Terry Pratchett defends stance on assisted suicide

[Beavis1190]

I'm in a very difficult position really, although I am not terminally ill, nor do I have a degenerative brain disease, I have lived with cerebral palsy all my life and at some point in the future I would like to end it. I'm only 21 though but I don't feel I can cope with a disability for the rest of my life as I don't want to just "make the best of it" I've been depressed for a number of years but in my situation I don't know if dignitas is an option. Does anyone have any advice?

[ra2006ra]

Hello, fans of Terry Pratchett!

I begin to write symphonic music. I knew about him from screen version of his first Discworld`s novel "The colour of magic". Since then I had read half of his books. I didn`t remain indifferent and wrote the number of symphonic suite "Images" - Absurd Discworld.

I suggest your attention the video with my music on my channel ra2006ra "Pratchett" or h+t+t+p+:+/+/+w+w+w+.+youtube.­com/watch?v=6NbM0faHptk (delete all "+").

[the0th]

makes me feel depressed. there are people who want to die because they can do nothing other than watch tv or browse the internet. i am perfectly healthy and yet i only do those 2 things.

[SKTPSY]

Do it but not on TV. It is not because I don't want close my eyes on social issues but to protect vulnerable who wants to live life no matter how ill they are. It is irony in itself that dying people say that they do not want to put burden on their families but Alas they put burden on other people who are terminally ill. by allowing TV to film them.

[goodienuff]

WELL SAID, AND WELL DONE FOR DOING 'CHOOSING TO DIE' As a nurse of many years standing, I have been begged to 'Give me something to end this misery, I don't want to live like this, they wouldn't let a dog suffer like this' I have wept with frustration and the pain of watching someone for whom there's no hope go through such suffering and indignity.

Ill health caused me to retire from nursing, and I can only hope that if I ever lose the ability to choose, someone will and my suffering

[Lowkeylie]

I feel sometimes the problem with human rights groups is that they often forget the people they're supposed to be fighting for. If someone is suffering, it is absolute they will die and have no hope for recovery, if all that awaits them if they go on is months or years of pain and sorrow, then they should have the right to choose whether they wish to keep fighting. At the end of the day, as long as a person can make rational decisions, they have the right to govern their own live.

[Teloculos]

It's personal choice - and that makes it a basic human right and not a right of all sapients (anything self-aware) able to articulate their wishes. We do it for sentients who are suffering i.e. pets and the like. They feel pain, and we give them release. And we hope that we did what they would want us to do.

I'm saying it directly: I want any who call me friend or a loved one to help me if asked. As with life, death is a gift.

I don't want to break the law, but a bad law is no law at all.

[adethelemon]

Anyone thinking of taking their own life???

Well here's an lawful option worth considering...

Get a fake gun, have it on your person in London.

It won't be long before some trigger-happy pig from the Metropolitan Police would be more than happy to shoot you 9 times in the head. It would be totally painless and the police would justify their actions of mudering you like they always do.

Metropolitan Police - NOT working together for a safer London

[jamesstephenbrown]

@adethelemon What a great forum this is for your venting about he police force...

[adethelemon]

@jamesstephenbrown

Yes thanks!!!

If the DPS were not the farce they were, I wouldn't use youtube

[purplecat1989]

i too agree. if someone is suffering and have no quality of life and wish to leave this earth on their ow terms, rather than dragging it out and letting your family suffer, then they should be allowd to do it. but it should be made clear that the decision is rational and an independant team study each case carefully

[Merina2222]

@purplecat1989 No quality life? What defines a quality life?

[dgolightly519]

@Merina2222 Quality of life is LITERALLY defined from the eyes of the person living that life and not from an outside source. Even if you were in the exact same circumstances as somebody else, you cannot define what they feel. That is one thing that separates us from the other animals. Individuality. I agree with Terry Pratchett because it should be somebody's right to not be able to handle their, as he put it, end game. That is as opposed to everyone else telling them to just deal with it.

[robertghouston]

I agree with Terry...

[imasinnerimasaint]

@robertghouston As a caregiver, I definitely agree with Terry.

[tareqjj]

yes saitn,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[GWR4079]

atleast someone is thinking of someones feeling instead of human rights bull wee have in britain!