Euthanasia

Margo MacDonald seeks to open the debate on the subject of euthanasia.

She has made her position quite clear, sadly the manner of her speech betrays someone with, apparently nothing to live for. My view on this is different, in that I cannot accept the principle of assisted suicide, which is nothing of the sort. As soon as someone else is involved it becomes murder, or any variation thereof, as by definition suicide is taking one’s own life.

This brings me to the next premise. Is it acceptable for someone to demand that someone else kills them? I think not, as it violates the principle of the sanctity of life.

For those who argue that a person, who has a right to life, must surely have a right to die, it is not as simple as that. You see, while it may be difficult to argue against the right to die (and for those able bodied, the opportunity always exists) it is only a short step from the right to die to an implied, or even explicit duty to die so as not to be a burden on, family, friends or society at large.

For those who say that safeguards must be put in place, let me point you to various parts of the world where euthanasia is becoming routine. We do not want to go there.

You also need look no further than our country and the abortion act to see how what was proposed as a last resort to be used only in exceptional circumstances has become (without any change in the law) abortion on demand as a means of contraception.

No, we must resist the proposals put forward by Margo MacDonald and espoused by various Liberal Lords MP’s and MSP’s (Joffe, Harris and Purvis come to mind). The answer is to ensure that everyone who needs it receives the highest possible quality of palliative care so that people suffering from terminal illnesses do indeed die with dignity, That is what I am fighting for.