euthanasia -- yay or nay

[Lace Neil Singer]

just keeping someone on life support after "brain death" just becasue medical science can is not a good reason to keep the body functioning. let them pass in dignity.

I agree. To my mind, once the brain has died, the person has, too. All that you are doing if you use machines to keep them breathing, is keeping the shell functioning. The thing that makes you a person, whatever you call it; the spirit, soul or essence; is gone and never can return. Keeping what is essentially a corpse animated is not going to bring them back.

[lordlundar]

the documents were notarized and legalized (what means I do not know).

It's essentially a legal endorsement. A lawyer has gone over the information, declared that no part of it is illegal and with their signature and notarization (an embossment on the sheet that is a combination of the firm identification and bar standing), renders it an iron-clad legal document, whereas before hand was simply a piece of paper with writing on it.

[Racket_Man]

One should be able to declare beforehand in writing under which circumstances their life should be terminated. Copies of this document should be left with an attorney and with a designated family member or friend.

Should the health care facility and/or the patient determine that termination should commence, the attorney as well as the designated person should be notified immediately.

this is what my Mom and Dad had done. they created a "Hard Power of Attorney" documents for the surviving spouse (which my Mom had to use when Dad went into congestive heart failure) or designated relative (all of us kids). the documents stated the exact conditions under which "live saving or extraordinary medical measures/proceedures were to NOT be employed". the documents were notarized and legalized (what means I do not know).

just keeping someone on life support after "brain death" just becasue medical science can is not a good reason to keep the body functioning. let them pass in dignity.

[telecom_goddess]

Well I don't think it should be a means for relatives to get rid of other people.... It should be a means for that person to decide when they can die and how....

[Ipecac Drano]

One should be able to declare beforehand in writing under which circumstances their life should be terminated. Copies of this document should be left with an attorney and with a designated family member or friend.

Should the health care facility and/or the patient determine that termination should commence, the attorney as well as the designated person should be notified immediately.

[Lace Neil Singer]

The thing is, people kill off elderly relatives etc anyway, even without euthanasia. I don't think legalising it would suddenly make people think, "Hey guess what, we can get rid of Aunty Flo now!" They're doing it anyway, by poisoning or smothering and thinking they covered their tracks.

It would be a lot better if a person could make a living will to say that if they're in a vegetative state, for example, and there's no way they can come out (for example, in case of brain death) then doctors can administer something to let them pass away in peace. All you can do now is state "no ressussatation" and in some cases, relatives will ignore that anyway.

[HYHYBT]

In theory, I think it's right... but I believe that, in practice, it would be, simultaneously, too easy to get away with murder *and* too difficult to use legitimately because of regulations to prevent said murders.

If someone comes up with a reliable way to avoid those problems, I'm all for it.

[telecom_goddess]

I'm sure this topic has been brought up before but here goes......how do you all feel about euthanasia? Should it be legal, and people who want to practice it be able to do it in peace without a bunch of red tape?

I believe that it should be legal and easily available for those that are in misery and want to control their own destiny. We do it with animals..."put them out of their misery cause they are suffering"...why can't we afford the same courtesy to the human race? Life is precious yes but not THAT much that people should be forced to live in misery.