Quote:
Originally Posted by Botnst
In this country we consider it murder to deliberately kill a baby once it has passed through the birth canal or is delivered by caesarian. We consider it murder to deliberately kill of facilitate the death of a human being who is physically or mentally incapacitated. Ask Kevorkian. (On the other hand, euthanasia is gaining support in this country). I think these general prohibitions are based on the precept that "... all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among them are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." This is so ingrained in our national psyche that to contravene it seems so repellant that it has reached the status of a social taboo -- in general we don't question it.
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Exactly! A human right should not be confused with some other "right" such as to drive a car or vote. All life is valuable. To set a level of a persons right to life as commensurate with age is ridiculous. Using this logic the criteria for being allowed to live and thus contribute to society is "age +1".
It's interesting reading some of the research that comes out of countries which regularly practice euthanasia. What I find most horrifying is a growing segment of the "deciders" in these countries that are making the decision to euthanise without the knowledge of the one to be euthanised. Of course, this is also a logical and expected outcome of legal assisted suicide. There seem to be no shortage of people who know better than you do what's best for you. Even when you're old and sick or not even born yet.