Like abortion, the decision to end one’s life – or to help someone else do so – naturally brings up questions of ethics, religion, privacy and choice. It’s a complicated question and there are lots of compelling reasons why assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia shouldn’t be legalized as a matter of public policy.
But as someone who watched my father live – artificially – on a breathing tube earlier this year, it’s also a very personal decision.
Two harrowing cases have just brought this issue back to life – so to speak – in the U.K.
Today I’m over on PoliticsDaily.com talking about those cases and my own personal views on this topic.
Have a look…
Image: Heart Attack by Capn Madd Matt via Flickr under a Creative Commons License.
November 5, 2009, 8:55 pm
Having provided the care, 24×7, for two dying parents, I favor having this choice.
They took months to years, as the quality of their life decreased daily.
Their religion answered the question for them, but I refuse to go through the same thing.
November 5, 2009, 9:15 pm
Yes, I couldn’t agree more, Joe. Thanks for weighing in.
November 7, 2009, 1:06 pm
The critical point: do people have the right to make their own end of life choices for themselves or those close to them in accordance with their own beliefs — or must these choices be dictated by those with other beliefs who can command 51% of legislative decisions?
November 19, 2010, 8:17 pm
I don’t see why people view suicide as something negative or a failure: http://andreasmoser.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/world-suicide-prevention-day-on-10-september/