Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Neocon who wrote (7381)	3/5/2001 10:32:47 AM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

As far as refusing to respect his wishes goes, it is a matter of conscience for the individual. I did not mean to suggest that anyone should be obligated to assist in a suicide if that were against his conscience. Only that the suffering person should not be denied if a willing helper were available. There are too many people, though, who, when depressed, sought to take their own life, were prevented, and were later glad to have the opportunity to finish their business in this life for me to take the mere expression of wishes as final. Well, of course not. I had in mind something like terminal cancer, intractable pain, an no pressing business remaining in life. It is almost impossible to distinguish murder in such an instance. It's also almost impossible to distinguish car sabotage by a skilled person. So what? If you have a patient who has long stated wishes not to be allowed to suffer to an assortment of friends and relatives, a consensus among them that the person's wish to die has a sound basis, a doctor who acknowledges there's nothing more he can do to help, what's the risk? Besides, it does nothing against the "pressure to die" problem. I'm more sympathetic to that problem. We must never lose our reverence for an individual's choice to live. If someone wants to burn up his children's inheritance to stay alive a bit longer, I support that right without qualification. I also think keeping him alive against his wishes under those circumstances is theft. Karen