The Right to Die
The other night a documentary aired on Britain’s television and it was the actual last moment of Craig Ewert. Mr. Ewert actually died in 2006 at a clinic in Zurich. Craig Ewert traveled to this clinic because it is illegally to assist, counsel, and procure suicide. This places many individuals in a compromising position, Craig Ewert stated: “If I go through with it, I have death. If I don’t go through with it, my choice is essentially to suffer and to inflict suffering on my family, and then die.” That statement is a reflection of the how the individual feels about their right to die. Craig Ewert’s wife was not prosecuted for helping her husband travel to Zurich and recently another family assisted their son in traveling to Diginistas, a clinic located in Switzerland. This family was not charged due to public interest. As well, last month a young woman of the age 13, decided to forgo a heart transplant and die at home with her family. The parents did not object to her decision rather the hospital. The hospital threatens to send the parents to jail for neglect and not acting in the child’s best interest. The hospital also threatens to take legal action to receive a court order to force a transplant. Therefore, the question, is it ever right to end your life? Is my life truly my own or rather is it in the best interest of the government. If I decided to cut my hair no one would question my actions. If I decided to fly to Paris someone might wonder why yet, they may not question my actions. If I decide to forgo medical treatment someone might question my decision but it is predicated upon the end result. The reality is we will all die. No one can argue or question that statement. If I am a religious person I may believe that I am going to heaven or hell yet, I am content with my decision. So what interest does the government have with this decision? The British government has decided to forgo treatment for patients due to the fact that they are going to die based on evidence care. The individuals life is not work the amount of money it would take to prolong the person life if only for six months. The person may only need six months to prepare for death and an individual such as Craig Ewert may not need another day to live their life. So, if the government may decide to stop treating an individual that is dying then why is the individual unable to make that determination.
KIRK
Article titled: TV Broadcast of an Assisted Suicide Intensifies a Contentious Debate in Britain
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/world/europe/11suicide.html?_r=1&ref=health
Article titled: Britain Debates a Child's Right to Choose Her Own Fate
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/13/AR2008111303879.html?hpid=moreheadlines
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1 comment:
Only a passing comment. If a guy is finished with his life, then he needs no government approval or disapproval to wrap things up. This is the most foolish argument that I've heard in years...wanting government approval to commit suicide.
For a number of years, I keep reading these discussions, the political arguments, the special interest groups, and even international agenda groups now.
I find it amazing that with a thousand ways of committing suicide, none of these people are satisfied...and want an officially approved government standard in place to let thing happen officially. You might as well as for one method of changing baby diapers or one method of accepted drunkenness.
So, frankly, I'm just not buying into the argument or discussion. This is a "right" without much weight...and we'd all be better off if we simply did what was necessary when the time came...without government assistance or government approval.
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