Disabled Chinese Woman Asks for Euthanasia

This story reveals an awful lot about the current state of Chinese society. A paralyzed woman wants euthanasia because she wants to die before her parents. Here's why: "I must die before my parents; otherwise I will live a miserable life after their pass-away -- dirty, stinking, and sick. The thought of such a life and death is unbearable."

Considering that China sells organs of executed prisoners, may kill Falun Gong and then sell their organs, and has other very serious human rights problems, it is not unreasonable for one of its citizens to be so afraid. The proper response, of course, is to assure her that she will receive proper care--and do it--not acede to her request to be killed, a point noted in an editorial on Eastbay.com: "I deeply understand the pain that illness has brought to this 28 year-old woman. I also respect her right to express her innermost feelings. But this is merely sympathy, an involuntary sympathy. If we really have NPC representatives or CPPCC committee members making a proposal on euthanasia in China today, this is clearly an inopportune abuse of rights."