When our animals are terminally ill and suffer, we are told that "euthanesia is the last act of kindness" that we can do for them.
When our human loved ones are in the same position, sometimes I cannot help but think life and agony are prolonged due to the "industry" aspect of the medical profession and "industry" of law. I do believe we should all have that freedom of choice when it is a case of suffering IF WE HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL AVENUES OF HELP...if there is ABSOLUTELY NO HOPE of recovery. The dilemma here is...there are always cases against the odds that DO recover and there are meds like morphine to get you through the worst of it. So...it really is a tough call, but I believe that people should have the right to die with dignity.
http://www.normemma.com/arhemloc.htm excerpt below:
The Hemlock Society in the United States has been in existence for 17 years and has an estimated 25,000 members. It is the oldest organization of its kind on this continent and therefore deserves special attention in regard to just what its leaders have been advocating in regard to euthanasia - as it turns out, the words and actions of Hemlock leaders often indicate a more radical agenda than the public stance of the organization itself.)
Dori Zook, Hemlock Society public relations director, has claimed on this list that Hemlock supports legalization of physician- assisted death only in cases of terminal illness. And Hemlock's website asserts that the Society favors physician-assisted suicide strictly for someone "who is already in the dying process." But there is a glaring discrepancy between this official stance and what prominent members of Hemlock have said and done.
For example, there is this little gem from Hemlock co-founder Derek Humphry's book, Final Exit:
"What can those of us who sympathize with a justified suicide by a handicapped person do to help? When we have statutes on the books permitting lawful physician aid-in-dying for the terminally ill, I believe that along with this reform there will come a more tolerant attitude to the other exceptional cases."