Terry Pratchett begins formal process to end his life

Blastr ^ | June 13, 2011 | Carol Pinchefsky

[Abin Sur]

Three and a half years ago, Terry Pratchett, the beloved author of the Discworld series, announced that he has early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Now he's made an even more startling announcement.

Pratchett, who has campaigned in his native United Kingdom for the right of assisted suicide, has begun the formal process of assisted suicide in Switzerland, one of the few countries in the world to legalize euthanasia. Specifically, this would take place at Dignitas, a clinic that provides qualified doctors and nurses to assist with the patients' suicides.

Dignitas has sent Pratchett the paperwork he needs to sign to begin the assisted suicide process—but he has yet to sign it.

[Abin Sur]

Wrong again. We ARE NOT talking about suicide, we are talking about euthanasia (yes I know they call it "assisted suicide," but that is just a euphemism to sell it) and another person is involved be design.

It's fair to bring up the distinction between suicide and euthanasia, but my larger point stands. In Mr. Pratchett's case, no one is initiating force against an unwilling party, whereas in the examples you gave (murder, rape, and armed robbery) someone is...thus, they are invalid analogies.

[Abin Sur]

Character 1: "Bradbury. (condescending sniff). I'm aware of his work."

Well, to be fair while Bradbury certainly wrote his share of science fiction, his larger body of work is more oriented towards fantasy; he himself said that his only work of science fiction was Fahrenheit 451, and that the Martian Chronicles wasn't SF, but rather was fantasy.

Hence the condescending sniff, I suppose.

[Abin Sur]

Heinlein is the best of that grouping, early/mid Heinlein is really hard to beat. Then Clarke. Asimov would be a ways behind those two for me, but he’s definately a master. Jack Vance is at the top of my list. Anderson, Sturgeon and DeCamp are up there too, but I won’t say they are better than Heinlein.

I've read too many sf & fantasy novels to count, but somehow I've never gotten around to Jack Vance. Which novel would you recommend for a first reading of him?

[Abin Sur]

Suppose the suicide was a family member who took an overdose, and you came upon him/her while he/she was still alive. Would you call 911? Or would that be lowering yourself too much?

If it was analogous to the subject in question (Mr. Pratchett choosing to die after years of consideration in the face of a horrible disease) I would respect their wishes.

[Abin Sur]

So when I gave my Airmen those suicide intervention briefings I was wrong? Perhaps instead of taking that one young lady to the over to "Life Skills" I should have given her a loaded pistol and some "alone time."

1) I presume you used reason rather than force with your Airmen. I don't have the slightest problem with that.

2) Military personnel (in the United States, anyway) have entered a voluntary contract in which they waive some rights. A private citizen has options that an Airman doesn't.

[Revolting cat!]

Dignitas has sent Pratchett the paperwork

Paperwork to kill yourself? I can't tell you how many times paperwork of all kinds nearly drove me to suicide!

[mlizzy]

Watching someone being tortured to death is helpful?

Not just someone, but Jesus Christ. The movie allows one to see how much He suffered for us, so that we don't walk out on Him (suicide) when He allows us to suffer for His sake (and for our own souls).

[RedRover]

Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

[wagglebee]

mlizzy wrote:
a viewing of The Passion of the Christ might be helpful for them

To which you responded:
Watching someone being tortured to death is helpful?

I've got to say that this post just told me everything I need to know about you.

Of course you have no problem with assisted suicide/euthanasia, your problem is with several thousand years of Judeo-Christian teaching against it.

Are you aware that Free Republic is a PRO-LIFE forum?

[wagglebee]

In Mr. Pratchett's case, no one is initiating force against an unwilling party, whereas in the examples you gave (murder, rape, and armed robbery) someone is...thus, they are invalid analogies.

Really? Nobody is initiating anything?

If this is the case why is he going to Dignitas?

Why has Dignitas been under criminal investigation by the Swiss authorities?

[Darksheare]

The argument used by the death worshipping ‘die with dignity suicide is okay’ types is the same argument used by serial murderer Jack Kevorkian.
How interesting, right?

[Darksheare]

Yeah, early 1940’s Germany was good with paperwork too.

[DJ MacWoW]

Mr. Pratchett choosing to die after years of consideration in the face of a horrible disease

If you think disease is horrible just wait until these people get a load of hell.

[wagglebee]

The argument used by the death worshipping ‘die with dignity suicide is okay’ types is the same argument used by serial murderer Jack Kevorkian.
How interesting, right?

The "death with dignity" crowd uses a lot of euphemisms to try to change the meaning of words.

Dignity goes to the core of a person's character and a person with dignity will understand that the sick and dying often don't appear DIGNIFIED, but this doesn't matter because dignity has nothing to do with appearance.

Of one follows the culture of death's mantra Adolf Hitler, who chose the exact time and place of death while dressed in his finest uniform, somehow "died with dignity." In contrast, Jesus Christ, stripped, bloodied, beaten, mocked and nailed to the Cross, did not die with dignity. That's the ONLY POSSIBLE CONCLUSION a person could reach from the culture of death's philosophy. However, the truth is that Hitler didn't have a shred of dignity, while Jesus Christ had more dignity than any of us can even imagine.

[Darksheare]

Exactly.

[chesley]

Let me be clearer then.

Asking anyone to assist in this process, EVEN IF THEY ARE WILLING OR EVEN ENTHUSIATIC, is “dragging” them into the process.

This is a moral decision that you make, and you should take the full responsibility for it.

[wagglebee]

I posted this yesterday, it was written several years ago but it explains perfectly why no "right to die" exists:

Father Frank Pavone: Freedom to Die?

[rollo tomasi]

Why does Pratchett go through Dignitas? There are many ways to kill yourself in the privacy of your own home. Plus, the kicker is that the deed is a lot less expensive then Dignitas.

Look at the "Balls of Steel" Hunter S. Thompson displayed. Pratchett is a wimp and a pansy as well as all those, including yourself, that lobby to get others to do the "wet work". Don't drag the tax payer and people who would subsidize assisted suicide programs through their premiums as well as deductibles to pay for your centralized fantasies.

This is not about dignity, but about establishing a perverted sense of "care" in the medical field. If one was truly dignified, he or she would do their own wet work and leave the medical profession out of the selfish process.

[kaylar]

OK, you didn't ask me, but here's my answer any way:

I like his Lyonnesse trilogy and his Dying Earth series. I recommend both.

[Ransomed]

He won the Hugo for “the Dragon Masters”, but my favourites are probably “the Demon Princes” series, “Planet of Adventure” series and his most famous work, “the Dying Earth”series.

Here’s a general write-up:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/magazine/19Vance-t.html

He’s in his mid 90’s, and has been blind for a while now. The cat can write like no one else though. I have finally pretty much read the whole catalogue. Abe books is awesome for getting cheap used books.

I can’t recommend Vance enough, never read a dog from him, and I’ve pretty much read them all.

Freegards