Assisted Suicide: Should It Be Legal?

Joe the Intern · #1 08-28-2002, 01:22 AM

I saw a report on the news today about a woman who killed her two sons because they had Huntington's disease, which causes paralysis, and memory loss. Her sons were in their forties and in nursing homes in urine soaked beds. The woman came in with a pistol and shot her sons, supposedly out of mercy. She was taken to court and charged with murder. What do you think about this? Was it right for her to put her sons out of their misery? Should assisted suicide be legalised?

I think she did a good thing. If I were in that condition, I would definitely want someone to put me out of my misery. Also, I think it should be legalised. When you're in that condition, and want to die, that's your decision, and the person who kills you is doing you a favor that you asked of them. That's all I have to say. I'd like to hear your opinions.

Edit: I forgot to mention that Hungtington's disease is incurable.

Kaimana · #2 08-28-2002, 01:48 AM

It all comes down to your decission...The sons were in bad shape...And they where suffering..Was it right to kill them..That was her decission. Do i think we should legalize assisted suicide...I will just say that..Im sure some states would agree and others would not all in the sake of mercy...but that could lead to somthing beyond mercy...people might kill and blame it on assisted suicide...you never know..its just my thoughts...And yet of course it may help in putting people to rest without suffer...So there are two sides...Thats all i can say.

Oddness · #3 08-28-2002, 07:50 AM

I think it should be legalised, yes. We put badly suffering animals to sleep, don't we? A painless death is much preferable to some things... especially if the person is basically a vegetable.

I've always thought it stupid that people don't have the right to their own lives. Suicide is a selfish decision, but nevertheless it should be your decision.

***Cloverfield*** · #4 08-28-2002, 08:05 AM

This is always a very touchy issue. Some argue that the person is in pain and doesn't want to live on. Others argue that the person has a right to life and should stay that way until natural death occurs.

My opinion is that assisted suicide should be legal in some cases. I don't agree with the way it was done in the report that Joe mentioned, but I think it should be done in such a way that is non-painful (i.e. drugs or similar that cause the person to die in their sleep). And it should only be done in cases that it can be justified. For example, a person has been clinically/medically deemed to be suffering to this extent, and/or are able to show indications themselves that this is what they would like to happen. It should not be done if a person just says "I want to die" and are looking for an easy way out.

The reason I think it should be legal is that these people are in so much pain and suffering that in most cases they cannot bear to go on. They want to just be done with their miserable lives and move on to what is next. I know it may seem immmoral to kill a person just because they are in such a state, but if you were in that situation would you really like to live out your days either as a vegetable or in great pain.

Although that is my opinion, I, like Kai can see the two sides to it. Because if a person's life is taken when they are not ready to leave this world, then that is wrong also. And it is difficult to determine who's right it is to decide if that life should be taken or not. So there is part of me that disagrees with it as well.

Abe Babe...

mitsur · #5 08-28-2002, 02:16 PM

Hard question.I would have to say it was wrong because THEY didn't decide to die the mom did.I think that is a BIG offence to decide when people should die

Jacob · #6 08-28-2002, 05:48 PM

Mitsur, they probably wanted to die but couldn't kill themselves.

Euthanasia should be legalised. Whoever the twat was who made it illegal was obviously a docile c*nt. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' in this, again, just 'reasonable' and 'irreasonable'. Letting somebody suffer is just stupid, as i said before...if my child was disabled to the extent it couldn't enjoy life...i would finish it off...

General Drippik · #7 09-02-2002, 06:53 AM

Well, asissted suicide should be legalised. But if the person has alot to live for, and they're just killing themselves for something to do, it shouldn't be allowed.

Jacob · #8 09-02-2002, 09:18 AM

:

for something to do

lol. What happened to just watching Tv?

salty pretzils · #9 09-02-2002, 09:40 AM

I think when it comes to a certain point in an illness (Unable to regain conciessness, quality of life criticly bad) the patient should have the desicion as to whether they want to let go. It is their life, and no-one elses. If they really do need to die, and they cannot kill themselves, there should be some kind of painless standard procedure. There should also be some point where the doctors have to put the patient "to sleep".

Jacob · #10 09-02-2002, 11:45 AM

They do that in switzerland i believe...

MojoMan220 · #11 09-02-2002, 12:56 PM

No, killing someone is killing someone. It shouldn't be forced upon someone whether they want it to or not. Also this would create all kinds of problems, like people lying about it and doing it against someones will, like in the article above.

**Hurray, 450 posts going strong!

Jacob · #12 09-02-2002, 04:57 PM

Yeh, i suggest you go through it before you start saying stuff like that...

Black Waltz 0 · #13 09-03-2002, 09:26 AM

In all honesty, I believe Euthanasia shold be legalised, but it shold only be practiced by people like Doctors. I understand the mental pain some people suffer at the sight of their loved ones in such disarray, but flipping out with a gun is not the way. At least give them a quiet death while sleeping, even if they are vegtables...

General Drippik · #14 09-15-2002, 09:04 AM

If the person is seriously ill, and will die a painful death otherwise, they should be quickly and peacefully killed, but only if that's what they wish.

P.S: Sorry for bringing up an old topic.

sO fReAkIn oDd · #15 09-15-2002, 05:34 PM

I dont know, the mother, i think, should not have made that decision for her sons. While they were suffering and they did probably want to die, she did not have the right to kill her sons. While i believe Euthanasia should be legalized, in this paticular situation i dont think shooting her sons dead was the right way to go about assisted suicide, in fact the sons had nothing to do with this decision, it was completely at fault of the mother, so it wasnt even suicide. I dont think the mother should be punsihed though, but i believe this kind of behaviour should be discouraged.

Joshy · #16 09-19-2002, 09:27 AM

yes, i think they should legalise assisted suicide.