New at Reason

January 18, 2007

Is the right to die in America on life support?

RU Sirius sizes up the state of our freedom to expire.

Comments

|1.18.07 @ 4:38PM|#

"And some poor people may feel so burdened by the high costs of medical care that they will hasten their own deaths, or be pressured by relatives or taxpayers to do so."

Not just poor folks, but persons with wealth as well. I'm very well off, but after seeing a significant portion of both my parent's assets transferred to the medical establishment - both fought years-long, asset-draining battles with cancer - I wouldn't follow the same path even if my life depended on it.

Better my assets go to my daughter, than some oncologist's kid.

|1.18.07 @ 5:09PM|#

But we should ultimately err on the side of personal privacy and choice. It is as much an outrage for the state to force a person to live as it is to force a person to die.

I don't know about that - living is a reversable condition so while I support a person's right to terminate their own lives (under certain circumstances), I would rather us err on the side of life (if all else is equal).

|1.18.07 @ 6:07PM|#

I don't know about that - living is a reversable condition so while I support a person's right to terminate their own lives (under certain circumstances), I would rather us err on the side of life (if all else is equal).

And why exactly is that your decision? Perhaps you should err on the side of minding your own business regarding other people's medical choices.