Right to Die v. Not Dead Yet
Not Dead Yet is a national disability rights group which opposes the legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia, because of the lethal danger to this nation’s largest minority group, people with disabilities.
OK, think about this for a bit. When I first heard about the “right to die” movement, I was totally for it. Thinking, OK, autonomy within the medical context is a good thing. Regaining control of our bodies. Awesome. cause, hey we all have the right to anything, food, water, a good job, and our death. But then I came across the “not dead yet” organization and it got me thinking. Lets go through this.
Of all those who opt for “assisted suicide”, most people have a disability.
Assisted suicide is controlled my medical professionals.
Ok, so we already begining to see how “choice” is not in a vacum.
Ok. So, if this is controlled by the medical community, and medical professional’s understanding of disability is “lack of ability” or “undesirable” or “damaged” , and have a history of “killing off” the disabled. Considering all this, we begin to see there is a HUGE problem with this “right” to have your dr. help you die.Because now it is no longer a real “choice” within this framework. Its like saying “hey your body is fucked, and we wont provide you services to lead a autonomous life, and this is all because of you and your body—so do you wanna live and cost your families $ and time, or do you want to die?”Well, um, to me that kind of leaves no “real” choice. But if the context was shifted, and the meaning of disability was re articulated, thus providing all people disabilities proper care and services to live an independent life—-would dying be the best option?
Probably not.
These are just some of my thoughts, for more information on this debate, click here.
Opposition to the right to die or death with dignity by saying it posses a safety risk to the disabled community is a straw man. Just looking at the laws in Oregon and Washington show you just how unfounded such a claim is. You must have a terminal illness with a diagnosis of six months left to live, have asked both verbally and written to end your suffering, and be found competent enough to be informed of your situation and decisions. The medical community can’t make the decision to end your life they can only determine if you are in a position to take such a route. It is not easy to get assistance in suicide. You have to be near death and suffering for the short time you have left. To say that the disabled community is in anyway in danger because of this is a fallacy at best. It is more like a lie with an agenda to make people whom are nearing death suffer for as long as possible because of someone else’s selfishness and misguided morals. There are fates worse than death, and everyone deserves the right to decide whether or not they can live with such a fate. To take that away is inhumane.
(via disabilityrightsstuff)
