Wesley J. Smith: Scottish Bill Would Allow Active Euthanasia by Non Doctor

First Things/Secondhand Smok ^ | 1/21/10 | Wesley J. Smith

[wagglebee]

The new Scotland Parliament bill to legalize assisted suicide–which I noted in an earlier post, permits disabled or dying teenagers access to “end of life assistance”–clearly includes active mercy killing.  From the bill (no link, my emphasis):

1. Lawful to provide assistance under this Act(1) It is not a criminal offence or a delict for a person (a) to provide end of life assistance in accordance with this Act; or (b) to provide assistance, including assistance by participating in any step required by this Act, to enable another person to obtain or provide end of life assistance in accordance with this Act.
(2) In this Act “end of life assistance” means assistance, including the provision or administration of appropriate means, to enable a person to die with dignity and a minimum of distress….

11. Requirements relating to the actual provision of assistance (1) The end of life assistance must, so far as reasonably practicable, be provided in accordance with the agreement between the requesting person and the designated practitioner.

Note that since the method of killing isn’t specified or limited, it would seem that any method agreed upon by the suicidal person and the killing actor would be legal, theoretically including being shot in the head, so long as it  “allowed a person to die with dignity,” which is in the eye of the dying person, it would seem, and caused “a minimum of distress,” which a bullet to the head would provide. Most wouldn’t want to be shot, of course, but these days, who knows?

And it is very clear that the actual suicide assister/killer need not be the patient’s physician or, for that matter, even a health care practioner:

10 Agreement on provision of assistance (1) Where the second formal request is approved, and before end of life assistance can be provided, the requesting person and the designated practitioner must agree (a) that end of life assistance is to be provided; (b) who is to provide the end of life assistance; (c) on the place where that assistance is to be provided; and (d) on the means by which that assistance is to be provided.

While Secton 11 (6) requires the doctor to be present, he/she clearly need not do the deed.

So, in summary: Under the bill, qualified teenagers can be killed without regard to parental approval, doctors need to OK the euthanasia/assisted suicide but need not perform the act–demonstrating yet again, that euthanasia is not a medical act–and any swift method of killing is okay so long as it is done in private.  Good grief!

[wagglebee]

Under the bill, qualified teenagers can be killed without regard to parental approval, doctors need to OK the euthanasia/assisted suicide but need not perform the act–demonstrating yet again, that euthanasia is not a medical act–and any swift method of killing is okay so long as it is done in private.

This is sickening!

[wagglebee]

Pro-Life Ping

[wagglebee]

Moral Absolutes Ping!

Freepmail wagglebee or DirtyHarryY2K to subscribe or unsubscribe from the moral absolutes ping list.

FreeRepublic moral absolutes keyword search
[ Add keyword moral absolutes to flag FR articles to this ping list ]

[mdmathis6]

What is it about the BRITS and their active fascination with wanting to kill themselves?

[mdmathis6]

I don’t know maybe it’s the weather...that whole nation needs to be “chem trailed” with anti-depressants...they might feel better instead of trying to kill themselves!

[grey_whiskers]

The Mafia will be on this in a heartbeat.

Ironclad defense against being charged for murder during mob hits.

What, you think the cosa nostra *doesn't* have doctors on retainer to OK the forms?

Cheers!

[wagglebee]

Pinged from Terri Dailies

[reaganbooster]

Don’t let Arlen Specter know about this! (Scottish law)