Over the past several years here in England, there has been a shift in the attitude of assisted suicide.
Assisting someone to commit suicide in the UK is illegal and carry a penalty of up to 14 years imprisonment.
However, more than 100 Britons with terminal or incurable illnesses have gone to the Swiss centre Dignitas to die and none of the relatives and friends involved in the cases has been prosecuted.
The problem with the law as seen by terminally ill patients desirous of ending their lives, is that the law is not clear under what circumstances their relatives or assistants would be prosecuted.
Debbie Purdy, a multiple sclerosis sufferer from Bradford wants to know under what circumstances her husband would be prosecuted if he helped her travel abroad to die. In July last year, the Law Lords ruled she had a right to know.
Now, I have no problem with suicide, or assisted suicide. How a person chooses to live their life, or end it, is – in my humble view – his or her choice. No so the religious zealots. They want to decide the fates of everyone, even those outside their faith.
I’d rather die with some dignity than wallow in my own shit for someone to be cleaning up after me… but that’s besides the point.
The debate is heating up here in England, and it looks likely that there is some way to go still before anything final is said and done.
8 Comments:
Jumbie
I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment of dying with dignity and the right to choose when and how I go. I am of the opinion that while I have no control as to when or where I am born; having lived; it is MY choice if the option presents itself to choose my exit...legislation should make THAT one of the FUNDAMENTALS of human rights.
Morning Jumbie,
"Under what circumstances her husband would be prosecuted if he helped her travel abroad to die"
Question: Is it then that even if the "crime" takes place elsewhere (where it is legal) someone can be prosecuted in England? Is that what it is?
I ask because in the US jurisdiction plays a big role in prosecuting crimes.
Right to decide on 'exit' or method of exit, is not a fundamental Human Right.
Yuh know I does have tuh laugh - dee mongt a people does go how dis and dat is or should be a 'Fundamental Human Right'. Why ah does laugh? Partly because its a set of words that people trot out without even fully knowing what they mean - as long as it song (aka sound) good, say it man! - is dee attitude. Dee odda day some jackass informing me dat i's dey 'Fundamental Human Right' to smoke cigarrete!! Well ah had tuh hold back a laugh for 4 whole hours - because it was a professional situation and ah could jes leggo what might be considered a real jametous laugh!! LOL.
Captain
My point, was that the right to die should be a fundamental of human rights...the debate is if not why not...the argument was never posited that it should be a fundamental human right...semantics can confuse.
Slacker.. yuh livin' up to yuh name of course, but it doh mean others cyah read up on 'Fundamental Human Rights' eh.
And if dey did dey would understand why your assertion is laughable - cut to the orgins of Human Rights! You jes cyah 'make it so' in this situation.. because of the unique origins of Human Rights.. but daize not fuh you tuh read bout.
Is it then that even if the "crime" takes place elsewhere (where it is legal) someone can be prosecuted in England? Is that what it is?
The answer KC, is yes... no one has been so far, but since it is on the books so to speak, it is a possibility that worries a lot of persons.
Slacker, ah kinda confused. You said the right to die should be a fundamental human right... ah understand one aspect of that, like my choice to die with dignity.
What I ent get is "the argument was never posited that it should be a fundamental human right"... isn't that exactly what you just proposed? If not, where lies the difference?
The right to die how we choose is a bit fraught with danger, but as I said, the debate continues...
Quiet an interesting subject. Over here suicide or assisting in it is generally not illegal. However our laws are complicated. We are obligated to come to the rescue of others in an emergency. Then there is such a thing as 'Homicide by omission'. Means that certain people such as doctors, nurses, police officers, spouses, parents are legally bound to do what they can to prevent a suicide. If you don't, you are guilty of homicide by omission.
I am aginst allowing assisted suicid!! I have met quiet a few severly depressed people that wanted to kill themselfs in the past , but with treatment they are doing well now.
Captain
My point, was that the right to die should be a fundamental of human rights...the debate is if not why not...the argument was never posited that it should be a fundamental human right...semantics can confuse.
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