Aussie Pro-Deathers Turn Up The propaganda

As readers here will know, there's a titanic battle over legalizing euthanasia in Aussie. Pay attention to this story, because this is how the pro-death spin works - trot out a chronically or terminally ill person who wants the "dignity" of "dying at home" rather than traveling halfway across the world to Swiss Killing Clinic Dignitas. Evoke sympathy, sway the debate.

Euthanasia divides parties, but not patient

A SMALL inheritance from her father's estate is all that stands between Loredana Alessio-Mulhall and despair.

Within a year, the 61-year-old, who suffers from rapidly deteriorating multiple sclerosis, expects to spend the money on a plane fare to the Netherlands, where she will be able to seek euthanasia provided legally by medical practitioners. more

UK Physicians Mostly Against Assisted Suicide - Good!!

Gee, I wonder why UK doctors are overwhelmingly opposed to assisted suicide while (allegedly) the UK public think it's just dandy? Could it be the massive pressure by the pro-deathers on the public debate, spin, deceit, and all?

UK Doctors Consistently Oppose Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide

A review of research carried out over 20 years suggests that UK doctors appear to consistently oppose euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS). The findings -- which appear in the latest issue of the journal Palliative Medicine, published by SAGE -- highlight a gap between doctors' attitudes and those of the UK public. more

Pro-Deathers At It Again in Vermont

Here's a transcript of a show on Vermont Public Radio where the pro-deathers are at it again trying to get killing legalized.

"Death With Dignity" Legislation Raises Renewed Debate

(Host) Vermont is once again facing a debate over whether terminally ill patients should have the right to end their own lives with help from a doctor.

VPR's Samantha Fields has more:

(Fields) A bill was introduced in the House last month. Supporters call it "Death with Dignity" or "Right to Die" legislation... opponents call it "physician-assisted suicide." more

UK Laws Against Assisted Suicide Might as Well Not Be There

Here we go: Assisted suicide is still illegal in the UK. However, the government issued "guidelines" which essentially said that assisted suicide was OK as long as you were doing it compassionately. Here's on of the first cases showing that everyone has basically given up on prosecuting these cases.

Man who helped his wife to take her own life is spared court thanks to new Starmer guidelines on assisted suicide

A husband helped his disabled wife commit suicide and filmed her doing it to show no one had killed her.

After suffering ‘excrutiating pain’ from a mystery condition for four decades, Margaret Bateman, 62, decided suicide was the ‘only option left’ and pleaded with husband Michael to help her ‘end it', an inquest was told. more

Tasmania Totters Towards Legalized Killing

It's not a done deal yet, by a long shot, but there's at least a chance that Tasmania will collapse into the cesspool of legalizing not only assisted suicide but euthanasia.

State to push for mercy killing

TASMANIA is poised to become the first state to legalise voluntary euthanasia and to allow "death with dignity" clinics to operate.

Labor Premier Lara Giddings told The Australian late yesterday she was committed to working with the Greens to prepare a private member's bill for voluntary euthanasia.

"The Leader of the Tasmanian Greens (Nick) McKim and I will continue to progress this initiative as private members and plan to issue a consultation paper towards the end of the year," she said. more

Suicide In The Internet Age

Suicide in the internet age. Share killing yourself with tens of thousands of people. Again, aren't we oh so lucky?

Bioethics Prof.: Online Support for Man Ending Life 'Disturbing'

The mass online support through social media sites Reddit, YouTube, and Facebook for an Oregon man who says he plans to end his life on Tuesday because he has terminal cancer is “disturbing,” said a Christian bioethics professor. more

Oh So Lucky: Brit Doctor Thinks Newborns Should Die to Save Money

Just what we need - another Brit doctor calling for letting newborns die because keeping them alive is too expensive and, oh, by the way, their body parts are really useful after they're dead. Revolting.

Doctor Advises Euthanasia for 23-Week Premature Babies

A Kiwi trained doctor settled in Britain has raised doubts about her expertise after she suggested that premature babies born at 23 weeks should not be provided any care. The medical professional in question is Dr. Daphne Austin, who feels that keeping the babies alive through medical aid just elongates their suffering. more

LA Times Misinforms Readers: Clueless On Assisted Suicide vs. Euthanasia

I really, really, really wish that the media would shut up if they're going to be as misinformed as this LA Times piece on India's Supreme Court decision yesterday. Earth to LA Times: Assisted suicide is NOT "some form of euthanasia." There is NO legalized euthanasia in the US. Period. End of Story.

India's Supreme Court lays out euthanasia guidelines 

India's Supreme Court on Monday laid out guidelines for the use of euthanasia in extreme situations involving terminally ill patients, even as it rejected a plea for its use in the case of a woman who has been in a vegetative state for nearly four decades.

With the decision, India joins a handful of nations — including Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland — and the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington in allowing some form of euthanasia. India has no law on the issue, making the guidelines legally binding until Parliament passes legislation. more

India Yesterday: Euthanasia May Be Legal - Today: Line 'Em Up To Die

Well that didn't take long. Yesterday the Indian Supreme Court opened to door to euthanasia under certain circumstances. Today they're ling em' up to be killed. Sad? Unspeakably. Unexpected? Heck no.

Docs for selective euthanasia

The families of the six patients in a vegetative state with no hope of recovery at AIIMS’ trauma centre can now appeal to the high court for being granted euthanasia, in accordance with the Supreme Court verdict on Monday.

“These patients will never recover. They can’t be sent home as their families have spent all their money and savings to keep them alive,” said Dr Deepak Aggarwal, assistant professor neurosurgery at the trauma centre. more

Aruna's Caregivers Celebrate No Euthanasia Decision By Supreme Court

It's encouraging to see that many doctors and the nurses who care for India's Terri Schiavo, Aruna Shanbaug, are celebrating the Indian Supreme Court's decision that she not be euthanized. Obviously this is not the Netherlands, or Belgium, or Switzerland - yet.

Medical fraternity hails SC verdict on mercy killing

The Supreme Court verdict dismissing the plea for mercy killing of a nurse was on Monday welcomed by the medical fraternity, including nurses looking after the comatose sexual assault victim, which cautioned that any move to legalise active euthanasia was fraught with dangers.

“India is not mature enough to handle euthanasia,” senior Bangalore-based cardiologist Devi Prasad Shetty said while expressing his happiness over the verdict on a mercy killing plea on behalf of 60-year-old Aruna Shanbaug who has been in a vegetative state for 37 years after the assault in a Mumbai hospital. more

India Court Denies Euthanasia For Aruna Shanbaug . . . BUT . . .

Well, here's the good news: India's Supreme Court has just handed down a decision in the case of India's Terri Schiavo, Aruna Shanbaug declaring that she not be euthanized. The bad news? They've left the door open for other cases where they seem to indicate "passive euthanasia" might be legal. Let's hope our side gets rolling in India and pushes back what will be, I'm sure, a flood of cases to test the Court's sentiments.

India court rejects Aruna Shanbaug euthanasia plea

India's Supreme Court has rejected a plea to end the life of a woman who has been in a vegetative state since 1973.

Aruna Shanbaug suffered severe brain damage and has been paralysed since a brutal rape in 1973.

But the court said the medical evidence suggested that she should live.

However, in what correspondents are calling a "landmark" judgment, the court also said some cases of euthanasia could be sanctioned if doctors were to file a case in court. more

Powerful Arguments From India Against Euthanasia

Here's an attempt to balance arguments for and against euthanasia using India’s Terri Schiavo, Aruna Schaunbaug, as the exemplar. As readers of this blog know, I'm against any form of euthanasia, hence the end of this piece, where the author presents very powerful arguments against euthanasia.

A Conspicuous Yet Nascent Debate on Euthanasia in Our Country

. . . . Although I believe that if a life of a person has reached a point such that the quality of life has been compromised beyond an acceptable level for them, then they ought to be allowed to end their life in whatever manner they prefer so as to mitigate their sufferings. But in a country like ours, where we do not have a particular legislation on euthanasia, and where the debate on euthanasia in in nascent stage, legalization of euthanasia would not really be a good idea because of following reasons: more

Dr. Death Wants An Aussie Euthanasia Clinic

Aussie Dr. Death Philip Nitschke is proposing opening a euthanasia clinic in Aussie. He proposed a similar idea for London last week. He says this is an anticipatory move because he expects South Australia to pass a euthanasia bill later this year. You'll recall that that bill was slapped down pretty handily. What Nitschke is doing is a little more subtle: He's floating the idea now to draw media attention to his cause, and hoping this move will influence the euthanasia debate Down Under.

Australia may get euthanasia clinic

PLAN for Australia's first euthanasia clinic are likely to go ahead, Exit International director Dr Philip Nitschke says.

"There is a need for a service to provide end of life expertise for those considering using the new legislation. This is a specialist area where few doctors have expertise," Dr Nitschke said in a statement yesterday.

The proposal for the clinic, which will be built in either Hobart or Adelaide, has been developed in anticipation of voluntary euthanasia legislation expected to pass through the state parliaments later this year, he said. more

Nope, Not Assisted Suicide - It's Murder

Duh. This NY case was never about assisted suicide - it was another case that's becoming increasingly common - commit murder and then say it was "assisted suicide." Novel, but not very smart.

Verdict is Murder in 'Assisted Suicide' Case

An ex-con who said he was assisting in the suicide of a distressed Long Island man who wanted to die so his family could collect on a massive life insurance payout was found guilty of murder by a Manhattan jury on Thursday. more

Why The Fuss Over Assisted Suicide Drug For Execution?

So ironic. The media is creating a bit of a fuss about a death row inmate about to be put to death using the same drug that's used for assisted suicide while at the same time generally praising its use for helping people kill themselves.

US gov rejects mercy, paving way for inmate to be 1st executed with assisted suicide drug

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. John Kasich on Friday rejected a request for mercy from a death row inmate, paving the way for the state to become the first to execute a prisoner solely with an anesthetic used for assisted suicides and medically induced comas.

The Republican governor denied the request by Johnnie Baston, 37, who's scheduled to die Thursday for killing Chong-Hoon Mah, a South Korean immigrant who operated retail stores in Toledo. The victim's family opposes the death penalty and the execution. more

Earth To Pro-Deathers: Humans Aren't Animals

If you ever needed convincing of the nihilism of the prodeathers, read this chilling "justification" for killing other people.

Gauntlet Opinions - Killing a human is sometimes just

Imagine a dog born with a serious disability. The dog, unable to walk or feed itself, is in constant pain according to its veterinarian. Because it often has seizures, the dog must take medication to stop them, but the medication prevents it from taking pain medication. In such a case, most people will think it reasonable to have the dog put down -- its quality of life is sufficiently poor and were it able to, it would likely request euthanasia. more

Indian Media Reporting Heavily On Euthanasia

As we await the decision by India's Supreme Court in the case of Aruna Schaunbaug, the Indian media continues to present a fairly good set of reports on the issues.

Docs divided over euthanasia

MUMBAI: When the Law Commission, years ago, recommended that terminally ill patients be allowed to choose death to end their sufferings, those in favour of 'death with dignity' had rejoiced. Their joy however proved short-lived.

On Wednesday, the Centre rejected the Law Commission's recommendation. The same day, attorney general G E Vahanvati said in the Supreme Court that euthanasia is an un-Indian practice. He said that western parameters seldom applied to Indian culture. "We do not lead our terminally ill parents or kids to death. Who decides if one should live or die?" more

A Summary Of Some "Right To Die" Cases As India Awaits the Aruna Verdict

This report from an Indian newspaper summarizing some "right to die" cases is quite useful, as far as it goes. Interesting that Terri Schiavo is not mentioned.

Death wish

The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on Aruna Shaunbaug’s euthanasia plea. We take a peek at how such cases are treated the world over. more

NY Woman Murders Son - Says It's Assisted Suicide

Here's a perfect example of how the pro-death idea has seeped into the mainstream media - and how they get it wrong. Mother stabs disabled son to death. They say it's assisted suicide. Really? How will we ever know that the son asked to be killed? We can't, but either way, it's murder, plain and simple.

Mother kills son in assisted suicide

A Queens woman is facing criminal charges after she killed her wheelchair-bound son.

Migdalia Vera, 57, stabbed her son, Rene, because his cerebral palsy was making his life too difficult, and he asked her to kill him, she said. Rene could neither walk nor speak. more

Media In The Tank For Euthanasia

Now, the thrust of this piece is OK, but notice how the media dwells on how agonizing end of life decisions are made by families. Geez, really? Next thing we'll have to get the government to take care of these decisions, right?

Families haunted by end-of-life decisions

The burden of making medical decisions for a loved one can cause distress and even post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

When a patient is physically or mentally unable to make medical choices, his or her fate falls into the hands of others, usually family members or friends.  They ultimately choose whether to start dialysis, have a risky surgery or put a person on life support.

The prevailing logic is that family members know the patient best and can make the most appropriate medical decisions. more

Canadian Media Sympathetic To Murderer

Canadian Mr. Bolton killed his wife - as in murdered - and then claimed it was euthanasia. Guess what the media does: brings up another case where a husband took his wife to Swiss Death clinic dignitas for assisted suicide, as if euthanasia or assisted suicide - both - are OK. We're in trouble, folks.

Euthanasia buzz hits close to home

Stephan Bolton, a Liverpool man, turned himself into police last week claiming he killed his terminally ill wife.

His claim pushed the subjects of euthanasia and assisted suicide back to the forefront of the news, reigniting the debate.

The story also thrust Windsor resident Eric MacDonald back into the spotlight.

June 8 will mark the four-year anniversary of the day MacDonald accompanied his 38-year-old wife to an assisted- suicide clinic in Switzerland, knowing he would return a widower. more

India Supreme Court Gets It Right: Euthanasia Is Abusive

Good for India’s Supreme Court, which has been asked to euthanize India's Terri Schiavo, Aruna Shanbaug. They're asking a question that we bring up constantly: How does euthanasia not leave open the path for all kinds of abuse???

Euthanasia could be ruse for grabbing property: SC

Wondering whether euthanasia could be a ruse for grabbing properties, the Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on a mercy killing plea of a Mumbai nurse living a vegetative existence for the last 37 years after being sexually assaulted by a hospital sweeper.

A bench of justices Markandey Katju and Gyan Sudha Mishra reserved the verdict after hearing detailed arguments of Attorney General GE Vahanvati and several senior counsel opposing the plea for mercy killing made by Pinki Virani who described herself as the "next friend" of the victim. more

Aruna's Fate To Be Announced Monday By India's Supreme Court

India's Supreme Court to announce verdict Monday as to whether India's Terri Schiavo, Aruna Shanbaug, should be euthanized.

Aruna plea verdict reserved

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict in the Aruna Shanbaug mercy killing case. The court is likely to come out with the verdict on Monday. more

Indian Supreme Court To Decide On Their Terri Schiavo

The case of Aruna Shanbaug, India's Terri Schiavo, has reached the Indian Supreme Court. Hopefully they'll listen to Aruna's caregivers, who love her very much, keep her comfortable, and who realize that she has dignity in living, not in being killed.

SC to hear Aruna Shanbaug euthanasia plea

The petition of Mumbai nurse Aruna Shanbaug, who is in a coma for the past 36 years in a Mumbai hospital, seeking permission to die, will come up for hearing in the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The petition, filed by activist-journalist Pinki Virani, seeks the apex court's intervention to direct the King's Edward Memorial Hospital to stop feeding Aruna and allow her to die.

The court had issued notices to the Centre and the Maharashtra government on the petition, observing that "under the law of the country, we cannot allow a person to die". more

Truth: Counseling For Most People Averts Requests For Suicide

More truth in the Canadian hearings on assisted sucide.

Help should always precede assisted suicide says expert

If people, no matter how determined, get appropriate help for their physical symptoms, their psychological problems, then generally they do want to live.

Social services professionals attending a one-day conference on suicide on Feb. 3 in Laval were told by a suicide prevention expert that statistics reveal that persons contemplating assisted suicide tend to abandon the idea if they are relieved of the pain driving them to desperation. more