Would You Be More Or Less Likely to Utilize the Death With Dignity Law If You Had A Devastating Diagnosis (clinic, aching)
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Well I used to work in hospice and was surprised how few people actually did what you're proposing regardless of the circumstances of their illness. I don't know if it was fear, inertia or the simple inability to make it happen once the person is actually in that situation. ALS was one of the tougher ones to watch along with all things breathing-related like lung cancer and COPD.
There seems to be a major divide between what Americans want and what Medicine and Government wants. I think the medical professionals, and government, seems to think they are GODS controlling you from when you are born until when you die. Cures???? No, today we have Preventive Treatments from VERY YOUNG ages to control you from cradle to grave. Of course, people want to live to very old ages in whatever condition that might be. Quantity over Quality of Life. Follow the $$$$$$. Medicine is Big Business. WE can save you!
Personally, I think Assisted Suicide should be the law of the land when an individual cannot physically do so themselves, especially for people over a certain age and with certain conditions.
To quote my Mom from her Living Will from over 20 years ago, "I do not wish to become a Vegetable in a Science Experiment for Doctors to see how long they can keep me alive". Mom was 74 when she said this. I am now 67 and agree with everything she said.
An INDIVIDUAL should be the one to make the choice to live or die; not medicine, and certainly not government.
"Personally, I think Assisted Suicide should be the law of the land when an individual cannot physically do so themselves, especially for people over a certain age and with certain conditions."
And how do you keep that from becoming coersive, if not involuntary, or aren't we worried about that?
"Personally, I think Assisted Suicide should be the law of the land when an individual cannot physically do so themselves, especially for people over a certain age and with certain conditions."
And how do you keep that from becoming coersive, if not involuntary, or aren't we worried about that?
How? You do that years ahead of time long before you reach the stage of needing it. You can make out a Living Will when you are in your 20's can't you? You an specify DNR so why not an Advance Directive for Assisted Suicide?
I suppose, although people have been known to change their minds... There's also the -- often not very subtle -- "duty to die" that many old people feel when their children and grandchildren make it clear they consider the increasing care of them a burden and drain.
So it looks like I'm the only one with any religious, ethical, or moral compunction against suicide here. Always in the minority!
And therein lies the problem. Morality based on religious doctrine should never be used to implement or deny laws. Why should those of us who are not religious be unable to choose assisted suicide because the religious disagree with the concept? If you don't want it, don't do it. But don't try to deny others relief from their suffering. Painless assisted death should be a personal right for everyone who chooses to participate. My life, my decision.
What does murder have to do with a terminally ill person choosing assisted suicide? Or are you implying laws against murder only exist because of religion? Or that only non-religious people commit murder?
ALL laws were originally based on moral or religious teachings. But I'm not "the spokesperson for organized religion" here. I'm simply saying that *I *believe suicide to be a serious spiritual mistake. What *you* believe is between you and your God -- or no God, if that's what you happen to believe.
ALL laws were originally based on moral or religious teachings.
And the laws that still make sense are still enforced. Those that don't, not so much.
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