Faced with blindness, deaf twins choose euthanasia

[Martinus]

What puzzles me is some people in this thread stating not that they would have not take the same decision, but "not approving" or finding the decision these twins took "repulsive" etc.

Can you give at least one coherent argument why you believe you have any right to comment on someone else's sovereign decision? 

[Ideologue]

I do not approve.

What say you Languish, if you were going to be blind and deaf would you end it all?

Dude, blind me alone and I'll snuff it.  They don't make comics in braille.

I give you about five years before you snuff it anyway.

Well, I'll take it from one who knows.  After all, you died well over a decade ago.

[Martinus]

What more did they have to live for? They faced a life of isolation and despondency, knowing that their place in the world was more in their minds than anywhere else.  They had a future of irrelevance and lack of meaningful communication with anyone else.

In other words, they were Belgian.  Oh, the deaf and blind thing was probably a bummer too.

[Razgovory]

What puzzles me is some people in this thread stating not that they would have not take the same decision, but "not approving" or finding the decision these twins took "repulsive" etc.

Can you give at least one coherent argument why you believe you have any right to comment on someone else's sovereign decision? 

How are you using the word "sovereign" here?

[Martinus]

I do not approve.

What say you Languish, if you were going to be blind and deaf would you end it all?

Dude, blind me alone and I'll snuff it.  They don't make comics in braille.

There was a post recently on Paradox forum asking for a compatibility of Crusader Kings 2 with various screen-text-reading applications. It was made by someone (who claimed to be) totally blind.

It made me sad and reflective.

[Razgovory]

I do not approve.

What say you Languish, if you were going to be blind and deaf would you end it all?

Dude, blind me alone and I'll snuff it.  They don't make comics in braille.

I give you about five years before you snuff it anyway.

Well, I'll take it from one who knows.  After all, you died well over a decade ago.

12 years and half years, yeah.

[garbon]

Can you give at least one coherent argument why you believe you have any right to comment on someone else's sovereign decision? 

Same question as Raz - though in any event, I'd say why would this be different from anything else? We always comment on other people's decisions.

[dps]

What puzzles me is some people in this thread stating not that they would have not take the same decision, but "not approving" or finding the decision these twins took "repulsive" etc.

Can you give at least one coherent argument why you believe you have any right to comment on someone else's sovereign decision? 

Because I live in a country that has freedom of speech.

[crazy canuck]

I think I would want to see what life might be like first and set up a preset signal.  Tap me on the head three times. If I tap back three times it means end it. If I make a fist and swing for you it means leave me alone.

[Jacob]

I think I would want to see what life might be like first and set up a preset signal.  Tap me on the head three times. If I tap back three times it means end it. If I make a fist and swing for you it means leave me alone.

If you do that, you run the risk of some Timmy douchebag intervening.

[Lettow77]

A deaf/blind life could be interesting- I'd like to try and make tea, and also make some poetry, before killing myself.

Making tea while blind was very fun in the first place- It is immediately clear life would be much harder if you were also deaf, though. I certainly don't begrudge the gentlemen their wishes.

[Malthus]

Belgium is now looking at introducing a legal amendment that would allow children and those with dementia the option of seeking permission to die. If passed later this year, the option of euthanasia will be extended to minors affected by an incurable illness, or suffering that cannot be alleviated.

This seems fraught with difficulties. The right to choose to die makes sense for an adult with full conciousness, or an adult who, with full concousness, signs a "living will" stating that they wish to die when they become demented; but making the same choice by a child (or on behalf of a child by a guardian, like other medical choices) strikes me as very concerning.

[crazy canuck]

I think I would want to see what life might be like first and set up a preset signal.  Tap me on the head three times. If I tap back three times it means end it. If I make a fist and swing for you it means leave me alone.

If you do that, you run the risk of some Timmy douchebag intervening.

You raise a good point.

[Josquius]

Not sure what I'd do.... Beg to be allowed one of those experimental devices where they hook up a camera to your brain?
It is a pretty horrific thought to be without sight or sound. And living with your brother....

But the suicide is their choice to make. People are going to be doing it anyway, there should be a quick, easy and legal method to do it. Would stop cunts jumping in front of trains and messing up the schedules.

[sbr]

I knew there were right to die laws in Europe that were more liberal than what we have here in Oregon but I didn't realize they were that liberal.  As much as I support laws like this I also think including children is going a bit too far.