Spain Preparing to Legalize Euthanasia?
I have been waiting for this: Spain's government may be the most radical in the free world, controlled as it is by Socialists and Greens. It is personalizing fauna by preparing to legalize the Great Ape Project, and has pursued other agendas on the progressive agenda with vigor. Yet, so far, no legalization of euthanasia. That appears poised to change. From a brief story from the Catholic News Agency:
The Minister of Justice in Spain, Mario Fernandez Bermejo, received the members of the organization, Right to Die with Dignity, in a meeting and vowed to meet the demands of their group dedicated to promoting euthanasia and suicide.The irony, of course, is that euthanasia are decidedly illiberal and anti-progressive--as the splendid book Liberalism's Troubled Search for Equality, by Robert P. Jones makes very clear.
Although the meeting did not end with a concrete agreement, the Minister published a statement in which he remarked that the board is concerned that those with terminal illnesses have a dignified end to their lives and assured that the government is in "a period of deep thought" regarding palliative care.
In the meeting, the coordinator of the association, César Caballero requested the government of Spain "make euthanasia and assisted suicide possible to those with terminal illnesses who have made the requests in advance."
Labels: Spain. Euthanasia. Liberalism's Troubled Search for Equality
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 9:20 AM
3 Comments
3 Comments:
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"make euthanasia and assisted suicide possible to those with terminal illnesses who have made the requests in advance."
This is enabling people to make decisions on their own, finally preventing the government from tampering with private matters. It is about time that we become relieved from the prospect of dying a terrible, painful death rather than a short and painless one because no one is allowed to help us with this. It's abating unneccesary human suffering. It actually is enabling humans to be distinctively humans in chosing when and how they die, whom fellow human they help to carry out his/hers decision.
The fact that in most countries in this case one would pe punished for helping a disabled person to do what he/she wants is actually an obscenity.
It is clearly stated: "terminal illness" and "[those] who have made the requests in advance". So there's need for differentiation in judging this proposal.
Euthanasia and assisted suicide are decidedly illiberal, as Robert P. Jones, a committed liberal, demonstrated in applying Ronald Dworkin's liberty/equality maxims in his (Jones') book Liberalism's Troubled Search for Equality. He hands Dworkin his head on a petard by applying Dworkin's own standards to the issue, and demonstrates convincingly that assisted suicide is violative of equality.
Unless you think liberalism isn't about equality any more. Alas, that's what I have concluded.
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