Euthanasia. Twins born deaf and sought euthanasia after finding that they would also soon go blind.

[marions ghost]

41. Sometimes

people have different views about what is merciful. This happens when in fact it is not a person's place to make such a judgment, though they are well-meaning and trying to do what they themselves would want. I don't know if I would call it murder--more like a "death wish" where they honestly wish for suffering to be over,
for the "good" of the sufferer --and so they influence the situation, directly or indirectly. I've seen it a few times. And survivors often exhibit denial about the circumstances of death. In one case, I saw it clearly as murder. But murder that would be very difficult to prove. Most people (ie on a jury) are not equipped psychologically to evaluate such a borderline situation. Certainly there is opportunity for those whose intentions are not good, to take advantage of a person who has a death wish. And easily get away with it. Easily.

I'm just saying that assisted suicide is a slippery slope. Not every case is so cut and dried. There would have to be some very tight legal definitions to protect the innocent. You can't rely on notions of inherent good intentions of those assisting, be it family or others. If there were enough controls, OK. I don't know what those controls look like in Holland or how they may differ from here. That would be an interesting comparison.