Why can't my friends and family help me with suicide?!!

I talked to my family about it. I talked to my friends. We had the full discussion and in the end they respected my decision.
See, my reasoning behind it is, my hair is thinning a bit, and I got a hang nail..doesn't matter, my reason is my own.
Anyhow
We had a "going away" party, and at midnight, I laid on the bed where I was to end my life. my family was in charge of turning on the sleeping gas, and my best friend was the one that was to then inject me with the chemicals that would immediately stop my heart.
It was a beautiful night. many memories and speeches.
About 11:45, the police came and said we must cease. Come to find out, assisted suicide is illegal.
Why? I fully consented. I am in my right mind and the decision is a logical, calculated, and personal decision that should not be open for debate with the government.

So...why then? Why is assisted suicide, attempted suicide, or any other type of decision about your own life based on your adult decisionmaking process be considered illegal? There is no victim here, yet my family would be tried for..essencially, murder should they help.
This is bull!

Your thoughts? Should suicide (assisted or not) along with euthenasia remain illegal? if you say yes, then why?


_____________
note: This is a rant of fiction. I do not actually want to take my life. It is meant as just a point about how assisted suicide is illegal...the government is stopping you from choosing your own path in life (or in this case, path in the end of your life. Don't lecture me about seeking help or anything, I am perfectly fine and demonstrating how it is not the governments business about my adult decisions about my own personal life in the same way that its not the governments decision about if I want to do a slow suicide (aka, eating bacon).

reply to post by SaturnFX

Why? I fully consented. I am in my right mind and the decision is a logical, calculated, and personal decision that should not be open for debate with the government.

The government owns us all, like intellectual property rights. This is why seat belt laws are enforced, even if we choose to not wear them, we are ticketed by the state for a violation. They have legal ownership rights to us because of contract law, starting with the issued social security numbers and the like.

Should suicide (assisted or not) along with euthenasia remain illegal? if you say yes, then why?

It's only illegal if not authorized by the state/federal standards. They euthanize the sick and elderly every single day!

reply to post by SaturnFX
I'm glad to hear that this is fiction, for your sake.

One way to overcome the problem would be to have a relative call the police and say that the intended suicide victim has went off the deep end and is ranting about how he is going to kill every cop he sees. Give the police the address and make sure that the victim has a water pistol in his hands when the cops enter. I'm pretty sure that they would kill him, especially if the water pistol had one of those orange plugs in the end of the barrel and the victim was an almost deceased cancer victim that would be no threat to anyone.

Because death is final.

You may be in a bad way one day, then things turn around and get better.

Elderly who are loosing hope and feeling like a burden on their family, may take their life, on a cold lonely night, unnecessarily. Or worse, be coerced into giving up because of financial pressure from family members.

A bullied teen or recently dumped lover could want to die, if it was not illegal there would be no social intervention, emts, police, etc.

It would be too easy to disguise a murder as a suicide, in some cases, like the sick or elderly, because suicide wouldn't be illegal, no investigation would follow.

A mentally ill person deserves help. Suicide may seem like an easy solution, but there may be help out there.

note: This is a rant of fiction.

That's good because suicide is the cowards way out.

Our government wants us to ask for permission for everything we do. We are smarter than this. If you want to do something your not supposed to do, then plan better than that. Don't have family members who you know won't honor your wishes in on your plans. Unfortunately, most people are brain washed and like to be 'tattle-tales' and run to the police or state.

We need to take our NATURAL rights and powers back by determining we are free to live our lives as we wish. Of course, it will take vigilance and attention to detail to pull it off.

Originally posted by butcherguy
reply to post by SaturnFX

 

I'm glad to hear that this is fiction, for your sake.

One way to overcome the problem would be to have a relative call the police and say that the intended suicide victim has went off the deep end and is ranting about how he is going to kill every cop he sees. Give the police the address and make sure that the victim has a water pistol in his hands when the cops enter. I'm pretty sure that they would kill him, especially if the water pistol had one of those orange plugs in the end of the barrel and the victim was an almost deceased cancer victim that would be no threat to anyone.

edit on 5-2-2012 by butcherguy because: (no reason given)

Thats not honorable though.
Why have your name tarnished with some psychotic ending...the end of life should be that of dignity and joy..not with waving a water pistol around trying to get shot up (and you will probably get tazed anyhow verses shot)

Its not really a discussion about how to beat the system..its about why is the system designed like this to begin with

People who want to die are not cowards. They are people in pain who see no other alternative. They are people with nothing left to lose, who are looking for peace. A coward doesn't take the problem head on, and the suicidal do. They are looking for a solution, and when all other solutions fail, suicide becomes the obvious choice. I really hate when people use the 'default' phrase "People who want to die are cowards".

I think assisted suicide should be legal. There are many instances where people are kept alive after illness or an accident when the merciful thing would be to let them die peacefully. There are also instances where somebody is suicidal and would rather somebody else end it for them. I would think in those instances the other people would not indulge their whim to die. Those are cases that it is a cry for help.

However, no matter what the case may be, I believe that our life is our own, and whether we choose to live or die is ours alone to make.

Get a ticket to the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg or Switzerland. Or to Washington, Oregon or Montana.

Problem solved.

To answer your question though, I think it is a grey area that will never be absolute. I don't agree with it, but can never see it being legalised globally.

reply to post by SaturnFX
Okay. If you want honorable, it will depend on the condition of the suicidal person.

If it is just thinning hair and a hangnail (and I'm guessing depression), then you take a swan dive off of a high bridge or building. No changing your mind after you make the initial decision. No 'Oops, the gun moved away from my head while I pulled the trigger' moments.

If you are bedridden and near to death, you have already skipped out on the honorable route. But if you must do it now, take an OD of whatever potent painkiller most doctors would have already prescribed enough of to do the job.

I don't like suicide...but I do understand...that there are some people ...who at certain points in their life... at the time they attempt and/or succeed in their suicide...they are momentarily ...I believe (not in their right mind).

Also...I understand...that in some states....a physician assisted suicide is legal. I understand that some people have terminal illnesses and their suffering is too great...and they choose to leave this world...and enter into their spiritual eternity. Is assisted suicide wrong? I really don't know...but I do understand why people make that choice.

A persons friends and family could help them in an assisted suicide...by contacting the correct physician...and setting up the right procedure for a friend or relative to end their life.

It doesn't matter if you consented to it or not............its not your decision to make.Even though your family may of agreed,for your sake,to go along with it,it would have a seriously bad effect on them all.Attempted suicide is a selfish act.

I understand that this is fiction.......which is good.

reply to post by SaturnFX
In case of painful and certain, slow death for example should be legal with help or without to end one's misery. In case of depression however, I think its another thing. Person may feel that theres nothing left to give and in time it may get better.
However if the decision is a result of many years of thinking and feeling that theres simply nothing more to give I would make it justified.

Suicide should be completely within legal limits as it is the persons choice as to live their life or not. It is not Uncle Sams choice, it is not Big Brothers choice, it is the persons choice. The only reason that it is illegal today is because the government wouldn't be able to milk anymore money out of the person. Apparently it is more important for the corrupt politician or idiotic celebrity to make hundreds of thousands a year, then it is for someone to end a possibly dreadful and depressing life.
Suicide should be legal throughout the world. If I want to put a bullet in my brain tomorrow, I don't see why some piece of # government should be able to stop me. It is my choice what to do with my life, so screw uncle sam and if someone wants to kill themselves, let them.
I also don't see how suicide could be considered cowardly. The person has nothing left to lose, and is willing to step into the unknown void in a permanent solution to their problems. How is that cowardly? Selfish, maybe. Cowardly, definetly not.

Originally posted by windword
Because death is final.

You may be in a bad way one day, then things turn around and get better.

Elderly who are loosing hope and feeling like a burden on their family, may take their life, on a cold lonely night, unnecessarily. Or worse, be coerced into giving up because of financial pressure from family members.

A bullied teen or recently dumped lover could want to die, if it was not illegal there would be no social intervention, emts, police, etc.

It would be too easy to disguise a murder as a suicide, in some cases, like the sick or elderly, because suicide wouldn't be illegal, no investigation would follow.

A mentally ill person deserves help. Suicide may seem like an easy solution, but there may be help out there.

edit on 5-2-2012 by windword because: un

To counter your point
If someone wants to take their life, they will take their life. chances are they aren't thinking "well, if I do this, I may get a charge..and court sucks". No...
So, it being illegal simply means not only does the person still attempt, but you also have the endless shame involved afterward.
Wouldn't it be nice if Gramps, instead of sitting in his car all alone one day with the garage door down decided to have a big bash to celebrate his life, a sort of funeral, and at the end, he has his loved ones stand with him and help him move on because it is what he wanted? To me, this seems far more dignified and peaceful than hiding and offing yourself, letting others find your body in shock..you weren't even able to give a final hug or kiss goodbye because you had to hide it...etc

No, the government has no right to make this illegal. it goes against your basic human rights..the right to your own life (or the decision to end it). Should there be some sort of license for it? sure..why not. make it official so nobody can question if it actually was suicide verses murder

Originally posted by lostviking
People who want to die are not cowards. They are people in pain who see no other alternative. They are people with nothing left to lose, who are looking for peace. A coward doesn't take the problem head on, and the suicidal do. They are looking for a solution, and when all other solutions fail, suicide becomes the obvious choice. I really hate when people use the 'default' phrase "People who want to die are cowards".

sorry but it is really true. This isn't the middle ages. If you are under the idea that you wish to "plan out" death, so that it is in a peaceful manner, it is essentially out of fear. That is you can't bare to see the future, and wish to escape it by death. Show your sympathy for all it helps, but if you have nothing to lose then you have everything to gain, not only for yourself but for others as well. It is quite ignorant to commit suicide in my opinion, granted it is the 21st century, and you and most are more free than they realize.

reply to post by SaturnFX


What difference does it make honestly? If you are to suffer for the remaining 9 months of your life, until death, vise the previous decades of survival through turmoil through the decades of your experiences? Torturous pain vs. a calm decease...well i'm taking the extent of death that is most unfavorable, in the end it really makes no difference, whether you tough it out or take the path that brings more comfort.

but If your put forth the rationale that suicide brings comfort, then you spit in the face of everyone that has overcome severe adversity in there lives, because they should have just killed themselves to save the effort.

Originally posted by LonelyGuy

note: This is a rant of fiction.

That's good because suicide is the cowards way out.

Somebody who feels they have no other options and is despairing is not a coward.
I try not to judge someone who feels bad enough to kill himself.

Originally posted by LonelyGuy

note: This is a rant of fiction.

That's good because suicide is the cowards way out.

It's the coward's way out but at the same time, a lot of times I always felt it was the only way out.

Assisted suicide should be legal but only if the person wishing to die has been treated for an incurable disease for at least a year and has the medical documentation to prove it.