Choices

Since I waited so long to post an update ………………….something I’ve been advised time and time again is unforgivably bad practice, a long break that is, not Blogging ……………………….. anyway, I had hoped for the subject matter to be fun and quirky or at least inspirational.  True to form, however, it’s more a moral conundrum or my own internal debate at least – it is, however, inspired, if that makes a difference!

The subject matter today people, “the right to die” – VERY uplifting I hear you shriek!

What sparked this initial detailed brain turmoil for me was the inquest into the death of a young Barrister in Chelsea in May 2006.  Without going into vast amounts of detail, essentially, this very drunk alcoholic and desperate man was “eliminated” (I’m being very careful about my choice of words here)by policeman who had surrounded his residence after he’d fired a couple of rounds of his own shotgun during the day.  After a 5 hour stand-off, during which time he was refused conversations with his wife and a friend, he was shot 5 times by police.

The death was finally declared “lawful” today after many months of debate and discussion!

This man was refused access to his wife and a close friend during the stand-off because negotiators “feared he was suicidal and that he wanted to say goodbye” – which they wanted to prevent ………………….. Why, so they could shoot him instead?  Oversimplified, of course, but at what point does ANYONE have the right to decide that murder (defined as the pre-meditated act of taking someone’s life) is / was a more acceptable option than a potential suicide?

Move on to the law in the UK which views assisted suicide as a moral crime, punishable with a long prison sentence.  I see today, in one of the UK’s more reputable newspapers, that “a group of leading doctors, who endorse assisted dying for the terminally ill, will this week launch an unprecedented campaign to change the law on the right to die”.  Said law dates back to 1961 and the group will be chaired by Dr Ann McPherson – who is also dying of pancreatic cancer!

SUCH a complicated topic and with so many points of view!

I really understand the fear of a whole pile of “Dr Shipmans” popping up out of the woodwork as well as loads of evil cruel family members offing the grand-parents or annoyingly ill older people and all of that needs to be taken into consideration when looking at anything as controversial as “the right to die”.  But please, let’s not forget the dignity and above all, the choice and wishes, of the terminally ill.  I am also VERY uncomfortable with Government or any elected or non-elected body making MORAL decisions on behalf of the public!  Not every person, terminally ill or not , will want to or will try to take their own life – but it really SHOULD  be an individual choice!

I personally am not bound by any set of rules which makes suicide a mortal sin.  I also know first-hand the terrible painful gut-wrenching loss of honouring the wishes of a loved one who elects to die quickly and with dignity – a decision I will never regret, however disturbing and devastating.

The key here, i believe, is choice.  As humans, one of our greatest assets as well as possibly one of our heaviest burdens is cognitive thought.  It gives us the desire to make choices – good ones, bad ones, right or wrong, the ability to learn and to reason is tied to our need to make choices – I believe that completely.  So, there is no right answer here, just perhaps a better one, a choice.

I know I’d like my final decision to be exactly that, mine!

Happy Birthday Mom – you were inspired!!

TGIF

PS - looking forward to some feedback, please comment !