Posted on 07/04/2011 9:39:26 AM PDT by wagglebee
People born with disabilities who ‘lose the will to live’ would be eligible to end their lives under controversial new legislation proposed for the Scottish Parliament.
This is the second attempt by Margo MacDonald MSP to legalise assisted suicide. Her first bill was roundly rejected by the Scottish Parliament.
But the Independent MSP now intends to table a new bill which critics have branded “utterly irresponsible”.
Dangers
Mrs MacDonald has also suggested that people suffering from chronic conditions, but who do not have a terminal illness, should be able to get medical help to end their lives.
And she suggested that people who become disabled should also be able to opt for an assisted suicide.
However, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland warned: “This dramatic widening of the terms of the euthanasia debate highlights its terrible dangers. Yet it is the inevitable slope down which we would slide if we allow doctors to kill their patients.
Kill
“The scale of innocents who could be killed in Scotland would be massive if the disabled, people with chronic but not life-threatening conditions and those simply tired of life become part of the pool of candidates for death.”
But Mrs MacDonald said: “If their regime is acceptable to them and they’re enjoying their life, even with the limitations that they may have to put up with, nothing changes. The legislation is only enabling and if they don’t want to enable it, they don’t.
“But for people who are born with a disability, if they get to 16 or 18, or whatever we settle at, why should they be treated with any less respect for the decisions they make”.
Pressured
Last month a new survey by a leading disability charity said that changing the law to legalise assisted suicide would result in disabled people being pressured to kill themselves.
Scope’s survey revealed that 70 per cent of those with a disability felt that such a change would create pressure for disabled people to “end their lives prematurely”.
And more than a third expressed concern that they would personally experience such pressure.
Scope’s survey revealed that 70 per cent of those with a disability felt that such a change would create pressure for disabled people to “end their lives prematurely”.
And little do the realize that it eventually won't even be a choice.
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Eff that, you Devil Worshipers...
Yep. I was just discussing this the other day with my family--we were talking about the Netherlands. It's a concept that may sound good to some in theory, but in practice, given the strain on health care systems, it's pure evil.
Anybody who is depressed, for example after losing a spouse, child, parents and so forth need counseling, not death.
And she suggested that people who become disabled should also be able to opt for an assisted suicide.
This is downright chilling. Especially when the government decides to exercise this option, which they may do eventually.
However, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland warned: “This dramatic widening of the terms of the euthanasia debate highlights its terrible dangers. Yet it is the inevitable slope down which we would slide if we allow doctors to kill their patients.
I'm not Catholic, but I agree completely. Eloquent.
But Mrs MacDonald said: “If their regime is acceptable to them and they’re enjoying their life, even with the limitations that they may have to put up with, nothing changes. The legislation is only enabling and if they don’t want to enable it, they don’t.
It always starts out that way.
Scope’s survey revealed that 70 per cent of those with a disability felt that such a change would create pressure for disabled people to “end their lives prematurely”.
This is just awful. Terrible.
“People born with disabilities who ‘lose the will to live’ would be eligible to end their lives....”
.
Will Medicare cover it?
Let the Scots choose to seat a new group of Parliamentarians who don't want to murder the Scots.
So the question become this:
We have people that truly physically and mentally disabled to a point the can not support themselves
So does the liberal state accept there choice to live with their limitations? or are they seen as a burden and told to do the "right thing" and end it all
And yet
We have people that are physically and mentally able to support themselves but chose not to
So does the liberal state accept there choice to live with their self imposed limitations? or are they seen as a burden and told to do the "right thing" and go to work
Why do I get the impression the liberal state will encouraged the disabled to die so the liberal state can support the abled but lazy to play
She looks morbidly obese. Off with her head.
I think Ms McDonald suffers from terminal moral bankruptcy. Maybe she could be convinced how worthless her life has become. Why continue such a meaningless existence?
How will assent/consent be obtained? How will intent be measured?
This a really bad idea on so many levels. What is with these culture of death folks?
Let them move to Muslim countries. They'll fit in well there.
Agree, option will become obligation.
Duty to Die FR thread.
One tidbit from linked article:Telegraph UK:
Imagine that you have lung cancer. It has been in remission, but tests show the cancer has returned and is likely to be terminal. Still, there is some hope. Chemotherapy could extend your life, if not save it. You ask to begin treatment. But you soon receive more devastating news. A letter from the government informs you that the cost of chemotherapy is deemed an unjustified expense for the limited extra time it would provide. However, the government is not without compassion. You are informed that whenever you are ready, it will gladly pay for your assisted suicide.Think that's an alarmist scenario to scare you away from supporting "death with dignity"? Wrong. That is exactly what happened last year to two cancer patients in Oregon, where assisted suicide is legal.
Barbara Wagner had recurrent lung cancer and Randy Stroup had prostate cancer. Both were on Medicaid, the state's health insurance plan for the poor that, like some NHS services, is rationed. The state denied both treatment, but told them it would pay for their assisted suicide. "It dropped my chin to the floor," Stroup told the media. "[How could they] not pay for medication that would help my life, and yet offer to pay to end my life?" (Wagner eventually received free medication from the drug manufacturer. She has since died. The denial of chemotherapy to Stroup was reversed on appeal after his story hit the media.)
Margo MacDonald suffers from Parkinsons disease.
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