Ask Your Question today
Tony Nicklinson, a man with "locked-in syndrome," has been denied by a British court his wish to die from physician-assisted euthanasia. Britain's High Court rejected Nicklinson's and another man's attempts to overturn the country's euthanasia law by refusing to legally allow doctors to end his life. Was the court right to deny his request?
| Yes | 7 | |
| No | 38 |
I understand the need to protect people who find themselves locked in. If it happened to me and I wanted to live, I would be hugely angry at someone taking my life either because they think that's what I want, or because it benefits them to do so.
However, everyone forgets that technology provides a solution. Most locked in people can use their eyes (and interact with technology). All we need to do is provide them the means to choose to commit suicide.
Flash up the question on a monitor and say look up for yes and look down for no. Take humans out of the equation. The only humans involved are ones empowering the locked in person to bring about what they want.
Yes, if power has been taken away from someone, other people can abuse that. I say do the opposite. Give them the power back.
I completely agree with Dappled.
Obviously after countless consultation with the patient however minimal, should be given the option of relieving oneself by the use of a computer system to allow himself to make that decision. The technology is there, he's already using it to communicate with people using eye contact.
Hiya,
Or they could write what they wanted on their talk-boxes. I see no reason why it shouldn't be allowed. Pets can't tell you they're in pain; the same goes for some humans. I still miss my pets, but it would've been more cruel to keep them alive. If pets are put out of their misery why can't humans be ??
I'm severely disabled from birth, with cerebral palsy. Luckily I can talk very well, but a lot of people who have it as severely as I do can't.
I've known a lot of talented, interesting people who were born fine & aren't now. They feel (or felt) bad for me because I’ve never known any different; I feel awful because they have. They eventually got to the stage where they could no longer cope in their own homes, & the places they live in are shocking. Most of the staff don't have a clue & have the silliest ideas ever:. “Right, ________ needs _____ (I'm not referring to medication here) at 10pm.” (I'm sitting there thinking , no, look, _____ is crying, they need ______ now, not when you feel like letting them have it.)
I get to concerts whenever I can with someone taking me. I read & write fantasy stories; I love good food & a good cop show. I've met my favourite singer, who I've thought the sun shone out of for years.
BUT …....
I still feel like Mr. Nicklinson did at least once a week.
The 2 fruitcakes who answered yes deserve to get a very painful disease and be denied euthanasia.
Tony Nicklinson, of Melksham, UK, was left paralysed after suffering a stroke in 2005, at the age of 51. In the years that followed, he started a legal battle for a right to assisted death. On 16 August 2012, his request was turned down by the High Court of Justice; he died a week later on 22 August 2012 at 10:00 BST, after refusing food for up to seven days after learning the outcome of his appeal. He contracted pneumonia, deteriorated rapidly and died peacefully. My condolences to Tony's family, friends and colleagues.