Who should control how and when we die?
By Eucalyptus
@Eucalyptus (151)
May 27, 2012 1:55pm CST
Suicide is a very political issue; a debate that remains to be heard throughout the world. Suicide and euthanasia are subject to both legal and political control. If I live in London, no one could help me die; yet if I live in Geneva, I can be assisted. Dying voluntarily should be a personal choice and not a choice doctored by others. Whilst one may see suicide as their solution, others may only see a problem. ----- comments on the US, that 'suicide is no longer a crime, yet it is plainly not legal; if it were, it would be illegal to use force to prevent suicide and it would be illegal to help a person kill himself'. I can guess that at least one person will respond to this discussion and urge me that it's important not to assist those who want to die in that they may not really want to die, or may not be in the right mind frame to make such a decision; inferring that suicide is an indicator of some sort of poor or troubled mental process. I don't particularly agree with many of such opinion, but this is where I open this to all of you. Should the state or medical profession dictate how and when to die? Birth control is no longer an intervention of the state into the lives of citizens in many western European societies nowadays, so why should death be any different? Should suicide be a personal decision, or is it advised to influence another person's decision?
2 people like this
2 responses
@GemmaR (8517)
•
28 May 12
I am from a country where it is not legal to take your own life or to help other people take theirs, and I honestly don't know why this should be the case. I believe that our lives are our own, and that we should have the choice about whether we want to die or not. However, I don't believe that if people are thinking about killing themselves they would be put off by the fact that it is illegal; as if they were to die then they wouldn't have to be here to worry about the consequences anyway. But I don't know why there is a specific law about this, as it is nobody else's business what we choose to do with our own lives.
@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
28 May 12
The questions raised attract quite a lot of heated discussions from different quarters. The issue is one of extreme controversy and opinions differ largely due disagreements in plenty. Though personal liberties and freedom are highlighted there is little unified opinion on this issue. There is much ground for thought and debates till a viable solution is arrived upon at some point of time.
