My letter to a pro-euthanasia MP...
... let's hope the awful assisted suicide Bill will be defeated
I wasn't going to write to my MP about the horrific “Assisted Dying” proposed legislation in the UK, as they're firmly in favour. I changed my mind. Here is what I wrote:
I understand that you support the legalisation of euthanasia in this country and so are likely to vote in favour of the so-called "Assisted Dying" Bill in Parliament later this month.
This decision will weigh on your conscience for the rest of your life.
If you think introducing euthanasia is compassionate towards the suffering, then you are greatly deceived. Killing is not compassionate - love, care and support is.
I have worked directly with many of the groups who will be seriously harmed by this proposal: the elderly, the mentally ill, and the terminally ill. I can assure you that if this Bill is passed, it will cause untold horrors for these groups of vulnerable people, who would find the choice of death tempting where they would not otherwise have considered it.
In the hope I can persuade you against euthanasia, can I ask you to respond to the questions below:
*What possible safeguards can there be to prevent an elderly person with a terminal diagnosis choosing suicide because they feel like a burden or that they are not loved or wanted? Legislation cannot limit motivations.
*Given that terminal diagnoses are only ever a 'best guess' by a doctor, how could you ever be sure that the person who has been legally euthanised would not have had a longer and fulfilling life?
*Whatever the 'safeguards' and restrictions that are included in this bill, are you aware that under human rights legislation, it is possible that the courts could be forced to widen the pool of people who would be eligible to be killed?
*Have you watched the BBC documentary "Better off dead?" by Liz Carr? I urge you to do so, if not. How do you address the many points that she makes about how legalised euthanasia affects the disabled community?
The evidence for the 3rd point is here.
If you haven’t written to your MP yet, Right to Life has an easy means to do so here.
Anscombe Bioethics Centre has a lot of detailed information here.
If you have faith, let’s pray.
Good idea to write to them. I listened to an interview about Euthanasia in Canada, and the horrific results - like people opting for it because they are disabled and can't get funding to make their house more accessible.