| QUOTE Waychel:
> I think that to make suicide legal would be to make euthanasia legal,
>>surely we have the choice of whether to make one legal or both, no?[/quote]
>In my opinion, this would be a very difficult thing to do,
I see your point, but I still think we could if we chose. A required procedure could always be put in place to check the person really did want to go, it strikes me that one can indeed distinguish, if we wish.
> Keep in mind that there are more people actively in the support of euthanasia (more for economic than emotional reasons) than there are in support of having suicide itself (regardless of circumstance) become legal.
I've heard this from political quarters before, and have never bought it. I can be a cynical one at times, but I dont seriously believe that a majority of famililes would kill their family members for economic reasons. I'm afraid I can see no credibility in that one.
> I believe that such wording would come down to a person having the right to choose death so long as they are in their right state of mind; regardless of whether or not they are in control of themselves physically.
Why would they have to be in right state of mind? Suicide is most wanted among those who are not in right state of mind. Such is painful!
> However, this would bring into question whether a person was in a healthy psychological state to be demanding their right to suicide in the first place (considering that it does, afterall, go against the most basic of human drives; the will to survive)... a Catch 22.
I would be quite happy to leave the requirement for sanity out of it myself, but maybe a required time period to get clear on things would help. Quickie suicides worry me, but something thought out over a period of time I could respect. Whether the person is sane or not, they know what life feels like for them.
But I dont like the idea of such a requirement in such a desperate situation, I'd sooner let people do what they want to do with their lives. It seems gross to try to take away even life and death decisions from people, and place them in the lap of some bunch of idiots instead. Bear in mind that perspectives and values vary enormously, and committees considering something for a brief amount of time routinely fail to comprehend whats at play.
> I do not despise people for having suicidal thoughts, because it is natural when we are dealing with the most desperate of times to have the most desperate of thoughts occure to us in the hope of escaping our conditions. But the key point that you have made here is that, "many suicidals go on to learn how to live life more succesfully." This, to me, is key point as to why suicide should never be allowed to become legal. If we can have such an optomistic mindset regarding something so morbid as the legality of suicide and the illegality of euthanasia, then how can we not hold that same optomism for the majority of those with thoughts of suicide?
I dont think thats logical. Some suicidals just need some emotional and practical support, and some are very clearly beyond all human help, and need to be allowed to do what they want right away, eg people dying in awful pain from cancer. I'm not sure that which is majority or minority makes any difference. To deliberately make those I care about suffer horrendously simply because the law is an ass is something truly offensive. If you did that to an animal you'd risk going to prison for it, but with humans, they must suffer to the max, when everyone knows there is no chance of relief - other than a peaceful relief they have already accepted, death.
For those staring death in the face, a real problem is often those others who can not accept death as an option, when in reality it is, and in many cases is the only option on the table.
> As long as the possibility exists that these people can be helped, I believe that it is more humanitarian for this to remain illegal so that people may be restrained, counseled and given that help.
now it should be clear why thats illogical.
Perhaps the best choice is to let you decide how to run your life, let me decide how to run mine, and extend that same basic respect to others as well. Its ok for people to do it differently, and without seeking other people's approval.
Regards, NT |