Euthanasia For or Against?

[WittyBird]

After recent comments on another thread I wondered what other peoples views were!

I agree with euthanasia and if it was me lying in a hospital terminally ill etc I would want someone to pull the plug.

It is a difficult subject but death comes to us all.

info here

Thoughts anyone?

[fletch]

I'm a believer that we make our own decision and this is one of them, I'm a yes !!

[Lory]

I'm a believer that we make our own decision and this is one of them, I'm a yes !!

It's a Yes for me too

[TheTramp]

And there's a few other people that I'd like to pull the plug on as well

[Andy McGregor]

This is a difficult area and I believe that the system we have in place in the UK is the right one.

[philsmove]

An impossible subject

5 years ago a friend in a wheel chair tired to “end it all” by wheeling himself into the docks

but he was pulled out of the water and rushed to intensive care

during several visits to see him in intensive care he made clear signals to me, that he wanted me to disconnect the life support

so what happened

well we spent yesterday evening, enjoying a fine bottle of wine

before that a neighbour was in terrible pain with cancer

they operated and when he came too, looking a beautiful nurse, dressed in white, he was convinced he was in haven

he was mega ****ed off when to find he was still alive and in hospital

He died in pain 4 days later

[Jenni]

Working as a care assistant with the elderly and disabled you try to give these people as much dignity and independence as you can - it makes me for euthanasia though cause if I was in the same situation I would rather not feel I was a burden to anyone and keep my dignity - I can never decide what would be worse, to be unaware your losing your functions or for your mind to be sharp as a pin inside a body which is failing

Jenni

[David Bailey]

I'm a "No", mainly for two reasons:

1. Avoid mistakes
If it's possible, I'd rather avoid a system where you can't reverse a decision (as Philsmove's first tale so eloquently demonstrates) because someone's died as a result. Which, by the way, is also the main reason I'm against the death penalty, and also opposed to some types of abortion (can of worms, here we come... ).

2. Avoid Pressure
Changing the law to allow euthanasia could act to also promote euthanasia, and I don't want cultural or social pressure to increase in this area.

Let me illustrate with an example:
Fast-forward, say, in fifty years. I'm gravely ill, in hospital surrounded by grieving relatives and my new 21-year old supermodel wife (hey, it's my fantasy). I'm consuming valuable and no-doubt-by-then privatised medical resources, which consumption is eating into my vast fortune (hey again).

At that point, if euthanasia is commonly-accepted, commonly-used, and easily available, there will be significant social pressure on both me and my family to pull the plug, which could distort my decision and their thoughts.

Absent such pressure, I might think "Hey, it's only money, I can't spend it when I'm gone - and the longer I'm here, the more time I can gaze at my adoring wife" or something. With that pressure, who knows?

Amazingly enough, I find myself agreeing with Mr MacGregor on this one; I don't see a major problem, so why make changes which could make things worse?

[Piglet]

If quality of life on this earth = no quality or very little for me then I'd want the option of ending it all and would be happy to sign something to say so.

And if it all happened in a gross error, then hey ho, that's how it goes.

As long as it was done with the best intentions then I wont be holding it against anyone.

[dee]

I've not yet read what this thread is about but i say yes to euthanasia and if the man woman next door wants some i would be neighbourly enough to put the b**ch out of her misery she is a waste of space!!! and lets not talk about space

[WittyBird]

I've not yet read what this thread is about but i say yes to euthanasia and if the man woman next door wants some i would be neighbourly enough to put the b**ch out of her misery she is a waste of space!!! and lets not talk about space

your just so damn funny
think we would all queue to help you with that

[dee]

your just so damn funny
think we would all queue to help you with that

Well get queing matey

[CeeCee]

Originally posted by Piglet
If quality of life on this earth = no quality or very little for me then I'd want the option of ending it all and would be happy to sign something to say so.

The definition of quality of life would be?

Originally posted by Piglet
And if it all happened in a gross error, then hey ho, that's how it goes.

Not for those left behind. Someone would have to take the blame for the error.

Originally posted by Piglet
As long as it was done with the best intentions then I wont be holding it against anyone.

To repeat, someone would have to take the blame.

Entrance the legal system and disciplinary committees and litigation and...

[Missy D]

I'm a believer that we make our own decision and this is one of them, I'm a yes !!

Its a yes for me too! I would hate to be kept alive with no quality of life. I have spent 18 months now visiting a very close friend in a neuro rehab unit and some of the patients there are in a terrible way. There is one young girl who is only about 21. She tried to take her own life which has left her so brain damaged. She wailes constantly, her body is a twisted mess, she is deaf, almost blind. She is in so much pain too. The rehab unit told the family that she is not responding to any treatement or therapy. This poor young girl is now in a nursing home where she will stay til the end of her days with absolutely no quality of life. I know if this were a relative of mine in would certainly choose euthanasia.

[Will]

I'm a no.

[TheTramp]

Not for those left behind. Someone would have to take the blame for the error.

Not sure quite what 'error' there could be here....

Someone who wants to die, gets counselling, makes the final decision, signs the forms to say that they want to die, and then dies.

I guess the only person who could possibly say that there was an error, and wanted to change their mind, could be the person. And they're dead. Which makes it kind of difficult.

Ditto, if family make a decision to 'pull the plug' on someone who isn't in a fit state. Again, there's no chance of finding out if they were going to get better. We'd never know if there was an error made....

[WittyBird]

Not sure quite what 'error' there could be here....

Someone who wants to die, gets counselling, makes the final decision, signs the forms to say that they want to die, and then dies.

Couldn't have said it better myself

[stewart38]

Not sure quite what 'error' there could be here....

Someone who wants to die, gets counselling, makes the final decision, signs the forms to say that they want to die, and then dies.

I guess the only person who could possibly say that there was an error, and wanted to change their mind, could be the person. And they're dead. Which makes it kind of difficult.

Ditto, if family make a decision to 'pull the plug' on someone who isn't in a fit state. Again, there's no chance of finding out if they were going to get better. We'd never know if there was an error made....

Interesting so if your well enough to listen to counselling sign forms etc its ok to kill you

If you not well enough its ok for a family member to listen and sign forms and kill you

If an errors made so what your dead ?

I think people can guess Im a big fat NO

[Dance Demon]

Sheesh......where's Chris Docker when you need him. Once saw a discussion programme on TV, where Chris was putting forward the cas FOR Euthanasia. I think he holds some sort of position with a Euthanasia society. Would be interesting if Chris still reads the forum if he could give us his slant on things. Personally I am for it in some instances, but think it would have to be very closely policed, so that it didn't become a disguise for something more sinister.

[CJ]

I think people can guess Im a big fat NO

I guessed you were a big fat something.

I would say yes, but only because I believe in free choice.