re: #253 realwest

Oh, listen, I’m almost 64 and have incurable cancer and live with my 84 year old, diabetic mom - I can’t let myself think about socialized medicine or I’ll have really bad dreams tonight!
What I meant was I KNOW some people who were FAR GONE medically speaking and in enormous amounts of pain, with no hope for a medical cure for their ailment(s) and I do sorta understand that they might want to just end it all rather than cling to an awful truly PAINFUL existence for another month or two, you know?

There is a huge difference between hoarding enough pain drugs to off ones’ self, and having a doctor “help” you.

I can see where that goes. I’ve talked to some highly capable disabled people who are even clearer on it.

While I do not approve of suicide for any reason - which is a personal, and not a religious, prejudice - I understand it as personal choice when faced with unbearable pain. What I cannot accept, and will not accept, is the slippery slope that physician assisted suicide leads to.

I am well aware that most doctors or nurses or vets would not dream of forcing someone to suicide. That’s not the point. The point is that there is a prejudice already against “meaningless lives”, and a willingness to look the other way while they are ended. I find that more than unacceptable; I find it something to fight tooth and nail.