My life, my death
Why should Esther Rantzen (born Jewish, a theist but not actively religious) have to go to Switzerland to die a dignified death when the time comes?
A DASH supporter commented:
I have led a happy, fulfilled and responsible life and I have helped others whenever I could. I have been creative, I have invented things, I have employed people and I have paid my taxes. I hope I have been kind, honest and trustworthy by leading my life according to my own moral principles and by treating others in the same way I would like them to treat me.
My health has been good (a few hiccups on the way) and I am a person of sound mind but why do I have to wait until I am terminally ill until I sign up with a company in a foreign country simply to end my life when I consider it the right time to do so? I don't deny people of religion the right to prolong their lives as long as possible but what right do they have to impose their beliefs on me?
Do I have to throw myself off a bridge into the River Trent, jump off a high building, step in front of a train or starve myself to death when I could take a pill, go to sleep and die with dignity. Who has a right to deny me this?
I have been responsible for my life, I demand the right to be responsible for my death.
We have long supported attempts to legalise assisted dying for those who have made a clear decision, free from coercion, to end their lives and who are physically unable to do so themselves.
We do not think that there is a strong moral case to limit assistance to terminally ill people and we believe that the fear of coercion ("greedy or uncaring relatives") has been greatly exaggerated by those who oppose a dignified death because of religious beliefs.
Decisions made by people of religion
Unfortunately there is no requirement for people (politicians, doctors, pressure groups, etc.) to declare their religious position when debating issues on which religious belief plays a significant part: abortion, assisted dying, LGBT rights etc. It is therefore essential to look at any groups opposing assisted dying (or claiming to be "neutral") to see how they are funded and what company they keep.
We are deeply offended when people of religion use their beliefs to tell us that we have to be responsible for our lives but we can't be responsible for our deaths. There is an astonishing level of arrogance involved when religious people think it is perfectly normal and OK to tell other people how to lead their lives.