Death penalty and assisted suicide: the right to die.

[PatrickforO]

Every day, we see a dozen new outrages from these horrible Republican cretins. Since I sometimes weary of adding my minor 2 cents worth to these despicable happenings, I thought it might be fun to introduce a topic for discussion that I know we don't all agree on.

I do this because it seems to me that after November, we will be having some different discussions, and after November 2020, we will quite likely be debating issues like this among ourselves.

So here goes:

I often accuse anti-abortion folks of not being 'pro-life' because how can you be if you don't care about people after they are born?

But, here, in our party, we have what I suspect is a sizable minority of people who are pro-assisted suicide, and pro-death penalty.

In my state, we passed a referendum that made it possible for someone terminally ill, and having six months or less to live, to die by assisted suicide. How this looks on the ground is that you need to get two doctors to sign off on the prescription, which is hard. They want to know if you're of sound mind, if you have thought it through, etc, etc, ect. Personally, I'm for this and think it is fine, but I fear I might not do such a thing due to residual religious upbringing (i.e. fear of consequences in the afterlife for copping out in this one.). Still, it has always irked me that we must have life forced upon us regardless of its quality.

And, as to capital punishment, I'm for it. Because I cannot think of anything, ANYTHING, more cruel than being caged for the rest of my life. I would rather die, because that seems to me more humane. Of course, it should be limited to people we're absolutely sure, due to DNA evidence and witnesses, did the crime. And as to method, I have always believed the more 'humane' ways of execution are actually the most cruel. Lethal injection? The horror. The chair? No.

If I were to be executed, I would want to have it done in the least cruel method possible - either the firing squad or the guillotine. Those, it seems to me, are the most humane because they are instant.

So how do you all feel? Will you bother to comment? Doesn't matter, really. But if you do, that is great.

[TreasonousBastard]

1. I am absolutely against the death penalty but pretty much support the right to die...

I have a huge problem with society deciding you have no right to live, for whatever reason. Society does have the obligation to protect itself from predation, but killing its predators is revenge, not justice.

While I think the right to die is a fundamental right, it is actually more terrifying to society than the occasional homicide. We already have more than enough suicides and attempts than we can adequately deal with-- I personally know of several, only one of which could be attributed to some clinical problem. Can you imagine how many there could be if it became acceptable?

Everyone goes through down times and gets depressed at times. How do we separate passing thoughts of ending it all from the rational decision that one's death is an appropriate action?

[Jake Stern]

2. I oppose the death penalty under all circumstances because

I find the practice barbaric and unneeded with today's Supermax prisons and that feeling is strengthened with each exoneration. The risk is too high that even a so-called "slam dunk" case might turn out to be, after investigation using future techniques, proven wrong.

As for Assisted Suicide, quality of life, not the quantity, should be the criteria for whether or not someone can go through with it. I have known people whose physical symptoms were enough that they had zero quality of life but were not terminal so they couldn't take advantage of the Death With Dignity Act. This is a tragedy, in my opinion.

[ADX]

3. The firing squad is no guarantee of instantaneous death...

...The guillotine is much more efficient.

[Upthevibe]

4. Good post, PatrickforO....

I'm pro-choice because I believe woman should have the right to choose and have control of their bodies. I don't believe that life starts at the point of conception.

I'm against capital punishment.

I'm VERY pro-physician-assisted suicide for those who are terminally ill. It seems like the most compassionate choice for folks who are at the end of their lives.

[smirkymonkey]

5. I am pro-choice and also pro-right to die. However I don't think it should only be for

people who only have six months left to live. There are many people who are terminal who may have years of agony to endure before they finally succumb to their illness. I think that people should be able to choose at any point in their treatment when they have finally have had enough.

I believe in the right to die peacefully and with dignity. Otherwise, many of these people will be forced to take their own lives in a violent and unpleasant manner if they choose not to suffer through the long, painful indignity of their disease.

That is, if they want to end it early. It should never be forced or mandatory. If not allowed the option, terminal patients will just have to go through the pain and agony of a prolonged, painful death while draining their finances and with no hope of recovery. It should be a personal choice and I think the medical community should assist terminal patients who choose to end their lives before they are incapacitated in assuring them a peaceful, dignified death.