Wednesday, July 21, 2010

UK disability group opposes euthanasia

Tony Nicklinson, a man who lives with disabilities in the UK has launched a case to legalize euthanasia in the UK. Disability rights group, No Less Human, has responded by opposing Nicklinson's case.

Janet Thomas of No Less Human commented: "The killing of vulnerable, innocent people, whether able-bodied or not, is never right, even when those people ask to be killed. The deliberate killing of any innocent person damages the interests of us all."

Mr. Nicklinson feels he wants to die because of his disabilities - as if human value and worth are to be measured by physical ability. Human worth lies not in what people can do but in what they inherently are. Each human life whether damaged or not whether a short one or a long one is a gift of incomparable value"

Mr Nicklinson says he is fed up with his life and can see no purpose to it, but this is also said by many able-bodied victims, often teenagers or young adults who leap off bridges, hang themselves or jump under trains."

Many people in No Less Human have found that coping with their disabling conditions can be improved. These improvements come via positive help and support from family, friends and the community, and by a refusal to accept that there is any life which is worthless."

Society, through its laws against murder and assisted suicide, comes down in favour of life. Every time someone decides that there are lives not worth living, he or she damages the security of all of us", concluded Mrs Thomas.

Link to media release: http://www.spuc.org.uk/news/releases/2010/july20

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