:
I don't think so. The core of the issue is "is suicide murder". If it is not, then someone assisting you in doing it is also not commiting murder.

Euthanasia is a bit more complicated because how do you prove that it was the persons choice to have assistance committing suicide or whether it was the choice of the person doing it. That is a key difference. Killing someone without their consent is murder. Killing someone with their consent and stated desire is assisted suicide.
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That is essentially what I said. It's more complicated, because the individual isn't ending his own life, but having someone else do it. If someone wanted to die, and I did not know the person, but I killed him completely unrelated to his death wish, I would be tried and likely convicted of murder. If someone wants to die, and someone else kills them, it's still killing, although euthanasia, as a legislative rule, would make it legal.
 
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