Assisted suicide

Liberty and Death:
A manifesto concerning an individual's
right to choose to die

By Derek Humphry
24 March 2009

In a spirit of compassion for all, this manifesto proclaims that every competent adult has the incontestable right to humankind’s ultimate civil and personal liberty -- the right to die in a manner and at a time of their own choosing.

Whereas modern medicine has brought great benefits to humanity, it cannot entirely solve the pain and distress of the dying process.

Each person deals with death in their individual way. Which way is determined by their health, their ethics, and personal living conditions.

The degree to which physical pain and psychological distress can be tolerated is different in all humans. Quality of life judgments are private and personal, thus only the sufferer can make relevant decisions.

Persuasion or provocation to the act of self-killing are deplorable and should be punished according to relevant laws. ‘Suicide’ no longer being a crime, it is unacceptable to prosecute well-meaning people for ‘assisted suicide’.

Medically hastened death by request should be made lawful as it is now in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and the American states of Oregon and Washington (each has different rules).

Choosing to hasten death by self-starvation and dehydration should be accompanied by palliative care. Electing to die by terminal sedation is also a choice provided it is freely made by the patient.

Advance Directives (Living Wills) and Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care must be respectfully considered by medical professionals at all times.

Views on the dying process contrary to those expressed in this manifesto are respected, but must not trump the autonomy of the dying person’s own decisions.

reaction:

I found myself with many mixed feelings. I found myself often feeling bad for the patients , doctors dealt with but more often felt sorry for them that they should be responsible for so many deaths. It is a sad road to travel on when faced with a terminal disease. It includes many harsh realities and many are not prepared to deal with their illness.   There are many aspects I chose to look at when preparing to write this paper. A person's self-worth is one and also the doctor's evaluation of a person's self-worth. I chose to take my own personal stand on the issue, which includes my own opinions, feelings, and thoughts on the many controversies surrounding Euthanasia. I also chose to write about the "Slippery Slope" for I find it to be a very relevant and useful tool in looking at the topic of Euthanasia.