General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRight-to-Die campaigner dies
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/dec/30/debbie-purdy-death-legalise-assisted-dying-lord-falconer-bill<snip>
The life and death by starvation of the right-to-die campaigner, Debbie Purdy, should be celebrated by the Commons passing the House of Lords dignity in dying bill forthwith. An overwhelming majority of the public 60-70% wants it. The weight of legal and ethical opinion wants it. Eighty of the great and good writing to the Daily Telegraph at the weekend want it. There is no reason beyond indolence and political obtuseness that stops the Commons ending the medieval practice of jailing those who wish to help loved ones to die.
That two terminally ill people a month go to Switzerland to end their lives and 10 times that number kill themselves surreptitiously at home is a poor comment on modern Britain. It puts the country on a par with American creationism and Irish anti-abortionism.
The familiar objections to assisted dying are rigorously met in Lord Falconers bill imposing medical and judicial safeguards on choice. It merely awaits passage.
The objections cannot outweigh the human right to control the circumstances of ones own death, circumstances searingly described by Dr Atul Gawande in the recent Reith lectures. Indeed, objection is largely confined to religious prejudice and medical authoritarianism, to those who hold that the state and the professions should hold sway over individual freedom and dignity.
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This is a basic human right
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)a barrier to human progress in Britain is not surprising. Religion and it's embarrassing lack of factual foundation is damaging and cruel to real humans in the real world.
What kind of benevolency based religion suppresses free choice and encourages suffering?
The fact is that any purposed legal euthanasia requires a medical and judicial consent, and still the fundies oppose, exposes their preference of ideology over humanity.
malaise
(269,045 posts)Fundies everywhere - in every religion are more than damaging.
Never forget that all ideologies have an economic component. Death and dying are big business.
Feral Child
(2,086 posts)have died in my arms, comforted and unafraid.
It's only right we afford our friends and loved ones the same dignity and kindness.
malaise
(269,045 posts)can't make economic decisions or they'd appropriate their right to die as well