Value

Big news in our city at the moment, is a landmark decision on euthanasia. A man who is quadraplegic has taken his case all the way to the Supreme court and has won the right to die. For those unfamiliar with it, he is being fed through a tube into his stomach. This win means that they can cease to feed him and he will essentially starve to death.

This whole thing makes me so angry. Angry because the essential argument for death, is that he has a low "quality of life". Because he can't scratch his nose, wipe his bottom, and do other things that we take for granted, his life quality is not enough to warrant life? If we take this logic to it's endth degree, anyone who is in a similar position could and/or should die. After all, they don't have the same quality of life as full bodied persons! Then what about people with low IQ's or disease, or other socially unacceptable issues? Why don't we show compassion and help them die?

It also makes me angry because this man thinks that he has nothing to contribute. But where is his family? Where are the people who can see his value is far greater than the ability to blow his own nose? Where are the advocates for life, those who love him as person not for what he can do for them?

Of course, I am also angry because we claim (the vast majority of Aussies) to believe in the 10 commandments, but then when it comes to this issues, forget that murder is one of them. Where is the compassion? Where is the love? Where is the sanctity of life?