[Serious Thread] Assisted Suicide.

[St Jon]

On Thursday, July 30th, Ms Debbie Purdy won a landmark victory in the UK. She took the Director of Public Prosecutions to the highest court of appeal in the country and gained the surety that her husband, Omar Puente, would not be liable to prosecution for taking her to Switzerland to aid her in Voluntary Euthanasia at the Dignitas clinic.

Ms Purdy, a victim of multiple sclerosis, claimed that if she had to end her life unaided it would have to be far earlier than if assisted by her husband. The pressure group Dignity in Dying have welcomed the decision as, whilst not changing UK statute law regarding this issue if carried out in the country, providing vital protection for those caring for dying partners to help them avoid the long and slow decent into total incapacity against their wishes.

I applaud the decision and the bravery of an already very ill woman to fight her way through the courts to achieve her victory.

I realise that legislation differs in throughout the World but how do others here regard this issue?

[notyoueither]

It's a good decision.

[Asher]

It's a good decision.

I agree.

[Drake Tungsten]

This woman is lazy. All she needs to do is set up a gun-firing contraption that she'll be able to operate even after her condition deteriorates. I have no respect for people who'd rather cajole their loved ones into murdering them rather than take care of the thing themselves.

[SlowwHand]

Drake, you're a meathead. Let's take your suggestion. Someone would have to clean up the scene. What else have you got to say? Nothing? Good.


I voted "Yes" with some reservation.

[Alinestra Covelia]

I vote "Yes".

Obviously the system is open to some potential for abuse. (Fraudulent doctors' claims to euthanize people against their will, etc.) But then again organ donations are open to the same danger, but we allow that to happen because of the benefits outweighing the harm.

I think this is similar. You'd need checks and balances in the system to make sure the person's wish to die is: A) genuine and rational, and B) justified - i.e. the disability is likely to be lifelong and to create a substantial impairment of their ability to appreciate the rest of their life. But assuming that the court could objectively decide this, I think it's merciful to allow a person to choose to die assisted. Not everybody has the strength to pull the trigger themselves, metaphorically speaking.

But there needs to be careful oversight and regulation of this, otherwise we'd be better off without it.

[Provost Harrison]

This woman is lazy. All she needs to do is set up a gun-firing contraption that she'll be able to operate even after her condition deteriorates. I have no respect for people who'd rather cajole their loved ones into murdering them rather than take care of the thing themselves.

Yeah, she could just get one of those at Tescos...

[Thoth]

It's a good decision.

[Drake Tungsten]

Yeah, she could just get one of those at Tescos...

WTF is Tescos? Learn to speak American, you limey virgin.

[St Jon]

This woman is lazy. All she needs to do is set up a gun-firing contraption that she'll be able to operate even after her condition deteriorates. I have no respect for people who'd rather cajole their loved ones into murdering them rather than take care of the thing themselves.

I prefixed this with Serious Thread because I do believe it to be an important step in UK law. If you disagree with the decision then post an adult reply as to why and not just dismiss the near 2 years this lady has spent going through the British legal system to protect her husband. Prior to this verdict her husband could have been convicted of conspiracy to murder and jailed for 7 years just for helping her onto the aeroplane. The last thing in the world that she could be described as is 'lazy'!

[Drake Tungsten]

The last thing in the world that she could be described as is 'lazy'!

How about "selfish", "narcissistic" and "lacking in compassion for those she claims to love"? Asking your husband to help murder you is cold-hearted and completely unnecessary. If you can't do the deed yourself, then you shouldn't be committing suicide in the first place.

Prior to this verdict her husband could have been convicted of conspiracy to murder and jailed for 7 years just for helping her onto the aeroplane.

Good. You should be brought up on charges of conspiracy to murder when you're part of a conspiracy to murder someone.

[Provost Harrison]

Yeah, she could just get one of those at Tescos...

WTF is Tescos? Learn to speak American, you limey virgin.

Try Google, yankyboy

[St Jon]

The last thing in the world that she could be described as is 'lazy'!

How about "selfish", "narcissistic" and "lacking in compassion for those she claims to love"? Asking your husband to help murder you is cold-hearted and completely unnecessary. If you can't do the deed yourself, then you shouldn't be committing suicide in the first place.

Do you not understand the impact of Multiple Sclerosis? It is not a matter of courage it is a matter of physical inability to do anything at all at the end.

Prior to this verdict her husband could have been convicted of conspiracy to murder and jailed for 7 years just for helping her onto the aeroplane.

Good. You should be brought up on charges of conspiracy to murder when you're part of a conspiracy to murder someone.

I have reservations about potential abuses of Assisted Suicide but Multiple Sclerosis is not something like Alzheimer's Disease where all cognitive faculties are lost - probably the worst part of it is that you are fully aware until the very end of exactly what is happening.

[Drake Tungsten]

Do you not understand the impact of Multiple Sclerosis? It is not a matter of courage it is a matter of physical inability to do anything at all at the end.

The article made it clear that she would be able to kill herself at the moment. As such, she could also set up something that could kill her later, at the time of her choosing.

****ing Westerners even turn suicide into a self-absorbed cry for attention. Be more like the Japanese, you selfish ******; if you want to die, just ****ing do it.

[Traianvs]

The fact she and her husband have thought this over rather thoroughly, and especially that she's going through these exhausting legal procedures is a telltale indication that it's not a cry for attention, but rather the opposite of selfish, narcissistic and lacking in compassion.

Simply pulling the trigger and letting the heirs sort it all out afterwards actually sounds a lot more selfish than the accomplishments she has pulled off!