NationStates Jolt Archive

The Democratic Republic of Free Peoples has put forward a resolution regarding the individuals right to choose death and not be criminalised by this act.

This is not to say that suicide should be encouraged but that those who attempt the act should be helped not criminalised.

I hope to see a lively debate and I also hope to see sufficient UN representatives support the resolution such that it can be put to the vote.

Sam Allen
Prime Minister, The Democratic Republic of Selfless Peoples

Sorry I did put on a fourth option, another 'No' option but its seems to have disappeared.

From a purely philosophical point of view, citizens do not have the right to suicide because the state is the sole entity which can legitimately use violence. Well, it is if you buy into the idea of a social contract between citizens and government in which the citizens sacrifice some freedoms so that the government can maintain order. Suicide is violence against a citizen, and it doesn't matter that the citizen is committing violence against his- or herself. They should not usurp the state's right to violence.

Of course, from a more practical point of view, the thought of the state restricting the right to die of an individual who hasn't been sentenced to death is repugnant to many. It seems cruel for a government to deny someone in incredible physical pain (for whatever reason) the right to end their pain, because the government is essentially saying that the person must continue to endure the pain. Carrying that a step farther, where can a line be drawn to mark what is suffering and what is not? Every person suffers differently, so there is no way to judge who is truly suffering and who is not. While every effort should be made to help a person pondering suicide reconsider their choices, in the end, it should be their choice to make.

In all, while it is theoretically beneficial to outlaw suicide, it is also cruel to do so in the case of those who are truly suffering and have no real hope of that ending.

-Robert Fowles, Syndromnian ambassador to the UN

(OOC: Wasn't there an issue dealing with this a while back? This resolution is a nice idea, but it could be considered somewhat redundant.(

this is a question
not a burning issue
but one we find of interest to address

would that there were such a shortage of human population
that the species were in danger of dying out from an insufficient
diversity of gene pool
an objection, on the part of state,
to the taking of one's own life,
might make somewhat greater sense.

yet in simple truith we live instead
in a world where the diversity of other species is
threatened by loss of their habitat do to an excessive number
of members of our own.

surely those wishing to leave more room for the rest of us should be
honored and appreaciated, not ostracized and condemed.

what they believe they are doing to themselves is between their own
beliefs and their own souls.

there is of course one other objection to permitting those of
sound mind and health from choosing to terminate their own
existence and that is simply that someone else has to clean up the
mess. that is of course unless they contrive to dispatch themselves
in such manor as to leave little or nothing to clean up, and of course
have the consideration to not inadvertantly take anyone not volunteering
to accompany, with them.

thank you for your time and consideration

=^^=
.../\...

(OOC: Wasn't there an issue dealing with this a while back? This resolution is a nice idea, but it could be considered somewhat redundant.(

Yes and still going titaled euthanasia.

Euthanasia is some what different as it usually involves a second party assisting the first in his/her effort to end their lives.

Euthanasia is the act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurable condition, as by lethal injection or the suspension of extraordinary medical treatment.

I had not layed out that the individual concerned was terminally ill or incureable in the conventional sense. It is another interesting issue, but I wanted this thread focused on Suicide itself. Individuals suffering from depression could be considered incurable, but are not commonly percived as such (Or even suffering from REAL condition by some people)should it be a criminal act for them to try and end their lives and thereby their suffering?

I'm sorry you feel this resolution is redundant, I don't. I examined the past resolutions and saw nothing governing the specific right to die. If I have missed anything, I apologise and if you point me in the right direction I will withdraw my new resolution.

Let's add narcotics to the options.
If a person is terminally ill they should be allowed access to narcostics without prosecution, prescription, or the unnecessary intervention of "experts". Just make sure they don't resell the stuff.