It seems strange to talk about the assisted death of the Assisted Dying Bill, which has been crawling through Parliament, thanks to the wrecking activities of a number of individuals including the former Paralympic athlete Tanni Grey-Thompson and, inevitably, religious fanatics, but dying it most certainly is, if this report on Sky News is anything to go by. I would be very sad if the Bill fails to become law because I believe strongly in the simple principle that people should be able to choose to die in the certain specific circumstances outlined in the Bill.
That is not to say that I do not understand the concerns people may have and that is why the Bill includes numerous safeguards, but that should not enable its critics to prevent others, with six months or less to live, having the opportunity to die at a time of their choosing. And why? Because it’s no one else’s business.
I use the same old argument on many issues. If you do not support abortion, then don’t have one. If you oppose equal (some call it gay) marriage, then don’t marry a gay person. And, by the same token, if you do not support assisted dying then you should be free to suffer and suffer an ugly and potential painful death instead if that’s what you would prefer. Quite frankly, it’s no one else’s business.
Grey-Thompson claims that her opposition to allowing people the freedom to choose how to end their own lives, in very specific situations, is based on her views as an advocate of disability rights. I’m happy to take that view on face value, but it’s strange then that she has cheerfully accepted invitations from the Catholic Church and extreme organisations like SPUC to outline her views. I would have thought that in both cases she would be preaching to the converted, indeed people with an even more extreme views than hers. In a world where we strive to achieve equality for all people, including those with disabilities, then assisted dying should be available for everyone, if they so choose to do so.
I’ve known people who have died horrible, painful deaths and some of them told me during their suffering that they wished they’d been allowed to die at a time of their own choosing, rather than be kept alive solely because that’s the law. There is always going to be a risk that the system would be abused by a small minority of people, hence the safeguards, but why should others be denied the choice?
It will be a sad day when and if the Bill collapses due to the political shenanigans of a small minority of fanatics, causing yet more people to suffer unnecessarily and against their will.
Speaking personally, I’m much nearer the end of life than the start of it. I too would like the choice to die at a time of my so choosing if my life got so grim and pointless. I don’t tell religious fanatics or extreme campaigners how to live their lives. I just wish they’d stop telling others what they think is best for them.
