Terry Pratchett makes Assisted Suicide a Libertarian Argument

The Daily Mail ^ | 3 August 2009 | Terry Pratchett

[miltonbradleyfriedman]

Sir Terry said he would be happy to accept help from the medical profession. He said he had no doubt that there were people with a 'passion for caring', but asked them to accept there are people 'who have a burning passion not to need to be cared for'.

[miltonbradleyfriedman]

Author Terry Pratchett, who has early-onset Alzheimers, makes the very libertarian argument of self-determination to allow assisted suicide. He talks about forceful feeding of Alzheimer's patients, and likens it to finding a monster eating a man, and instead of giving the man a peaceful end, tying the monster in bed with him so the fight can continue.

He also discusses the need to make sure people aren't "pushed" to request assisted suicide.

[Lorianne]

Sad to hear such a great writer has this horrible disease.
I think he has a good point but the slippery slope is very slippery.

[Kieri]

I hope Terry doesn’t feel the need to summon Death or Susan too soon.

I’m glad to know he’s still optimistic about human nature, but government has a life and mentality all it’s own. I would NEVER place my endgame in the hands of bureaucrats.

[org.whodat]

Libertarians support any and all hair-brain ideals, who knew???

[miltonbradleyfriedman]

Letting people choose how the end of their life goes is a hare-brained idea? Prosecuting their loved ones for helping them make these decisions?

Sounds like freedom to me...

[ColdWater]

I would NEVER place my endgame in the hands of bureaucrats.

You missed the point. The point is to REMOVE the present government intruding into the 'endgame'.