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Sometimes in the dark hours I do despair that my right to live is being compromised by some folk who I might be tempted think it may be right to terminate for the good of us that want to be rid of those that threaten us. Well were not all wars, and assassinations predicated upon that rather selfish notion? Beware you who advocate the right to a good death that I do not deem it mete to find a good end to your interference. I would claim ancient right for that (though not exactly time immemorial, sand of the sea, low tide and all) but point to the statutes of Henry II who had a way of dealing with turbulent priests J Well maybe in this distorted world of ethical exaggeration one might easily claim a suicide bombing of a euthanasia clinic to be justified. Quite frankly I have not seen anything more moral coming from the assisted suicide proponents. If I am to end my own life I would like it rather than being a "good" ending, to be a significant one. Larry From: The Disability-Research Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rachel Williams Sent: 06 April 2012 20:58 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: EPC - March 28, 2012 - Update Marion Hersh: "Unfortunately, measures that allow the right to die can threaten the right to live and also do so on a discriminatory basis, which particularly threatens disabled people, ethnic minorities, poor people and anyone else whose life is considered of less value." Rachel Williams: Yet, based on decades of data collection the overwhelming majority of recipients of PAS/voluntary euthanasia are not from these groups. Marion: "As has already been stated on this list, the data also shows that in countries such as Netherlands, there are a large number of assisted deaths which have not been actively sought or even permission obtained. " Rachel: That statements makes no sense. Marion: "That sounds suspiciously like murder or at least homicide to me, so I am not sure about the comments about there not being I 'slippery slope', exactly whatever that is." Rachel: Refer to the Dutch data. There's no evidence of a slippery slope -- i.e., marked increase in the frequency of euthanasia or of ever expanding allowances since "legalization". Marion: "Therefore, I would suggest that in the current economic and political climate we need to focus on the right to live." Rachel: We already do. Marion: "We also need to campaign for more resources to be available for older people, disabled people etc," Rachel: Such campaigns exist. But you should be clear on what you mean by "disabled people". "to increase economic independence and control over the way assistance is obtained, so that people do not feel that they are a burden." Rachel: Feeling a burden is generally not the primary motivation for requesting, or opting for, euthanasia/assisted suicide. ________________End of message________________ This Disability-Research Discussion list is managed by the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds (www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies). Enquiries about list administration should be sent to [log in to unmask] Archives and tools are located at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html You can VIEW, POST, JOIN and LEAVE the list by logging in to this web page.