- Calendar
- Map
- Site Feedback
- IDEA Sites
- Languages
- Projects
- Digital Freedoms
- 2012 Presidential Debates Guide
- Asia Youth Forum
- Big Apple Cogers
- Debate@Europe
- Debate Changing Europe
- Debate in the Neighborhood
- Debating and Producing Media
- Debating the Future of Youth in Africa and Europe
- Digital Debating Blog
- Free Speech Debate
- Global Youth Forum
- Global Debate and Public Policy Challenge
- International Public Policy Forum
- Online Mentoring
- The Freedom Series
- Youth and Sports Mega-Events
Should Tony Nicklinson be allowed to die?
Should Tony Nicklinson be allowed to die?
Euthanasia is an emotive subject. Later today Tony Nicklinson, 58 from Wiltshire in the UK, will be told by the High Court whether doctors will be free to assist him dying without being prosecuted for carrying out his wish. Nicklinson has had locked in syndrome since he was paralysed from the neck down as a result of a stroke in 2005. Because he is paralysed this is not a case where he could take his own life, and because he is conscious it not a case of turning off a life support machine, in short under current UK law any doctor helping him to die would most likely be committing murder.
Nicklinson himself is determined that he should be allowed to die and has stated "A decision going against me condemns me to a 'life' of increasing misery." He does not wish to live the remaining 20 years or so of his life that he could otherwise expect. Even if the decision goes his way it will not be the final result as the decision, whichever way it goes, will be appealed.
Nicklinson himself argues "I have locked-in syndrome and it makes my life a living nightmare.
I cannot speak and I am also paralysed below the neck, which means I need someone to do everything for me...
It cannot be acceptable in 21st Century Britain that I am denied the right to take my own life just because I am physically handicapped...
For most people the debate is often remote from ordinary lives but for me, the debate on assisted dying is truly a matter of (an unhappy) life and (a pain-free) death. The next stroke could affect you or a loved one; would you be happy to end up like me?" Read the full article by Nicklinson at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
Debatabase debate: This House believes that assisted suicide should be legalised
40 weeks 1 day ago
I am for Euthanasia; the idea that there is a slippery slope is overblown, it would certainly be possible to create a framework that allows assisted suicide but makes it difficult enough that no one will ever feel pressured into suicide when they dont actually want to. Just like the length of time between sentencing and excecution on death row in the United States there would be a considerable period of time to allow someone to change their mind and for others to challenge it to make sure it really is their choice. It would make sense to make it so that the person wanting to commit suicide has to do something similar to Nicklinson; fight a court battle or something similar to allow it as this would help demonstrate their resolve.
40 weeks 10 hours ago
- Login or register to post comments
- Login to reply
I have always been in two minds on Euthanasia. In individual cases I certainly agree that these people who are suffering should be allowed the right to choose how they die if it prevents suffering then why not.
Yet the risk of the 'slippery slope' is a very good reason to keep euthanasia illegal. Even to allow it in a few cases may be the thin end of the wedge and in a society which is aging the potential for those who are elderly or disabled feeling pressurised into it because they feel a burden is very real. Though that said if someone needs to go through multiple court cases before they can engage in assisted suicide then you would think that this would not be too much of a problem.
In short I am still to be convinced off the fence on this big moral issue.