I read this story and honestly have not formulated a response.The Link Making this kind of "service" available would impact a lot of people in the U.S., terminal cancer patients, people with poor quality of life whose treatment costs are depleting the family nest egg ...
So sad. That is one really slippery slope. I understand why some people could argue for this, but I don't know if allowing people to be put down like a sick cat is a good idea.
We need to spend more time and effort into better end of life treatment. Expanding upon the work of hospices that often times allow a person to die at home, with some dignity, and usually a lack of pain.
So you have someone that wants to die. But doesn't want to feel any pain. Doesn't want to blow his brains out because he might miss...or not do it right, or it's europe and he can't get a gun. What is he supposed to do? If I were a Dr. I don't think I could do that, but there are probably Dr.'s out there that would. As long as it's the patients choice, I don't see the problem.
If they have no quality of life and want to go, then let them go. Why should I say to somebody that is in pain and suffering that they must continue until their body gives out. Its not like they are missing out on the joys of life.
How about if a Government panel decides it is your time? Does your answer depend upon whether W was the one creating the panel or someone like Obama? How about on other issues?
It's great that they had the choice and that licensed physicians were a part of the process. I support their decision to end their life, as I would if they had decided the other way. Slippery slope? Nah. That's an excuse to not deal with the issue.
It's funny that this is brought up on this BBS now because I'm about 2/3rds of the way through Jared Diamond's new book, "The World Until Yesterday: What Can We Learn From Traditional Societies?" I could describe it but the NY Times does a great job, here: The Link Suffice to say that the world has seem many different streams of thought when it comes to end-of-life care.
It used to be that when someone came to us expressing a wish to end their lives, our first inclination was to try and talk them out of it and find ways to help make their life worth living. Something like this would have been viewed as a failure and a tragedy.
The only pain they feel is the pain of being a leftie loonie, and too damn lazy to shoot themselves. The lazy liberals want the government to do it all for them, from cradle to grave. Lazy ********.
End of life care is very expensive for somebody waiting to die (in a hospital). Its not about the money to me but end of life care is a big part of our health care problem.
