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| Better for Old People to Kill Themselves Than Be A Nuisance, Lawmaker Says |
| 2004-12-15 |
| A prominent British lawmaker has triggered an outcry by implying that elderly and very ill people should not only have the right, but the obligation to kill themselves rather than become a nuisance. The furor erupted as British lawmakers prepared to vote on a bill that critics worry could be used to sanction the killing of patients in a vegetative state. "I couldn't bear hanging on and being such a burden on people," said Baroness Mary Warnock, an 80-year-old medical ethicist, philosopher and member of the upper House of Lords, in a weekend newspaper interview. "In other contexts, sacrificing oneself for one's family would be considered good," she told the Sunday Times. "I don't see what is so horrible about the motive of not wanting to be an increasing nuisance." "If I went into a nursing home, it would be a terrible waste of money that my family could use far better," Warnock added. Later in the interview she said: "I am not ashamed to say some lives are more worth living than others," before conceding that "if someone else decides your life is not worth living, that is very dangerous." Warnock was speaking ahead of a House of Commons vote Tuesday on legislation that would give legal status to "living wills" and allow third parties to tell doctors to withdraw treatment -- or even food and water -- from terminally-ill patients. "Living wills" are documents that set out how ill people want to be treated if they are no longer able to communicate their wishes directly to medical staff. The Mental Capacity Bill is highly contentious, with some members of the ruling Labor Party opposing it and calling for the right to vote according to conscience... |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #30 They can't start yet. I'm still working on the patent app for Soylent Green. She better not give it away! |
| Posted by: eLarson 2004-12-15 5:46:19 PM |
| #29 At the Cosmos? What in blazes are you talking about, 2b? |
| Posted by: Korora 2004-12-15 2:25:17 PM |
| #28 Steve from Relto: I was the man in the yellow shirt in the first act and the ghost in the burgundy shirt with brass buttons in the second. And why didn't you tell me you'd made it? |
| Posted by: Korora 2004-12-15 2:21:17 PM |
| #27 OK, how about assisted suicide for the Baroness? |
| Posted by: lex 2004-12-15 12:51:28 PM |
| #26 Suicide is the cause of an overweening ego. It is the ultimate in selfishness Suicide takes place when a person with an over sized ego believes that their own life belongs to no one but themselves. They care nothing for others' feelings in the matter of their own lives despite all the evidence to the contrary. Those who committ suicide should be mourned for those are left behind only. It is the least that can be done for the survivors. |
| Posted by: badanov 2004-12-15 12:16:45 PM |
| #25 I dont think anyone should kill themselves, but what makes Seniors any different then anyone else ? 15,25,35, or 85 yrs, if a person feels unworthy and kills themselves for that, it is unfortunate either way. And by the way, Usefulness is not age discriminate. What the writer thinks one way or the other does not matter either way. When your dead, your dead. No rights, no laws, no opinions matter. |
| Posted by: tex 2004-12-15 12:09:27 PM |
| #24 English aristocrats born with moral defects. Ahhh...what better reason than to put them on our list? |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-12-15 12:07:55 PM |
| #23 What is prompting this outburst of moral idiocy from those whom the British crown gives its highest honors? First Sir Richard Dawkins explains to Clark County OH voters that Bush's foreign policy is the "law-of-the-jungle" equivalent of self-defense against an intruder in one's home. How barbarous. Then Sir Nicholas Mollusk-Mickelthwaite of the Intl Red Cross tells us, sadly, that "non-state-organizations" like Zarqawi's neck-sawing brigade and the ba'athist assassins in Iraq do not perceive the Red X as neutral. A pity. Charles the Dullard urges a new/old doctrine of To each his appointed sphere. And from each a subsidy to maintain a family of inbred congenital morons to the tune of millions per year each. Now Lady Warlock tells us that old folks need to do the public-spirited thing and move along to the great beyond. Are English aristocrats born with moral defects? Or is it something in their schooling? |
| Posted by: lex 2004-12-15 12:05:23 PM |
| #22 It's unlikely that this silliness will gain any traction in the legislative sphere. But the truly evil aspect of this withered old aristo-c*nt's idiocy is the possibility that the old and infirm, who have a great deal of time to contemplate such things, will find confirmation for their latent fears that they are a "burden" on society. This will be the pernicious effect of her lame attempt at stimulating some kind of "dialogue" in this manner. Nice work. |
| Posted by: lex 2004-12-15 11:56:41 AM |
| #21 Gosh..just think how much sooner you could get your inheritence and how much that would do for the economy. Come' on Granny - do it for the children. |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-12-15 11:53:57 AM |
| #20 âCall this an unfair generalization if you must, but old people are no good at everything.â -- Moe Syzlak Wasn't getting rid of old people a side story in "Death Race 2000"? I seem to recall the Race Announcer saying "It's Euthanasia Day down at the old folks home." |
| Posted by: Tibor 2004-12-15 11:52:13 AM |
| #19 OK, assume she's correct. She's clearly exceeded the limit of her own social usefulness. So why doesn't she put her gas pipe where her mouth is? |
| Posted by: lex 2004-12-15 11:51:52 AM |
| #18 ...elderly and very ill people should not only have the right, but the obligation to kill themselves rather than become a nuisance. I don't think that's right, Mrs D. Besides, actions speak louder than words. I won't stand in the way of the Baroness if she wants to give her family the greatest gift of all and shove her head in the oven before it's needed for the turkey. I do object to her suggestion that other old and ill people should feel compelled to do the same, however. If people over a certain age are to be deemed 'surplus to requirements', what's to stop me killing my neighbours' grandparents with impunity? Setting dogs on the incurable and infirm could be the sport to replace foxhunting. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2004-12-15 11:48:26 AM |
| #17 I think she's correct. She's not calling for a Dutch solution where the doctors decide behind your back and then kill you. But she is questioning why people should live in human warehouses that are in may ways like prison camps without the mercy of death. We've now got the ability to overstay our usefulnes. Who better to raise the issue than an able 80 year old? |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2004-12-15 11:38:39 AM |
| #16 her highness the Bar[e]-on-[a]ss |
| Posted by: lex 2004-12-15 11:32:01 AM |
| #15 Who's the Bareass? |
| Posted by: Steve from Relto 2004-12-15 11:31:03 AM |
| #14 .com - Nah, you should have had an antifreeze drinking contest. It goes down a lot smoother and tastes better. |
| Posted by: Desert Blondie 2004-12-15 11:28:09 AM |
| #13 What is her highness the Bareass waiting for? Why does she continue to burden us? Get thee to an oven, already |
| Posted by: lex 2004-12-15 11:27:40 AM |
| #12 We've been in e-contact, and I recognized his real name on the program. |
| Posted by: Steve from Relto 2004-12-15 11:13:25 AM |
| #11 i think Sea and I met Korora at the Cosmos..since he wrote up a bit and took some pictures. Perhaps he was the one who asked about art?? But I don't recall him taking a photo. Are you sure Korora is a guy? Care to come out of the closet Korora? |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-12-15 11:08:49 AM |
| #10 Oh yes, Gilbert and Sullivan! I'm a lifelong fan. I've been to every Madison Savoyards show since the 1993 production of Utopia, Limited. BTW, there was a Rantburger in their perfomance of Ruddigore this year: Korora. I couldn't tell which one he was, though, having never met him in person. Nowadays, Gilbert and Sullivan would have more to lampoon than they could do in even a prediluvial lifespan. |
| Posted by: Steve from Relto 2004-12-15 10:53:15 AM |
| #9 mhw - ROFL!!! Gilbert (& Co) was definitely onto something there! |
| Posted by: .com 2004-12-15 10:50:02 AM |
| #8 dreadnought there was a song in the Mikado (a Gilbert and Sullivan musical) SONG--KO-KO with CHORUS OF MEN. As some day it may happen that a victim must be found, I've got a little list--I've got a little list Of society offenders who might well be underground, And who never would be missed--who never would be missed! There's the pestilential nuisances who write for autographs-- All people who have flabby hands and irritating laughs-- All children who are up in dates, and floor you with 'em flat-- All persons who in shaking hands, shake hands with you like _that_-- And all third persons who on spoiling tete-a-tetes insist-- They'd none of 'em be missed--they'd none of 'em be missed! CHORUS. He's got 'em on the list--he's got 'em on the list; And they'll none of 'em be missed--they'll none of 'em be missed. There's the banjo serenader, and the others of his race, And the piano-organist--I've got him on the list! And the people who eat peppermint and puff it in your face, They never would be missed--they never would be missed! Then the idiot who praises, with enthusiastic tone, All centuries but this, and every country but his own; And the lady from the provinces, who dresses like a guy, And who "doesn't think she waltzes, but would rather like to try"; And that singular anomaly, the lady novelist-- I don't think she'd be missed--I'm sure she'd not he missed! CHORUS. He's got her on the list--he's got her on the list; And I don't think she'll be missed--I'm sure she'll not be missed! And that Nisi Prius nuisance, who just now is rather rife, The Judicial humorist--I've got him on the list! All funny fellows, comic men, and clowns of private life-- They'd none of 'em be missed--they'd none of 'em be missed. And apologetic statesmen of a compromising kind, Such as--What d'ye call him--Thing'em-bob, and likewise--Never-mind, And 'St--'st--'st--and What's-his-name, and also You-know-who-- The task of filling up the blanks I'd rather leave to you. But it really doesn't matter whom you put upon the list, For they'd none of 'em be missed--they'd none of 'em be missed! CHORUS. You may put 'em on the list--you may put 'em on the list; And they'll none of 'em be missed--they'll none of 'em be missed! -- W. S. Gilbert |
| Posted by: mhw 2004-12-15 10:44:29 AM |
| #7 Yeah! Here's a my list of undesirables: 1. Prisoners 2. Homeless 3. Hare Krishnas 4. Fat Women Who Wear Tight Shorts 5. Vegans Who Wear Leather Shoes By God, the possibilities are endless! Soon, I will create a Dreadnought Utopia filled with only those I like. Bwahahaha! |
| Posted by: Dreadnought 2004-12-15 10:30:46 AM |
| #6 bad - heh. Regards the lefties, I tried to start a "Be the first on your block to eat Drano!" campaign, but it failed to take off. Wimps. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-12-15 10:23:14 AM |
| #5 While he is at it maybe he could kill the least productive members of society: the left. |
| Posted by: badanov 2004-12-15 10:18:43 AM |
| #4 Don't let the Democrats hear about this. It could be their solution to the Social Security crisis. Better this then the evils of privatization. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2004-12-15 10:01:43 AM |
| #3 Add "prominent British lawmakers" to your list, Bulldog. Actually, we already have "living wills" here in the U.S. I have one -- it's about four pages long and protects me the way I want to be protected. I'll only get "unplugged" under conditions that are satisfactory to me. |
| Posted by: Tom 2004-12-15 9:56:36 AM |
| #2 Yay! Let's start killing pensioners! And while we're about it, why don't we kill all 'nuisance' people - age discrimination's supposed to be a thing of the past anyway. Let's start with the disabled and work our way up to the lazy and bad-breathed. Kids are a damn nuisance most of the time too. Why don't we kill them? Oh, right. We already do. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2004-12-15 9:48:24 AM |
| #1 Richard Lamm, Governor of Colorado 1975-87, made the same arguement. |
| Posted by: Jim K 2004-12-15 9:47:00 AM |