Euthanasia now legal in Holland

CNN ^ | April 1 2002

[knighthawk]

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands -- Euthanasia became legal in the Netherlands on Monday, the first country to allow doctors to kill patients with terminal diseases who are suffering "unbearably."

There were protests last April when the Dutch parliament voted to legalise a practice which had been taking place unofficially for 30 years.

[knighthawk]

Democrats 66, the party of Health Minister Els Borst, who guided the bill through parliament, will be slashed during the next elections! Polls show they will fall from 14 seats (from the 150 possible) to 7!

[knighthawk]

Ping and FYI

[Caipirabob]

And now, the marketing blitz!

COME TO HOLLAND...AND DIE!

[lowbridge]

Democrats 66, the party of Health Minister Els Borst, who guided the bill through parliament

Typo. Someone left out the additional "6"

[realpatriot71]

What do you guys think about this?

I personally support a terminal patient's right to die.

[Dumb_Ox]

Though opponents drew parallels with Nazi Germany, Dutch doctors did not win a licence to kill. They must follow strict rules or face prosecution.

Sadly enough, the Dutch come off worse in comparison with the Third Reich. Not even the Nazis dared to legalize euthanasia; they simply practiced it covertly.

[knighthawk]

LOL!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I wouldn't care to live in a place where authorities decide when people live or die.

[HENRYADAMS]

This rule has some interesting implications for probate courts. Wonder if the soon to be decedent is rich and the relatives are in a hurry? The doctor is named as taking under the will? Millions are left to "science?"

Now the death lovers have the "right to die" Tomorrow will they have the "duty to die?" After all Western Civilization is aging and it is expensive to keep all them old codgers alive.

[aardvark1]

life must be ended in a medically appropriate way

What does this mean??

[Turk2]

It means only Doctor Kevorkian and his followers can do it appropriately. By the way, what isn't legal in Holland?

[Turk2]

Kevorkian for President [from next years presidential elections in Holland]

[PLK]

I agree with you. The legalization of euthanasia now makes it not only culturally acceptable, but expected. An elderly, ill person who requires care and consumes financial resources for that care, may begin to feel the burden to consent to euthansia in order to lighten the load on their family.

One more addition to the culture of death that permeates our world. With the Catholic Church dealing with their homosexual priest scandals, their effectiveness and credibility in countering this frightening trend is crippled. Surely people will begin to connect the dots here: the culture of life vs. the culture of death.

[HENRYADAMS]

I can see the day coming when one will be alloted so many years to live. When the alloted time comes the person will be given a giant party then will report to "The Center."

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

I think that the reason this is scary is that it's one of those "slippery slope" things. Now it's the people who consent to death. Later it will be those who society volunteers for death.

[HEY4QDEMS]

Just a note to visitors, while visiting Holland, we strongly sugest you indulge in our world famous Green Crackers.!!

[NC_Libertarian]

I beleive you have the right to kill yourself, but I think this is a bad idea. Wait untill the HMOs learn of this cost cutting new procedure.

What about the pressure of the old and infirm who do not want to feel like a burden on their families?

The thing about killing yourself is, legal or not their is no recourse of the government. There are far more disturbing problems with legalized homocide then without.

I think it's a scary direction society is going with our value of human life. We have "endangered animals" (when extinction itself is a natural life process) who's lives are more protected then our youngest, our oldest, our weakest and infirm.

From what philosophy does such a lack of value on human life spring? From the ironically named "humanism".

In regards to the issue of pain, we have the drugs to treat the most excrutiating of pain, but they are tightly controlled in the name of fighting drug abuse.

So we allow ous sick to suffer to prevent the off chance that someone somewhere might get his kicks with these drugs.

My dad's a physician and he has told me he cannot prescribe strong enough medicines for his patience in pain as the DEA would severely harrass him if he did. (The DEA has sent countless doctors and pharmacists into prison and bankruptcy and ruin.)

It's a ****ed up world sometimes...

[realpatriot71]

I wouldn't care to live in a place where authorities decide when people live or die.

Authorities aren't deciding when people live or die, but rather that people can die if they want too.

[NC_Libertarian]

I personally support a terminal patient's right to die.

I agree, but I don't think this should be enshrined in law for many reasons (see my post above).

I think we should unlock the drug cabinet and end needless suffering. If someone wants to kill themselves there is really not much the government can do about it ultimately anyway.

[realpatriot71]

I think that the reason this is scary is that it's one of those "slippery slope" things. Now it's the people who consent to death. Later it will be those who society volunteers for death.

I can completely understand what you are saying. However, I believe a person's person right to property (their own body) trumps any possible "problems" about society as a whole. It's a personal liberty thing.