Switzerland is the symbol of one of the most beautiful countries in the world, but now it is changed the image to be that of ‘suicide tourism’ for foreign tourists. How Swiss people express their feeling and vote for the law. As we see in the article “Swiss city of Zurich to vote on ‘suicide tourism’ laws” on BBC News (Foulkes, 2011).
The vote are taken place in Zurich, people have to make decision of two topics; the 1st topic is to retain the law of assistant suicide legally in Zurich or to abrogate it. The 2nd topic is to reserve this right for Zurich residents only. The result of 1st topic is positively support by Zurich people who think that human has the right to choose how and when to die.The assistant will conduct by providing drug. However the 2nd topic’s result which showed from the polls that they’re not welcome the foreigners to come for using this service in Zurich. The assistant suicide in Zurich has been legally over 10years but recently Zurich is called as a ‘suicide tourism’ , it’s popular for ill people who travel long way from another country such as Germany, France or Britain to use this assistant suicide service because it’s illegal in their countries. Sutter, Switzerland’s biggest assistant suicide organization tells us the approval procedure that the authority person will check all information of patient including medical history, patient’s interview with the family are conducted seriously for several times. He points out the government of each country should support their sick people by issue the assistant suicide as a legal law.
First of all, I agree that human has the right to choose what they want to do. They have the right to do lots of thing such as; to vote, to express the ideas, so I agree that they should have the right to call for death. In addition, if you put yourself in their shoes imagine when you have severe sickness and must lay down in bed as vegetable, and then you already try your best to fight with the sickness but psychically are not support to be alive. The assist suicide can be one option to release the painfulness. Some country support the assistant suicide as an legal law such as; Netherlands, Oregon (USA). Moreover, the financial is the most important issue. Some patient has to sell everything or borrow the money to pay for the treatment and they don’t want to be burden for their offspring to take care of them. To sum up, I agree human should have the right to choose when and how they want to die.
References
Foulkes I. (2011, May 13). Swiss vote could call time on 'suicide tourism'. BBC News. Retrieved May 16, 2011 from
Switzerland: Zurich votes to keep assisted suicide. (2011, May 15). BBC News. Retrieved May 16, 2011 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13405376
Foulkes I. (2011, May 13). Swiss vote could call time on 'suicide tourism'. BBC News. Retrieved May 16, 2011 from
Art,
ReplyDeleteI also found that article interesting when I read it this morning. I'm glad the Swiss decided to continue supporting the right to self-determination, even to choosing the hour of your own death for whatever reason - not all people who travel to Switzerland or who chose euthanasia at home do to because they are sick and dying. People give different reasons for their decision that it's time to die. The knighted British composer Sir Edward Downes, for example, decided to die with his wife earlier this year because he did not want to live on alone after she died ("Suicide couple". 2009).
References
Suicide couple reignite debate. (2009, July 14). BBC News. Retrieved May 16. 2011 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8150587.stm
I think the assist suicide is suitable with patients who are near the end of their lives and are suffering with pain, but it is morally wrong for other cases. For example, people who want to escape problems or feel lonely and think that the life is worthless. They believe that the best way to solve problem is suicide, but in fact every problem has a solution and the suicide is not a good alternative. They should be conscious to consider the cause of issue and look for the right solution.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the religion, the suicide is the ultimate sin. Is it right or wrong for patients who are severe illness?
P'Art ^@^
ReplyDeleteHuman begins are better than animals because we have the right to life or die.For euthanasia case,the topic is debated in many of times,and almost countries deny to legalize euthanasia. However,the government of Netherland ,Belgium,and following with switzerland realize that we should respect in his/her decision. And there is no hope for healing. then Family,doctor and especially law should let him/her go. The "human vegetable" is sitll human ,right?,So he/she has the right to die because of human right. his/her suffering should not hold by the Power of law. In addition,if family does not ready -financial problem etc.- to handle with this kind of situation,the patient will be inescapably obligation. the situation gonna be worst. However,some people disagree with this because the patient has the right to life too, even if he/she cannot be conscious anymore. they also think it is so cruel to give death. But this is what the patient really want?
reference
http://ask.yahoo.com/20030710.html
In her comment on religious teachings, Kukik raises a question that Law addresses in his essay (May 16, 2011 9:48 PM).
ReplyDeleteHow would Law answer Kukik's question on religion? Is he right?
Hi! P'Art
ReplyDeleteI partly agree with you. In my opinion, this law could influence people to suicide. For example, when some people get a problem and they can not find the way out then, they might think about suicide. This case can increase the number people who want to suicide around the world, especially, teenager. However, I agree that people who are painful from accidents or diseases could use this law. In conclusion, doctors should be careful when they use this method to their patients.
Kukik
ReplyDeleteAs Law tells us, Christians read the Bible differently. This means that statements in the Bible are understood differently; also the statements about suicide are understood differently. You can’t trust everything from the Bible if so many people understand it differently. Similarly, people need to be careful about believing statements about suicide being the ultimate sin. Different people choose to believe different things about the Bible. For example, as Law points out, the Bible talks about eating meat, having slaves, Bible tells us the good and bad thing for us to believe.(cites from Appeals to the Bible chapter,p137). Unfortunately, the people who wrote the Bible didn't recognize their bad advise It is common today for people to ignore the uncomfortable or bad side to the Bible while paying attention to the good side of the Bible. Slaves and suicide are both sins to some people and not sins to others
Oat
ReplyDeleteI think you mean the suicide will be increased by teenager, am I right? This suicide service is not for the one who can’t find out the solution from their problems. As I mentioned from my post, this assistant suicide is reserved for one who has serious sickness and the doctor has to read and proof lots of evidence before they allow he/she to die. That’s made patients felt happy because they can see and talk with their offspring before he/she die.
Art
ReplyDeleteA lot of patiens suffer from their disorders such as cancer, HIV. Most relatives don't let their familly's member died peaceful. They ask the doctor to save patients' lives whatever it take to do that. Patients suffered from the treatment such as Kemo and so on. Their weights are rapidly reduce and they don't have any appetite to eat food. I think patients have a right to make decision themselves whether they want to live or not.
Pree's comment reminded me of an aunt's death from liver cancer 15 years ago - it was horrible, and even though they knew the treatment would not significantly extend her life, just make her more miserable for the little time she had left, everyone insisted that the doctors go through with the radiation and chemotherapy.
ReplyDeleteI didn't say anything, but I thought it was a dreadful mistake to inflict that on her - much better to have made her days as comfortable and independent as possible to allow her to enjoy them with her children and other family.
My father also had cancer many years ago, but his was treatable, and although the treatment was still severe (surgery, radiation and chemo again), it was also successful, so in his case, it was the right choice. He lived many more years, dying not in a hospital hooked up to machines after months of pain, discomfort, isolation and indignity, but quickly and peacefully at home with his family.
I think it's a most personal decision, and one where everyone should have the full legal right to make the choice they seems best to them, rather than being forced to comply with other people's prejudices about what is right or wrong (most often religiously inspired prejudices that are wrong and morally unsupportable).
Sometimes children don’t want their parent s to die, because they love parents so much. Everyone loves their family but it does depend on case by case that you prefer them to live with pain or die peacefully. For example, patients don’t want to die. They are perseverance to live and want to fight with sickness. They might have small kids to take care, so I agree that they have the right to live, but in another case from my close friend, whom father just passed away due to cancer disease last week, she choose to let her father died peacefully after his heart stopped beating, doctor asked her that she needs them to do CPR to help him again or not. She told me her answer was it’s better to let him go with no pain because his life was full of pain, depress.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Pree and Peter, we should respect their decision, we can’t judge that it’s sin to let your parents die or why patients want to suicide themselves but not fight with sickness. When I hear old age people say they want to die quick and peace, I think that’s a dream. I hope Thai government can think more about the human right, so we might have the assistant suicide service in the future.