"I think that euthanasia would gain even less acceptance than organ donation and would attract a band of hostile opponents as has happened with legalised abortion."

Fester there will always be hostile opponents to any bill introduced.

Western Australians voted in 2009 on Daylight Savings (yet again!) and for the fourth time, rejected it. Noisy and hostile campaigners for DLS were so vociferous that it appeared the Yes vote would win. It did not, but it cost the taxpayer a considerable amount of money. "No" four times by the majority, means "No."

The religious right often claim to represent the silent majority on abortion, however surveys to date on abortion, suggest that around 80 per cent of Australians support a woman’s right to choose.

A poll conducted by A C Nielson in 2005 saw a mere 17% against abortion and one conducted by Roy Morgan in 2006 saw 22% against abortion. These figures reflect society’s views on abortion. They do not reflect the imaginery or manufactured 'silent majority' the anti-abortionists claim.

Dear Davidf,
thanks for the reply.
I have no interest in defending socialist/communist regime's of the past and present, beyond perhaps acknowledging the detrimental effects of the one sided economic tension between East and West/ Left and Right. The regimes themselves are indefensible.

I have to acknowledge that the question as to whether capitalism drives population is indeed a vexed one.

I'm frantically busy for the next day or two, but unless you beat me to it, I'll start a thread on the topic before the end of the week.

Hazza,

Why not both - a Living Will specifying when, AND an affidavit when not, to remove some of those grey areas, as a precaution ? And of course, both in writing. Just making that clear - oral reports are a bit dodgy when a life (and perhaps property) is involved. In the real world, who knows what evil lurks ?

Joe

Squeers, I hadn't noticed you hissing! Alright I'll soften my stance somewhat in relation to people with mental illness seeking euthanasia and not make that a total block in absolutely all cases. I would though have some very large reservations. Probably though if euthanasia was legalised and allowed for in mental health conditions, the same sort of things that would worry me, would also be looked at by the people assessing a patients suitability for euthanasia.

Most of my reservations come from having had friends with bi-polar. I've had friends who have been immobilised with the pain of depression. It is a very serious condition. While someone is in a truly depressed state though I don't think they are in a condition to agree to euthanasia painful though it is. One of my friends in that state truly believed that each and every one of the starving babies in Africa was her fault. After some very hard years involving hospital admissions, her condition improved to a very great degree and she has had a full and largely happy life, though of course she still has bi-polar and she is probably not as resilient as most people. If she had applied during those three years and been accepted, that life would not have been led.

Another friend in his 'up' stage took on beliefs that had no relation with how the world actually works, and would become very agitated if people didn't follow his reasoning. He probably scared some people. If he was making that decision up was not the time. When he was down though, it was worse. In the end the poor bloke did suicide. I think though, that if he had someone with him that day to laugh some with, it wouldn't have happened. He went to a place with a bad history, he would have thought on it by himself, and on the way home a opportunity presented itself. I think it was spur of the moment.

With people with conditons like cancer and degenerative conditions, the outcome at a certain point is pretty clear. People aren't at all likely to get better. The outcome for mental health patients can be more unpredictable. While not curable, some people can manage their conditions and do will with support. I'm maybe wrongly, not knowing where we are in the medical treatment of these conditions wondering if we may get better at treating them too. If I get motor neurone, I'll probably have about six months I believe. If my daughter gets bi-polar, she would probably have another sixty years for medical advances to be made, unless her condition drives her to self medicate or harm for them to work on treatment. I'd like her to hang on as long as possible in hope of improvement.

There were big variations in the mood of my friends with bipolar from day to day, week to week and even year to year. I'd want a very long assessment process, if euthanasia was made an option for people with this condition to take that into account.

That's a very good idea Loudmouth- I think that's precisely what needs to be done, conveyed in both verbal and written record and open to change at any time.

I think that should stand more strongly in an event one cannot say directly what their intents are at the immediate moment.