A Duty To Die?

Originally Posted by RizzyKing

Chris while i get what your saying and no the court couldn't change the law they could have said whether they felt a change needs to be considered. I still think it is disgusting in this day and age that we make people live with illness that if it were an animal we would be looked upon badly if we didn't have it put down. As long as it is clear it is the wish of the individual themself and not an agenda by family or friends people should damn well have the right to choose their time to go with dignity.

His wife said that he has two choices now

1 die naturally

2 starve to death

either way i think it will be an unpleasant death for him .

maybe the way to go is for parliament to make some law change so that each case is dealt with on an individual basis ,could that work ?

We have to do something about this issue and not keep putting it off because it is not a popular topic or comfortable topic to discuss or legislate. I have more interest in this as if my deterioration continues at it's current pace in ten years i will basically be completely useless being nothing but a burden on everyone that knows me and thats not how i want to live i should be able when the time comes have the choice to die with dignity. Sorry but life is not absolute in it's importance the quality of that life has to be considered as well because life with no quality is not life.

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Chris

<snip>

The only proper route for achieving what they want is the same democratic means that are open to all of us. They can lobby for a change in the law, which would then be brought about by an Act of Parliament.

Good luck with that in a two-party system where no party is going to stick its neck out on what's bound to be seen as a controversial issue.

For the record, here's a link to the latest CF poll we had on this issue.

Clearly, a CF poll cannot be considered representative, but a whopping 94% in favour (when including those who think family members should agree as well) does suggest that a considerable proportion of the UK population feel that assisted suicide should be an option that is available to them.

If CF polls were representative, David Cameron would have had a convincing majority in 2010

That said, the perceived shortcomings of our representative democracy are not an excuse for further undermining it via judicial activism. Parliament may not be perfect, but it is better at reflecting the will of the people than any judge.

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Chris

If CF polls were representative, David Cameron would have had a convincing majority in 2010

Hence my proviso. Still, I think the size of the majority is indicative of the wider mood.

That said, the perceived shortcomings of our representative democracy are not an excuse for further undermining it via judicial activism. Parliament may not be perfect, but it is better at reflecting the will of the people than any judge.

I'm not sure if I'd say better. More appropriate perhaps, but not necessarily better.

[SMG]

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

I am sure you are right about that, I wonder how many times they give a patient morphine to relieve pain knowing that the dose will probably kill them and tbh when the person is in that much pain, perhaps it is kinder.

My Mother had a stomach disease, she was too weak for an operation & in pain, the Doctors told us she would eventually die. After some consultation, she was taken to a side ward & given Morphine, she saw her family, then I stayed with her until she died. During that time the Morphine machine kicked in more frequently & I am convinced it killed her. It was the right choice to make & I will always be grateful that she passed in peace. I hope that when my time comes my children will do the same.

Given the choice now, while i`m sane, (No skits, please) I would sign my life away rather than live with endless pain, or Dementia, & I would ask my children to support my decision. I never want to be a burden on my family, they mean far too much to me. You play the cards fate deals you, only you should decide when to chuck your hand in.

A Duty to Die? No. If we accept this we would all end up getting a cyanide pill for our retirement.

[rogerdraig]

Quote "SMG I never want to be a burden on my family"


there is the problem what is most likely a well informed and valid choice for you can soon on those not as strong as you be used against them by unscrupulous relatives and or people in white coats to persuade them that they too don't want to be a burden as that is seen to be the norm

no matter what legislation is put in place once you loose the right to challenge why some one died that is what will happen

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by rogerdraig

Quote "SMG I never want to be a burden on my family"


there is the problem what is most likely a well informed and valid choice for you can soon on those not as strong as you be used against them by unscrupulous relatives and or people in white coats to persuade them that they too don't want to be a burden as that is seen to be the norm

no matter what legislation is put in place once you loose the right to challenge why some one died that is what will happen

That's exactly what I think will happen and once you start something like this its pretty hard to stop, I quite like the way our leaders have washed their hands of this tbh and left it with the courts to decide whether prosecution is in the public interest or not and the leniency they seem to show all genuine defendants, perhaps its a route worth continuing with

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

That's exactly what I think will happen and once you start something like this its pretty hard to stop, I quite like the way our leaders have washed their hands of this tbh and left it with the courts to decide whether prosecution is in the public interest or not and the leniency they seem to show all genuine defendants, perhaps its a route worth continuing with

Given recent governments attempts at introducing new laws i am not sure i could trust them to make fair and effective laws governing assisted suicide ,i believe they are the only people who should do it but i fear we would end up with legislation that is full of holes and doesn't do what it should

[Kymmy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19341722

Mr Nicklinson has now passed away

RIP

[Osem]

Yes - very sad. I'll never forget the images of him sobbing with despair when he lost his action. RIP.

Maybe losing his painfully protracted legal fight served a more of a purpose than anyone could have thought at the time.

Weird timing.

RIP. Glad he didn't have to wait long.

[Hom3r]

I friend of mine's grandad had lung cancer in the late 1960's, he was at home slowly dying, and in a great deal of pain and his nans was in a great deal of distress, he was having daily morphine injections.

One the the Dr came in and gave him his injection and said "this should end his suffering" (or words to that effect), shortly after he died.

He belived the Dr help.

The irony is if animals are ill they get put down to stop them suffering, we have to suffer.

[Pierre]

Here we had a man, who was sane and rational, who was living a nightmare everyday. It's amazing he stayed sane.

And the state said he was not allowed to end his own life, or have anyone do it for him.

I will be very interested to hear the decision in this case

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...him-alive.html

It's now gone to court.

Although the two cases are not strictly the same, I would have thought that the courts would have to advise the hospital to keep him alive.

The court is limited by Parliament I think.