Assisted Suicide

[Claire]

[Apologies if this has been put up before, feel free to remove it if so, I just thought it'd be interesting.]

I'm for it myself...you? I see no point keeping somebody going if they don't want to keep going.I've got a physical disability [cerebral palsy if anyone wants to know] & a sleep disorder.

I've known people who seem to have given up, if you will. I was looking for somewhere to live, & the other people in some of these places that are available looked like they'd rather be anywhere else than where they were & they were fed up w/ it all. I hate that idea & have even written something so that people see I do & know I know what I'm doing.

One guy I met, who was very severely disabled [*much* worse off than me] just seemed so pleased to see somebody new. I put the TV onto the rock channel, his eyes lit up & he started playing air-guitar, then it got turned off & he sort of sagged down in his seat, poor luv

 

[LooseCannon]

Phew.  Talk about a timebomb.  I believe in the sanctity of human life.  I don't believe in it through some religious motivation, just for a simple fact - humans cannot recreate that which has died.  We can create new life, and do so quite prodigiously, but we cannot bring back that which is lost.  For that reason, I recoil from the idea of euthanasia.

However, I can understand that people do get to the point where they no longer wish to live.  I cannot see myself ever getting to that spot.  As long as I am capable of conscious thought, I want to live.  But I also recognize that as a personal choice, and as well, I have not experienced these conditions and pain.  Should euthanasia be an option?  Yes, I think so, but I think that psychologists and MDs need to examine the patient quite thoroughly to ensure that they qualify.

I have seen many people who are, if not fully functional, at least operational and contributing to society.  Where I used to work, my office was right next door to the Tramble Rooms, where students with disabilities go to get help with classes.  One of the frequent visitors was Jeff, a fellow who can only move his left hand.  I thought for awhile that he was a student, but it turns out he graduated 2 years ago, and now volunteers there, helping other students with (generally) less severe problems and serving as a general inspiration to all.  And he's one of the funniest people I've ever met.  He can't speak but he can communicate by pointing to words and letters on a card, and he has the driest sense of humour I've ever seen.

 

[Raven]

Speaking of severe disabilities, I would like to share with you the story of Jason Becker (see also here).  Jason Becker began learning guitar from an early age, and released two albums in a band called Cacophony with Megadeth's Marty Friedman (this was before Friedman joined Megadeth).  An extremely talented neoclassical guitarist, he was offered a place in David Lee Roth's band at age 20, in 1989.  He recorded 'A Little Ain't Enough' with them, which reached gold status.

However, a week after he joined DLR, he was diagnosed with Amylotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.  He just about managed to finish the recording of the album, with extremely low-gauge strings to help his weakened hand.  Doctors gave him 3 years to live...within a year, he was confined to a wheelchair, barely able to move.  But, the thing is this...he never gave up.  When he began to lose his voice, his father devised a system where Jason could spell out words letter-by-letter using just his eyes.  His friend, a producer, designed a headset for him to use in conjuction with music composing software, so he could write songs note by note.  He released one album in 1996 (composed of both new and old compositions) and is (as far as I know) in the process of writing another one.  A film is being made about him.

The point of this story is this...when death seems the only solution, think again.  Life is a wonderful thing, and it's wrong to give it up so easily.

With that said, I fully support the legalisation of euthanasia.  Many people can think of nothing worse than being trapped inside their own body...unable to live a proper life, yet unable to die.  I feel that painless, assisted suicide is a perfectly legitimate option for people who want to end their life early, provided it is carefully controlled.

 

[Onhell]

I used to share LC's opinion in that if psychologists and MD's examined the patient extensively then go ahead and do them in. However, the fact remains that the person is depressed and that is why they have given up and I believe a lot of it has to do with the facilities patients are kept in. They become faceless numbers on charts rather than people and are treated thus. When I used to visit my grandmother I would see the mental deterioration in some of the new arrivals (my grandma was senile so she was really affected). When they arrived they were lively in talkative and within a couple of months they would have this glazed look in their eyes and you knew no one was home anymore... very sad.

So I don't blame the patient or his condition, but rather the system. I don't condone euthanasia because it stems from depresion, not a "normal" state of being, thus "giving up" and wanting to die is not a rational thought out choice, but rather being a quitter.

 

[Claire]

Ah, no problem. I'm sorry I wasn't thinking about/for *me*.

I think it has to do w/ circumstances, too. If people are ill, often they don't *want* to go out, but I can't imagine they'd want to stay in & not do anything *all* the time.

I saw something on TV & there were all these people in Kenya, also disabled. They made *useful* stuff w/ no equipment like over in the developed countries & hardly anything, & they were happy w/ what they had because they were contributing & had something to do. The people were saying, well they need our help, they'll get it......

*but*

...... over in Not-so-great Britain [where I come from] what do we get? People sitting looking at 4 walls, w/ people who don't seem to enjoy giving them the they need. No wonder they get depressed