UK: Good Commentary On The Death Of Tony Nicklinson

Here’s a good piece commenting on the recent death of Tony Nicklinson in the UK.

The ban on euthanasia is to protect us from ourselves

The widow of Tony Nicklinson says that the campaign for “a doctor’s right to end a life without fear of prosecution will continue” following the death of her husband who lost his court case in which he claimed the right to die. In the event Mr Nicklinson died from the complications of pneumonia after he had has refused food and fluids for several days.

The debate about euthanasia is being obscured by the use of pernicious euphemisms. Let’s come clean and speak plainly. “The doctor’s right to end a life” means the doctor has the right to kill someone. Whichever way you look at this, it means a licence to murder. Those who campaign for euthanasia want a change in the law so that this sort of killing – for that’s what it is – should no longer be against the law. This has far-reaching consequences, for it means that, in some cases, murder will no longer be murder. more