Death sentence and euthanasia

[Atticus]

Suppose there's a man in death row who finds out he has cancer that is likely to terminate his life very painfully. He wants to be euthanasiasized (probably not a word, but you understand anyway ).

Tell what is your stance on death sentence, euthanasia, and whether you'd grant his wish.

 

[Arwon]

I absolutely do not support the death penalty. I do however support the right to die, and given that, I don't see why a prisoner should be treated any differently in medical terms than anyone else.

 

[Atticus]

Yes, there aren't gioing to come very interesting answers from people with these views. I'm more curious of those who are pro death penalty and against euthanasia.

 

[Borachio]

I oppose euthanasia, the death penalty, and all other criminal punishment*. So, it would seem, I have less than nothing interesting to say.


edit: *rehabilitation is the only rational option.

 

[Leoreth]

I must second Arwon's boring position I'm afraid.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

If the state is going to kill the person anyway... what's the difference?

But if this doctor-assisted suicide where the prisoner has rights that non-prisoners do not (as in MS sufferers who have lobbied for the right to doctor-assisted suicide), then no. Let them suffer. Or move the sentence up.

 

[JollyRoger]

If he has been put on death row he has given up his right to die. /lolbertarian sweet 16 rant

 

[History_Buff]

I absolutely do not support the death penalty. I do however support the right to die, and given that, I don't see why a prisoner should be treated any differently in medical terms than anyone else.

Quite.

 

[ELITEOFWARMAN8]

Yes X3. I don't know what you people love criminals so much on this forum for .

 

[Borachio]

From Euthanasia Report Around Australia - (Vol.26 No.1 2011):

Rather than legalizing doctor assisted suicide, bi-partisan support is needed for a national suicide prevention program, modeled on the successful NZ program, just as similar campaigns have cut the rate of road fatalities and cigarette smoking.

Seven leading Australian suicide prevention organisations behind Breaking the Silence have called for this program, including; Lifeline, The Inspire Foundation, OzHelp Foundation, Centre for Mental Health Research at the ANU, Suicide Prevention Australia, the Salvation Army and the Brain and Mind Research Institute.

5. Legalising assisted suicide while running national suicide prevention campaigns is like abolishing speed limits while running a campaign to reduce the road toll. Supporting legalizing assisted suicide is inconsistent with Prime Minister Gillard’s announced $277 million allocation for the prevention of suicide.

6. Legalising medically assisted suicide says to young people suffering depression that it’s OK to commit suicide, undermining the numerous underfunded organisations working to help people at risk of suicide.

7. Australia’s suicide figures peaked at the time the NT attempted to legalise medically assisted suicide in the mid-1990s. It appears that the more laws suggest that it is OK to suicide the more depressed, vulnerable people actually do commit suicide.

8. The AMA is opposed to medically assisted suicide. They don’t want doctors to be turned into killers.

 

[classical_hero]

So it is wrong for the government to punish the most serious crimes wit death and yet if you are suffering from as right now a disease that we can't cure, we are willing to allow them to die.

 

[Borachio]

<nvm>

 

[El_Machinae]

It's the terminal cancer and the not the beatings that make him want to commit suicide, right?

 

[History_Buff]

Yes X3. I don't know what you people love criminals so much on this forum for .

Because the death penalty is, at best, ineffective, and at worst, counterproductive.

So it is wrong for the government to punish the most serious crimes wit death and yet if you are suffering from as right now a disease that we can't cure, we are willing to allow them to die.

Exactly.

 

[Arwon]

So it is wrong for the government to punish the most serious crimes wit death and yet if you are suffering from as right now a disease that we can't cure, we are willing to allow them to die.

I am afraid you are badly misusing that emoticon.

 

[Arwon]

From Euthanasia Report Around Australia - (Vol.26 No.1 2011):

I am shocked that an organisation of fundamentalist Catholics are opposed to right to die legislation. Shocked.

 

[Borachio]

Well, I never knew that Catholics were ever in favour.

But I take your point. I just thought they made some good points. And I never knew they were Catholics, anyway. If I had I wouldn't have given the link.

 

[classical_hero]

It's the terminal cancer and the not the beatings that make him want to commit suicide, right?

Things in the past were once considered terminal are now readily treatable. Why do we assume the same won't happen to other diseases?

 

[Murky]

I'm opposed to the death penalty on grounds that it's cruel and unusual punishment.

 

[History_Buff]

Things in the past were once considered terminal are now readily treatable. Why do we assume the same won't happen to other diseases?

Because they won't live forever. The people making the choice for euthanasia are surely aware that a cure might exist in the future. They just think such a thing will not exist in their future. For many cancer patients (those with short expected lifetimes), this is entirely correct.

That we have now exterminated small pox is of no consequence to someone that has it in the 13th century.