Hey, it worked for abortion so now I guess pro-euthanasia folks are going to try the same gambit. Arguing for euthanasia, one doctor in Scotland argued that euthanasia must be legalized so as to prevent “Back Street” alternatives. Ha!
Here’s the quote in case you don’t believe me:
One GP, who has helped his patients to die, described the moral challenges of carrying out the procedure, claiming it helped safeguard against sharp rises in requests.
Another likened the process to abortion, saying the “back-street” alternatives were worse for patients.
Worse how?
I mean what’s the downside of botched “back street” euthanasia? They live?
I love the newly coined terminology though of “back street” euthanasia. One must assume, I guess, that all this euthanasia is being performed in the “back street” because the “back alley” was too crowded with abortions.
Look, when it comes to abortion one could argue that while killing the baby is fine in their eyes, legalizing it at least helps to prevent harm coming to the mother. It doesn’t but I’ve heard the argument. But what’s the similar argument behind “back street” euthanasia?
Is there really a problem of great numbers of “back street” euthanization? Is there a problem that people are jumping off buildings like stage jumpers at a Billy Ray Cyrus concert (oddly enough with similar intentions)?
But since we’re talking about people killing themselves and the only downside being that they might live is this a huge problem? Or is it that they might jump out of a building and land on someone or land on someone’s car? In fact, that reminds me that last week a young man named Tom Magill jumped out of a New York City building but his fall was broken by a car. He lived. But the owner of the car, who may have instantly become an opponent of back street euthanization, said of her car: “I miss it. It’s my baby…I want to meet [Tom Magill] and say, ‘Why? Why my car out of all the cars in the city?’”
Sweet girl, huh? Note to the car owner: I don’t think he was aiming for it. It kinda’ came up on him all of a sudden like.
But presumably, we must all work together as a society to ensure that people who want to kill themselves don’t land on cars that people have paid a lot of money for? Is that really enough of a reason to legalize euthanasia? I guess there’s nothing dignified about landing in the back seat of a Dodge with your fibia turned to instant Jell-o. But I don’t see much dignity in guys with medical degrees dripping poison into my veins for thousands of dollars in medical bills.
And that is the real issue here. When someone paints the walls with their medulla oblongata or fails to leap tall buildings in a single bound, nobody profits. That’s what has really ticked some off. Nobody’s making money off of it. If euthanasia becomes legal, then there are profits to be made.
Look, if you’re pro-euthanasia just say you don’t particularly care for humanity that much. OK? Don’t try to make it a safety issue. It’s kind of laughable.
September 7, 2010 at 9:11 pm
Remember the Back Street Boys? I'm glad they were finally legalized.
But I'm really trying to picture such an euthanasia in a back street. What do you have to do, walk up to some guy, hand him 500$ and let him stab you for it? I can see how this is bad, he may not have the anatomical knowledge to do it properly. He might even be an immigrant, taking honest work away from honest doctors. That needs to be fixed.
September 7, 2010 at 9:35 pm
People save up pain medications, psych medications, and try to take enough to die. There are websites and organizations which advise people in how to kill themselves, rather more gently and privately than by jumping out a window.
Maybe they don't die but wind up brain damaged.
Maybe they live but have serious liver damage, which compromises their cancer treatment. Maybe they live but have nerve damage which increases their pain.
I don't think for a minute that any of this justifies the corruption of doctors into the accesories of deliberate murder.
But lets just be clear what we are talking about.
Susan Peterson
September 8, 2010 at 3:19 am
The Onion did a dark humor piece on this, maybe two years ago…? Of course, that was SATIRE….
September 8, 2010 at 4:28 am
In my city we have lots of back street euthanasia. It's called mugging and gang warfare.
September 8, 2010 at 11:59 am
Right, Old Bob. Perhaps gangs should relabel themselves "back street euthanizers." Could help with pr.
September 8, 2010 at 12:14 pm
OK – I see the quote, so I kind of believe you, but there's no link or reference to a story where the quote came from… The same with your post on "monkey cognition" in which you quote directly from some Wall Street Journal article, but don't provide a reference to the actual article itself. Am I missing something? Is this not necessary anymore? Because I've noticed it on other blogs and online pro-life "news" publications as well.
Peace,
CZ
September 8, 2010 at 1:17 pm
http://www.bournelocal.co.uk/news/national-news/doctors_fear_helping_patients_die_1_1105895
September 8, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Chelsea: It's easy, copy a passage from the quote and paste it to Google. It will most likely find the article.
Of course, you're right in that a link should be provided.
September 8, 2010 at 3:43 pm
any less ignorant pro-lifers here actually remember that euthanasia is NOT committed under the same conditions as the many creative suicide methods?
victims of euthanasia normally are pressured by extreme medical circumstances before caving in to the convenient choice. that happens to also be why they normally don't have the guts to die spilling their guts (literally), but opt for a less painful way to die.
this is where the backstreet boys might give them a run for their money (NOT because they might survive and end up being able to run, which most terminal patients aren't capable of usually…) – by giving them a botched PAINFUL euthanasia.
note: this is by no means in support of euthanasia as an elective procedure (which, if ever legalised, would only be made available to terminal patients cleared by medical ethics boards), but i can't stand fellow pro-lifers spouting such incredible rhetoric. there's gotta be someone here who has personally had a run in with euthanasia before, no? satire fails when it simply exudes ignorance.
September 8, 2010 at 6:25 pm
Thanks, Jonathan!
Anonymous – I know how to look stuff up – I really just wanted to point that out to Matt in case it was something he overlooked since I know he normally does provide links. But I do know another site that hardly ever provides links or references to the sources it gets information from, which drives me crazy – especially when they quote those sources directly. I asked them about it once and they apparently don't see anything wrong with it.
September 8, 2010 at 9:43 pm
No more back alley death of any sort.
No more back alley crying; we ought to weep in front of professionals who know how to wipe away our tears.
But perhaps we ought to get rid of all back streets altogether since nothing good ever happens in them.
September 8, 2010 at 11:39 pm
How does killing oneself legally be okay and not effect your insurance claims? Isn't there something in life insurance policies about if there's suicide the policy is null and void? or am I off the mark? Is it not all just idiocy? Is euthanasia a legal loophole through which one must jump in order to keep the policy legit? And, I do not believe for one minute doctors and patients alike won't find some stupid reason after another to reasonably conclude the patient's right to euthanize themselves, real or imagined terminal illness. Let this one reason "terminal illness" be the rule of thumb, and it won't always be the rule. It will be a slippery slope.
September 9, 2010 at 1:35 am
Do you remember the scene from The Incredibles where the lawyer of the man suing Mr. Incredible says, "His actions, so called," stopped the man from killing himself? And that was the end of the super heroes. Well, we can bend to those who don't want someone interfering with his/her death, or we can continue in the 2000+ year church tradition of trying to save souls from desperation. I vote for the latter. Call me Elastagirl!!!