What do you all think about Euthanasia?

[furbabymum]

This isn't about criminals or capitol punishment, it's about having a choice in how we die and whether someone who helps you go should be considered a criminal.

If this thread was about capitol punishment..... Are there a few innocent people on death row? Probably. But no society is perfect, and at this time it's the best system we have. Every person sitting there on death row was tried and convicted. In my opinion they deserve a very short stay there. Am I harsh? Yes I am. But I totally disagree with any delay in carrying out the sentence. I can't afford to see a doctor and I work like a dog every day. Why should some convicted killer be taken care of on my dime?

Anyone who doesn't like our laws and the way we do things are invited to visit some of the countries I've been and see if you like theirs better.

but anyway... back to the subject; What do you think of euthanasia?

The trouble with capital punishment is that some of the people on death row are innocent. Far too police departments are much more interested in clearing a case than they are in solving it. Sloppy police work and inept defense result in wrongful convictions.

I don't know. I'm pretty jaded. I work for a criminal defense attorney. Every single one of our clients KNOWS they are innocent. Never mind the massive amounts of evidence set against them. Sometimes I can't believe how incredibly guilty these innocent people are. So, I'm sure back before DNA and cell phones people were wrongfully convicted but I'm not so sure that happens now. Not to say innocent poeple aren't charged with crimes. We've had a few who really were innocent but were stupidly in the wrong place at the wrong time. We got them off, of course. Our system really doesn't want to convict people just to convict them.
That was very off topic again. Sorry!
I'm still Pro AS.

 

[oldrooster]

I don't know. I'm pretty jaded. I work for a criminal defense attorney. Every single one of our clients KNOWS they are innocent. Never mind the massive amounts of evidence set against them. Sometimes I can't believe how incredibly guilty these innocent people are. So, I'm sure back before DNA and cell phones people were wrongfully convicted but I'm not so sure that happens now. Not to say innocent poeple aren't charged with crimes. We've had a few who really were innocent but were stupidly in the wrong place at the wrong time. We got them off, of course. Our system really doesn't want to convict people just to convict them.
That was very off topic again. Sorry!
I'm still Pro AS.

Off topic, not 100% of murder and rape cases have a lot of evidence like dna video tapes cell phones to convict people of crimes there are still a few (altho not many) innocent people convicted of those crimes. 1 question, if a doctor over prescribes a narcotic (or sleeping medication) so that you can commit suicide, if you choose to, would that be satisfactory for your definition of assisted suicide?

 

[mom'sfolly]

That would fit my definition of assisted suicide, but; in the case of the person mentioned at the start of this discussion, it wouldn't be enough. This person would have been physically incapable of self administering the prescribed narcotic. To assist in a case like that, a more active role would be required.

We had a case here of assisted suicide/murder followed by suicide of the "murderer". I use these terms loosly, but I think it does counter some of the argument that AS is for the living. This took place at a local nursing home.

 

[teach1rusl]

Once more, this issue is not about your right to kill yourself but about the right of others to kill you. The laws in most countries call that murder and have done for several hundreds of years. People who would like to end their lives because they are intolerably sick or disabled and physically incapable of doing so want laws changed in their own countries so that 'assisted suicide' is legal. The issue is the murder laws, not the suicide laws.

A BIL and I were just discussing this topic last week (however, I just stumbled upon this post today). In our conversation, we discovered that we both believed in assisted suicide. He jokingly (kind of) asked if I'd hold a pillow over his face if his quality of life was gone. I told him I couldn't do something like that because my butt would be thrown in jail for murder.
I wish assisted suicide was legal in the U.S.

 

[furbabymum]

Off topic, not 100% of murder and rape cases have a lot of evidence like dna video tapes cell phones to convict people of crimes there are still a few (altho not many) innocent people convicted of those crimes. 1 question, if a doctor over prescribes a narcotic (or sleeping medication) so that you can commit suicide, if you choose to, would that be satisfactory for your definition of assisted suicide?

I understand that. We have a rape case right now that is very he said she said. Still, I can't believe there are that many wrongfully convicted people, particularly on death row.
Anyway, yes that would be satisfactory SO LONG AS the Dr. knew that was what it was intended for and was not just prescribing medication willy nilly.

 

[oldrooster]

I understand that. We have a rape case right now that is very he said she said. Still, I can't believe there are that many wrongfully convicted people, particularly on death row.
Anyway, yes that would be satisfactory SO LONG AS the Dr. knew that was what it was intended for and was not just prescribing medication willy nilly.

of course, I had heard from an aqaintance that they had a family member who's doctor made sure there where enough meds on hand that if they wish at anytime they could easily od, until it got so close to the end that it would be pointless (they would have suffered do long that a week or week and a half wouldn't make much difference anymore if they lasted that long). The doctor they found out later was one whom believed that one could not over prescribe certain meds to those whom where terminal for either those who wished to live but wanted to be pain free or those who wanted to end their life. Nothing was ever said or suggested by either party why the meds where prescribed somewhat freely but it was clear to the family he wanted to make sure that the family member wouldn't need to suffer either way.

 

[furbabymum]

of course, I had heard from an aqaintance that they had a family member who's doctor made sure there where enough meds on hand that if they wish at anytime they could easily od, until it got so close to the end that it would be pointless (they would have suffered do long that a week or week and a half wouldn't make much difference anymore if they lasted that long). The doctor they found out later was one whom believed that one could not over prescribe certain meds to those whom where terminal for either those who wished to live but wanted to be pain free or those who wanted to end their life. Nothing was ever said or suggested by either party why the meds where prescribed somewhat freely but it was clear to the family he wanted to make sure that the family member wouldn't need to suffer either way.

It's understandable imo.

 

[cassie]

Quote:
I know of at least 17 men on death row that that have been exonerated by DNA evidence in recent years. I have read about several others that were proved to have been innocent of the charges that landed them on death row, but it didn't help them much. They had already been executed.

 

[chickened]

I know of at least 17 men on death row that that have been exonerated by DNA evidence in recent years. I have read about several others that were proved to have been innocent of the charges that landed them on death row, but it didn't help them much. They had already been executed.

Then the problem is with the justice department not the method of punishment.

 

[oldrooster]

Most of the people in my opinion who are against this are because of religious beliefs or they are afraid that the government will choose who they want to die or that a person has changed their mind and cannot communicate their change of mind, or their family will choose death when they would rather live.