Dignitas... (9)

'To live with dignity, to die with dignity' ...
I would take these few words to be the mission statement of the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland...
The subject of assisted suicide has been in the news more than once, and I'm going to borrow a couple of lines from author Terry Pratchett, a man who is no stranger to illness and suffering...
"people who have done nothing wrong except contract an illness deserve more than a government who's bravery extends no further than to turn a blind eye"....
I have my own wishes regarding how I leave this world, I want to leave on my own terms and believe there should be a referendum and suitable debate here in Ireland.... It would be interesting to get your opinions...
Would you support or reject legalizing assisted suicide if it were the wish of an individual, be they family or stranger...

Very controversial topic. Personally I agree that people should decide when they leave this mortal realm. I do feel though that it needs to be scrupulously monitored and that people must have an idea when they are fit and healthy if they think this is a route they would like to take and register for it. Otherwise its just open to so much corruption as in families trying to knock off their parents or siblings for monetary profits.

I also believe though that where there's life there's hope, but then I've never held the hand of a loved one battling cancer or any other life threatening illness where the "cure" is often worse than the disease.

I'm for it on a personal basis.

But it would definitely have to be rigidly and independently monitored.

Apart from unscrupulous relatives, future unscrupulous governments could 'encourage ' vulnerable older people to take their own lives.

I have discussed this with my children. If I get to the point where I cannot take care of myself or I get an incurable illness then they have my permission to assist me with my wishes.

I'm not sure I could follow through on a request even from my own parents....I couldn't fathom helping someone taking their own life....it just isn't in me to do it.

But I fully support others reasons or needs to do it...as long as it is closely monitored.

Thank you all for for your input, I think we can all agree that rigorous oversight is a necessity if assisted suicide were to take place, but I'd like to pick up particularly on John's comment.... (sorry John, I don't have your words to hand, and am going from addled memory)... 'What if the person was tired of life itself', 'could they get help to get them past it'...
My story, in the briefest of briefs... My mother took 10 years to die a slow and numb death, I have her condition, I am medicated, but I know what's coming down the line, it might be 5 years or it might be 15 years, but it is coming.. I want to go while I still have my faculties, my senses and my dignity, which as I see it is the core of the debate... I don't need anyone to assist me in something I could easily do myself, where it that the law allowed... This is a discussion I've yet to have with my family, and to be honest, I don't know how it will go down, but I do know, there would be no in-fighting over my estate, it would be as we're discussing here, the ethics of death in life...
The replies are all Irish, (apart from this one), and as we look forward to a referendum on repealing the blasphemy law in an Ireland less driven by church influence, would we be better served having a debate on a matter that might release many from real suffering, and those like myself, who want to get it, before it gets us...