(no subject)

[techdragon]

I am having a hard time processing this....

http://cnn.aimtoday.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20041130%2F1754217753.htm&sc=1103&photoid=20010410NY190

EDIT: [AS IN] I can't seem to form an opinion on this subject as presented in the article. I don't know whether or not to be for it or against it - for this specific ideal.

Comments

[kitnish.livejournal.com]

I'm used to having unpopular beliefs. :) I support legal human euthanasia too. While I think life is precious and should be protected, when a person is suffering and in pain with no hope for recovery, who are we really serving by making them live until they die of "natural" causes? Them, or us?

[wolfka.livejournal.com]

I have to admit mine stem from watching my grandpa die a lingering death with lung cancer, as well as, seeing euthanasia being carried out on animals. If it's okay to do to animals why isn't it okay to do to humans? Humans are animals too... no matter what the creationists would like you to believe.

But as i said before - i don't have kids - i do have a pit mix though.. and i know that if he ever gets too sick, or bites someone badly i will have to put him to sleep. I will have to kill him. That is not something i am comfortable with but it is my responsibility. I am sure i will have plenty of people tell me it's "not the same..." and perhaps they are right... but it will still hurt like hell to kill something i love so much.

But this topic like all emotionally charged topics are subject to perception. And how i can equate human life to animal life? I am sure it's not normal... sorry guys, never said i was.

~megan

[techdragon.livejournal.com]

I haven't formed an opinion yet... it is hard for me to process. I support legal human euthanasia when the person is able to make a decision about their own situation. I always think of the worse when 'others' make the decision for them - as in the case of children. People might do it for insurance money or other horrible reason.

Also, medicine is always changing. 15 years ago a child with leukemia had a 10% chance of survival - now that chance is 85%. But that is here is the US not in a third world county? Does that allow those parents to make that sort of decision when it wouldn't even have to be though about in the US?

I just don't know.

[kitnish.livejournal.com]

I guess I was reading the situation there as legalizing euthanasia for babies who will have to live on life support their whole lives, or who are severely deformed and in pain, not just ill children, since the doctor in the article was saying it would only affect about 10 cases a year. It would be a hard thing to regulate. You'd have to rely heavily on doctors making ethical recommendations. I hadn't thought about the insurance angle. I just can't conceive of people who would hurt someone else for money, so it didn't occur to me. :(

[techdragon.livejournal.com]

I think that the article focuses on infants but unfortunately I always think of ...where will this lead to next? Because that's how laws change, by thinking of the next logical step. If you allow the process for an infant on life support what about the two year old, or the three year old?

I hate it but some time I think the worst of what human kind can do. I try not to read the news because I can't get images of human cruelty out of my head. Like the mom, who cut her baby's arms off, in 'post partum depression'. That stuff make me ill... this issue, I have no idea.

I think that responsible parents should have the choice. I also think we should be at a place, medically, that we should know that there is a problem before the baby is born or even before the 3 month abortion cut off date so decision can be made before birth. That is my opinion but it is hard to say.

[bifemmefatale.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, the late-term abortion procedures available to the mother of a child with spina bifida are far more cruel and painful than an injection of sedatives after birth. And prior to the last trimester it can be very difficult to diagnose.

[techdragon.livejournal.com]

See... more information I just didn't know.

ACK! this forming an opinion thing is hard than it looks! :)

[asaka.livejournal.com]

Doing it for the insurance money won't work, though I think people might still try because people are blaring idiots.
Life insurance will not cover intentional death, be it suicide or euthanasia. And often, life insurance will not cover infants because there's suspicion there from the get go.