A Logical Approach to Legalizing Suicide
I was reading about our Right to Privacy and it eventually came to the whole "right to die" debacle.
Now, of course people should have the right to commit suicide, but that is currently not the case. Hell, it's hard enough for terminally ill patients to commit suicide and they're supposed to die soon.
I've always believed that people, no matter what condition they're in, should be allowed to end their life. Now, even if you decide to use an actual logical counter-argument (as opposed to the moral issue of it not being one's time) like "it hurts police investigations", we can make it very simple.
If you wish to commit suicide, you must first register yourself as someone who will be committing suicide. This will require a personal approach by yourself, so the registrations will have to be made on a local level. It won't take long, and once you register you will be free to commit suicide. Now, whether the suicidal act itself should be regulated will, of course, be decided at a state and local level.
1. This gives citizens the fundamental right to their own lives.
2. It will also let citizens think harder about actually committing suicide if they have to go through a registration process.
3. Investigations will go more smoothly when police officers are informed that the person had actually registered for suicide (instead of leaving a note or some shit).
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I support legalising suicide. But I think your proposed system requires a fine balancing act: registration should be simple and enticing enough that people will make use of it, while people who register should be proactively taught that alternatives to suicide may be available. I don't have a full answer as to how these concerns should be addressed, though I have a few tentative suggestions: (1) A compulsory psychiatric test for anyone wanting to register who isn't terminally ill. People who are diagnosed with a mental illness won't be barred from registering, but they would be strongly encouraged to attempt treatment first. A lot of people who are chronically depressed/suicidal don't realise that it might be caused by an illness and can be cured. (2) A registration process that takes a period of time, again for anyone who isn't terminally ill. Say, after they initially register, a date and time several weeks or months into the future is set, and at that time they have to return in person to complete the registration. If they don't turn up then, the registration lapses. This is to help prevent people making a spur-of-the-moment decision to commit suicide. (3) Some sort of incentive for people wanting to commit suicide to register for it officially. "Not wasting police time" is an incentive but is probably not strong enough for a lot of people. But I can't think of anything good off the top of my head :/ Do some states still impose penalties on the relatives of suicide victims, e.g. inheritance issues? If so, maybe people who registered properly will not have such trouble. (4) A government service to humanely kill people who want to die. This should definitely be available to terminally ill patients. I'm undecided on whether or not it should also be available to other people who have registered. For one thing, it would spare relatives or members of the public from stumbling upon a grisly suicide scene. It also allows them to die relatively painlessly, though it might be argued that that's a bad thing, since it will make suicide seem more attractive. I can also imagine this could cause problems - e.g. angry relatives saying that the government murdered their loved one. But I do think it's more humane than the government telling people, "OK, now you can decide to die if you want. Go do it yourself." 2
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My main problem with all of this is that it ruins the entire point in my system: to take away any hassles. By putting in wait times and psychiatric evaluations, you are only adding red-tape and obstacles. Hardly anyone will register for suicide if this is the case. As well, these kind of regulations will be up to the State and local governments. Hopefully, though, they will not make it a long, difficult process. The point is to be quick and easy. No one will register if they have all the bullshit to go through... they'll just do it right away. Yeah, you have a good point - which is why I also mentioned that if possible, there should be some sort of incentive for people to register. My issue with a simple registration process is that it'll make it look as though the government doesn't mind or care that its citizens are killing themselves. I wouldn't want a government with a pro-suicide policy, just one that is willing to tolerate it. I don't think it's too big an issue if some people don't register. I don't know how much police time it wastes, but I don't think it's all that much. Most deaths that don't happen at a hospital bed do get investigated to some extent anyway; it's not like suicides take up a disproportionate amount of time. And even if someone dies after registering, the police will still want to take a look in case it was really a murder and the registration was coincidental, or the murderer knew about the registration and was using it to cover their tracks. "2. It will also let citizens think harder about actually committing suicide if they have to go through a registration process.” This whole thing doesn’t make much sense to me. People have been committing suicide for years, without any regard to anything, let alone laws they will no longer have to abide by after following through with their plans. I can see this approach for hospice patients or something, but no one is going to consider the legality of committing suicide. What happens if they do it illegally? 3
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The same thing that happens to anyone who attempts to commit suicide illegally. They will be arrested and baceracted. My plan is to give people the ability to commit suicide so long as they follow procedure. Anyone who wishes to commit suicide, but also wants insurance that they will not be arrested and sent to a mental hospital if they fail or are caught attempting to commit suicide, will have to register themselves as someone who will be ending their life in, let's say, a week. This way, suicide is legalized but properly regulated. Properly regulated as in they will not have a hard time trying to do so but government can still keep tabs. How would the government ensure that people register? I’m willing to bet that most people who attempt suicide aren’t anticipating that they’ll fail. Also, the suicide could also negatively affect other people who aren’t registered for death or a life of misery. What should happen if the suicidal person decides it is in their best interest to do the deed in front of his or her child(ren) or parent(s)? Is this okay since it’s government sanctioned? 1
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With populations getting bigger and the world turning into living hell within the next decade or so, legalising suicide will probably be done. In europe and especially in the UK, Abortion is on the rise and its opposition is weakening as we progress into a more material century. It only make sense if the government allows people to make the choice if they are in pain or are terminal. Doctors would argue, that it breaks that promise about helping people but in the end it is the persons right to choose when he or she lives and dies. how it would be done is another question? I don't think it should be legalized, I do not think it's right. What if they have children and family that they would be leaving behind? But seriously, what are they going to do? Arrest the person after they've committed suicide? I think people should be allowed to end there own lives, but legalizing it would mean you couldn't make the person get help if the attempt failed. |
