Having actually been suicidal in the past, I have suffered from depression many times over the years. I even attempted suicide at least three times that I remember. Fact is today I am glad those attempts failed, when your depressed truly depressed you don't think logically when your suicidal you don't think "Wow if I do this I will never grow old, have children , find love" instead all your thinking is "Yayz finally it will all be over".
As for the idea that if your depressed for a decade and see no future you should be allowed to kill yourself. Well I was bullied in school and had a rough childhood (Divorced family, living below poverty level for Canada) I was suicidal from 5 years old till I was about 19. Though I came and went from being suicidal during those years I was constantly depressed. Today I still get depressed sometimes (Haven't been suicidal in a while) while I can understand it being an easy out, it is not acceptable and should remain illegal.
Also the whole were selfish and worrying only about those people's impact on us. That we should be supportive of their suicide because its selfish for us to only think of ourselves. The exact same can be said about suicide, I know I've been suicidal, I wasn't thinking "Oh some people love me, I have friends and family who will be devestated". All that I thought was "Soon it will all be over and all my problems will go away, no one will hurt me anymore". Well guess what sure I wouldn't be hurt anymore but I'd certainly hurt anyone who cares about me. I can just imagine how hurt my family and friends would be if I commited suicide. or what about the poor friend or family member who finds the body and is scarred mentally for the rest of their life.
As for people suffering. You talk about the guy with no legs and arms. Well my aunt has all three forms of arthritus and was told she'd be dead when she turned 19. However she just turned fifty, she is in a wheel chair and cannot walk , she is in constant pain. She lives in a home for people who can't walk and suffer serious disabilities. I visit that home and am suprised everyone is smiling and they all live happy lives. All of them that I've talked too at one point were also suicidal but they came to a realization of their disability and self worth. These people are amazingly inspiring.
My aunt is one of the most passionate and happy person I know while also the most suffering that I have ever seen a person endure. Now all of these disabled people were suicidal at one point or another, but live happy lives now. If they had committed suicide they would have missed out on all these great things.
As for euthonasia, my great grandma lived to 105. By the time she reached 100 she could no longer see, walk, taste anything or hear. She was very uncomfortable and her husband died while she was in her ninties. Origionally she said I just want to make it past 100. But after she reached 100 she was beginning us to kill her. Now in this case I felt sorry for her because she was simply living with no enjoyment what so ever, all her senses were gone pretty much. I agree it sucked but is that really when you pull the plug? People live horrible lives all over the world at points yet we don't kill all of them. In the end my grandma was always happy to have visitors and mentally while she was suicidal she would always talk for hours, laugh and such. She may have been depressed but she was still human and she shouldn't be killed for the same reasons a suicidal or disabled person shouldn't. Also had she lived past 105 she may have come to the realisation that she could still do things. Who knows she might have turned around like the disabled people did.
Now their is only one kind of mercy killing I agree with. If someone has been a vegetable for 5-10 years, is on life support and has no signs they will get better. Then yes I believe it is right to pull the plug. However I have a friend who's mom was recently in hospital, they put her in a medically induced coma. However when they tried to pull her out they couldn't. She was in the comma for a few months. Finally the doctors came to the mother and son and asked them to decide whether to pull the plug or keep trying to get him out. they never gave up hope she was on life support and in the coma. They said no don't pull him off. Well guess what a few days later she came out of the comma and eventually off life support. She is now living a great life.
My uncle was fighting cancer and fell down a flight of stairs getting knocked into a comma. The doctors did the same thing asking my fellow family members whether or not to take him off. However they said no and just like my friends mom he recovered and is back to living a good life.
On the other hand I know of a guy in a comma who has been in one for nearly 20-years almost as long as I a have been alive. His family still hopes he makes it, but if the family chose to let him die after all these years then I'd think that would be okay.
But I think suicide and euthonasia and even abortion should be illegal. Killing a human being should be an absolute last restort. Only done to save another humans life or if the person has been on life support in a comma for 5-10 years!
-JC7
"In God We Trust - In Games We Play " - Joel Reimer
