NationStates Jolt Archive

Fellow members of the UN, Greetings:

The RCO is firmly against the passage of the euthanasia resolution. Unfortunately, it appears that there is a good likelihood that it shall. Initially, we believed that we would have to withdraw from the UN over this - unlike some of the other lunacy passed in this organization, we could not find a way to follow the letter of the law while remaining outside its spirit.

Now we have.

Our top international lawyers at St. Anthanasius University, in cooperation with the Oakeshottland Medical Association (OMA), have discovered a loop-hole in the resolution. The key paragraph is this: "I propose that euthanasia should be legalised. Everyone over a certain age or with a life-threatening illness should be given the right to decide whether, in such a situation, they want to live on for as long as possible, or die with a little dignity left intact. This would mean a legal document would be filled out by those concerned. This would ensure that it is not a medical decision, but the patient's choice. After this document is signed, it must only be used in the situations stated."

This paragraph demands that the state permit this foul procedure. However, it does NOT state that the medical associations of the nation must do so. As the OMA holds strongly to the Hippocratic Oath, in doing no harm, any medical doctor involved in the euthanasia procedure will be banned for life from medical practice. The OMA is a private professional organization, and therefore may operate as it deems fit. Required licensing for medical practice in our country, however, requires the approval from the OMA. Doctors will be very unlikely to perform the procedure, knowing that the UN resolution demands a legal document, which will ensure their removal from medical practice.

In other words, while following the letter of the law, euthanasia will be a practical impossibility in the RCO.

All nations that are against euthanasia, and angry at this oh-so-typical intrusion into national sovereignty, are encouraged to work out similar measures in their own states. The RCO will be more than happy to lend St. Anthanasius' lawyers' expertise to ease the transition. Thank you.

With Respect,
Minister of Foreign Affairs Voegelin, Royal Commonwealth of Oakeshottland.

"Everyone over a certain age OR with a life-threatening illness should be given the right to decide".

One could also use a semantic argument based on this. A state could select the law to apply to either a) a person over a certain age, or b) a person with a life-threatening illness.

A nation could choose to draft this law deciding that age is the criteria in which this decision can be made, and set the minimum age to something unreasonable, but not entirely impossible, like 110.

Not exactly in the spirit of the law, but not outside the letter of it.

You'd have to strike off a helluva lot of doctors using this alleged loop hole.

A large number of hospital doctors have already assisted passively or aggressively in a terminally ill patient's death. I doubt you'd have enough doctors left in your state to run your hospitals. :?

Jumbo Sausage and Chips will set the Age limit at 25 million years old. Diseases will no longer be classified as 'life-threatening' in the courts, they will all be refered to as 'terminal'.

There we go, got round that one.

Greetings.
Along with our friends from the Royal Commonwealth of Oakeshottland, the scientists representing our supreme ruler Milwamber have stumbled across another loophole. They have ensured us that if they are given enough time, they can cure any disease imaginable, therefore they do not consider any disease to be terminal.

We have also followed our friends from Oakeshottland and made the minimum age for euthanasia 110 years old. 3 of our citizens are eligible to kill themselves at present.

Von Helfsberg
PA to Milwamber
Supreme ruler of Telewest.

110? Make it 120.

Not to rain on anyone's parade but good as it may seem to find loopholes in the resolution this will have no effect on the compliance ministry who will force us to legalise euthanasia, I'm afraid we have little choice but to accept that this resolution will pass. :cry:

...This would mean a legal document would be filled out by those concerned...

The President of the Constitutional Commitee and the Deputy President of the Legislative Commitee of the Community of Banjak have hinted that under Banjak law only a form issued by the Government which is filled in and signed can be considered a legal document. Therefore, if such a form is never printed, no citizen will be able to prepare a document allowing to kill him at his will. The latter of the two lawyers also added: "It's that simple!"

Hail Banjak!

Wow, the votes against this current proposal have really shot up - by like 3,000.

Yes, if we are giving enough time, it appears the balance may turn, however voting does end today. Does anyone know at what time? As long as the polls are open, we have a chance now.

So redefine life threatening, set the age at 10000 etc.

You could also: -
propose that "euthanasia" should be legalised: define euthanasia as eating etc in your nation.
"little" dignity left intact: how little

or on a slightly more surreal note, "Everyone" over... implies human and the laws appliy to humans so if you are really desperate redifine people as something else.

The people of the Armed Republic of Bootieville are reminded again why we do not bother with the UN.

In the first place, nobody can stop anybody else in Bootieville from eating a bullet. Secondly, if someone wishes to kill themselves it is no business of the state.

When our lanky, lovely, female citizens become a little long-in-the-tooth and/or they stop getting tips they usually retire to a location where they are still hotter than anybody else there anyway, like Canada or England. They are usually well past their mid-twenties by this point and well under the "age of permission" proposed by the UN.

We may put to ballot a new national motto: Keep the UN out of Bootieville and keep Bootieville out of the UN. However, our workers may object as they love our current motto and they work for tips only.

The Rogue Nation of Hoonta strongly supports euthanasia; however, it does recognize its capacity to upset the moral, economic, or social balances of any country in the UN. Therefore, despite idealogical support, the Rogue Nation of Hoonta will vote as Regional Delegate against this resolution. However it should be duely noted that as an individual entity, Hoonta's lands freely practice and support euthanasia as do most in the region of Cavendish.