I very much believe in the freedom of the individual. That is, we have a right, an absolutely fundamental right to determine our own destiny. Now of course that does not mean we trample on the rights of others but essentially we should be able to live our lives the way we want to. I also believe we are our brother\u2019s and sister\u2019s keeper. Compassion demands that we look after, care for and support our brothers and sisters as they try to live their lives, too.<\/p>\n
Often, I find these two beliefs seem to be in conflict with each other particularly when issues such as euthanasia come up. There is no middle ground on this issue. One is either for it or against it.<\/p>\n
On the one hand many people believe life is so precious and God given we should never do anything to interfere with it. Particularly life\u2019s ending. The other says life is so precious and God given that when our bodies and or minds give up on us and we are mere pain raked shells of what we once were, then out of respect for the awesomeness of the life we have been given we should be able to end it.<\/p>\n
On the one hand many people believe life is so precious and God given we should never do anything to interfere with it. Particularly life\u2019s ending. The other says life is so precious and God given that when our bodies and or minds give up on us and we are mere pain raked shells of what we once were, then out of respect for the awesomeness of the life we have been given we should be able to end it.<\/p>\n
I need to stress this has nothing to do with suicide. For many years I worked with families whose children and loved ones had suicided. The effect on them was devastating as the life lost had so much potential. But that\u2019s another story!<\/p>\n
Who knows what any of us will do when told we have a terminal illness? In fact, just yesterday in our Loaves and Fishes free restaurant I was sitting opposite a man who had been given this news. The look in his eyes spoke volumes of the pain and suffering he was going through both mentally and physically. Who knows how any of us would behave in this situation? I can only hope if it happens to me I am able to deal with it.<\/p>\n
For over thirty years I have been involved with pro-euthanasia groups. I have attended meetings, addressed countless fora, talked to individuals and usually the stories are the same. They tell of loved ones having their suffering added to because they weren\u2019t able to choose their time of departing this mortal coil. Painful and distressing stories. People being kept alive by machines far beyond their threshold time limit. Loved ones being wired up to machines they hated.<\/p>\n
I remember, in another situation a loved one saying to me, \u201cBill, God didn\u2019t kill my husband. The cancer did\u201d. As I found in writing this piece death is not an easy subject to write about. Every one of us has to face it. In fact, the great monk Thomas Merton urged us to, when meditating, contemplate our own death.<\/p>\n
On balance, I believe that when we are too old, too frail and too sick to go on we have a perfect right to end it all. It is our decision to make and ours to carry it through.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why I respect and admire Philip Nitschke and community leaders coming out publicly in support of voluntary euthanasia.
\nSomebody once asked me why Philip Nitschke is so obsessed with death. \u201cThat\u2019s all he talks about\u201d, they said. It seems to me he now has no choice. People are flocking to him for advice and, as I find him to be a caring and compassionate doctor he is simply doing what is his calling urges him to do.<\/p>\n
I believe we should all have access to the information that gives us the knowledge of how to die with dignity when we are faced with a terribly undignified painful end.<\/p>\n
Now this is where the \u201cI am my brother\u2019s keeper\u201d bit comes in. We are not talking about those depressed, active, alive, suicidal people but those at the end of their life with no hope.
\nThat is why I am a strong supporter of Philip Nitschke\u2019s Euthanasia clinics. He has already opened a clinic in Adelaide and according to police he is not breaking any laws. He is simply providing people with access to the latest information in a neutral environment. At this anxious time when people are facing an uncertain and horrible end I envisage it as a comforting place to get proper information.<\/p>\n
I find knowledge is power and liberating. Experience shows that people with all this information at hand actually survive longer. It actually extends their life because they have knowledge that liberates them rather than the agonising fear of the unknown.<\/p>\n
That is why I am a strong supporter of Philip Nitschke\u2019s Euthanasia clinic and I believe we should have one in every state to enable all our citizens to, if they consider necessary, access them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I very much believe in the freedom of the individual. That is, we have a right, an absolutely fundamental right to determine our own destiny. Now of course that does not mean we trample on the rights of others but essentially we should be able to live our lives the way we want to. I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n