Boris

[liadnan]

Boris Johnson is a man capable of surprises: I wouldn't expect him to be sympathetic to the Joffe Bill on assisted suicide.

(For what it's worth, I continue to have massive, and for the present probably unsurmountable, problems with legalising assisted suicide.)

Comments

[djm4]

I'm not in the least bit surprised; I like him a lot, and thinks he talks sense on a lot of issues. lizw pointed out that what he said on Higher Education was very laudable indeed.

Of course, he's a Tory, and I could never vote for him, but still....

[liadnan]

He's very good on higher education actually, and I'd endorse everything he said there. Incidentally I've had occasion to read the record of Boris' contribution to some dull standing committee or other, which led me to the conviction that his buffoon-like pose is nothing more than that.

[nicnac.livejournal.com]

I continue to have massive, and for the present probably unsurmountable, problems with legalising assisted suicide.

From a legal or faith based point of view?

[liadnan]

From a practical, and to some extent philosophical point of view.

[chiller.livejournal.com]

Urgh, people should be free to make their own choice. IMO. (I'm very pro the AS idea.)

[rparvaaz.livejournal.com]

(For what it's worth, I continue to have massive, and for the present probably unsurmountable, problems with legalising assisted suicide.)

Me too.

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

I'm very much in favour of a change in the law. I think it needs wording very carefully, to avoid abuse, but that this is no excuse for deferring the change.

[liadnan]

That's where we differ: I think a massive risk of abuse is inherent in the concept.

[rparvaaz.livejournal.com]

Yep.

*is the offical M-echo today*

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

OK. I'm cool with differing; it's a debate that needs to be had at length and in public.

[rparvaaz.livejournal.com]

I think this might be one of the few topics on which I don't see the point of debate. Basically because I don't see myself changing my mind - I know how easy it is to subvert laws for personal gain and can't see myself being convinced that this wouldn't happen here.

'Tis prolly the result of growing up with lawyers but there it is.

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

... and I think it's important that there are people with that view. I don't even disagree with it - but I believe that to be humane, the law as it stands must be changed.

[sobelle.livejournal.com]

Are we talking about "right to die" or "death with dignity" and how does that fit into the UK assisted suicide exactly...?

I've already thought about it alot... for me, I've already worked on scenarios that will allow me to fashion my own exit...

What I think annoys me the most is that there will be some people who will decide that I shouldn't be allowed to ~exit~ if I so choose.

My Dad wanted to end his life (after 5 months of never being able to leave the hospital he finally did die) but the medical establishment wouldn't remove the exceptional medical equipment that was keeping him alive when his body would have died months before naturally without it...

I do see the inherent dangers (working in lawyer-land myself) for abuse but to make decisions for everyone just doesn't work for me... anymore than the right to life folks who would dictate no abortions for anyone for any reason including the potential death of the mother...

It all has the potential for abuse but I'd prefer more possibilities than fewer because more control just leads to more control...

But if I have to sneak off to die in my own way I can only hope that I'm still ambulatory.

[lizw.livejournal.com]

It doesn't surprise me at all; he's always struck me as a very compassionate person, and it seems to be compassion which leads him to this position. (Note that I am not saying that all compassionate people must reach the same conclusion.)

I'm in favour of permitting assisted suicide myself, but I do share the concerns about possible abuse, and I believe the Netherlands experience offers some evidence for the slippery-slope hypothesis. I'm not sure how to square the circle - though better funding of hospices and pain management research would help - but I'm no longer comfortable requiring those who genuinely want assisted suicide to make such a sacrifice for those who might be vulnerable (even though I think it more likely that I personally would end up in the latter group than the former).