she had dementia

respectfully, look into this

the son was her last advocate

Geri, with respect, you appear to be militantly anti assisted dying. You are entitled to be. But others, equally entitled, do not see the issue as you do.

I would advise any who wish to engage in assisted dying make this plain, in writing witnessed before a lawyer, and by telling their family and friends. The clearer you are about it, and as soon as possible, the less anyone, state or others, can meddle with it.

Everyone should have complete autonomy over their own life

"None of us should have autonomy. We should all operate as one organism," said Geri

That argument is very like the one my RC priest used to give us. And abortion was banned on the back of it. When I gave up religion, I realised that bodily autonomy was important, not least because the alternative is that others - who often will not be well intentioned - will make me do, or stop me doing what I want

@Black_Flag @seb321

I find it pertinent you mention abortion because it is the same argument: may I decide what happens to my own body?

I always reply, "Yes, absolutely". And what my relative, friend, work colleague, neighbour, or fellow citizen thinks is absolutely irrelevant to that.

That also means no one should have the right to kill me as well, of course. So I don't see what the problem is.

people get DNRs all the time and it doesn’t seem to be particularly controversial - someone coerced them to sign one of whatever. What a DNR can’t do is allow you to choose the time you go. I want to choose. Someone who is concerned about over zealous relatives or whatever can equally sign something to say they can’t be assisted in dying. Makes the whole process clear for everyone.

the issue is one of agency. I, as a middle class healthy fella in the UK, have an overwhelming certainty that my voice will be not just heard but respected. That I have value enough that my relatives want and need me to live.

That is not true for other groups who could easily think - and subtly be persuaded to think: I’m a burden - I should go now.

slippery slope xx

I’ve never understood why depressed people should not be allowed to end their own lives. If living is impossible then it is a form of torture to be obliged to keep living. Being depressed doesn’t mean you have lost control of your faculties. You might just have a different set of priorities. But why are they invalid?

It really just shows that we accept state (and corporate) control over every aspect of our lives including when they end. To misquote Rousseau: people are conceived free but everywhere in chains from that point.