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by tomrod 1713 days ago
No, and I'm not sure how you arrived at that.

I was referencing policies like those in WA, OR, and Europe where people can choose to end their life.

1 comments

Choosing to end one’s own life doesn’t require government policy. Human life is plenty fragile. Anyone that actually wants to die has plenty of reliable options and they will be beyond the reach of secular law afterwards.

From that it follows that euthanasia laws are actually about allowing next of kin or whoever has medical power of attorney to lawfully order the principal’s killing. In the best case this is executing the principal’s express wishes, but in most cases it’s not.

Edit: I’m curious, does anyone actually believe they need the government’s permission to commit suicide? It’s so preposterous a proposition that I’m literally baffled.

Some people are not physically capable of suicide. Some people are technically physical capable but under constant medical care that means they would effectively need collusion from others. Some people believe they shouldn't have to die alone and want the choice to have their family or others around them without leaving their family exposed to criminal charges. Some people simply believe they should have access to reliable, comfortable and painless deaths with the assistance of a professional.

Most people who attempt suicide fail. Some of this is due to sheer chance (surviving a jump from the Golden Gate Bridge), some of it is failure to understand the means they choose, some of it is due to sheer psychological inability, like people who faint at the sight of blood.

Are you less baffled now?

Try committing suicide while surrounded by family without risking those present to be charged with murder.