Taking life or taking liberties?
Is it right to tell people how they can kill themselves? Dr Philip Nitschke is in the UK - giving information to people on how to do just that. He believes in the freedom for everyone to end their life.
Australian, Dr Nitschke was the first doctor to give a legal, lethal voluntary injection in the country's Northern Territory. Is he providing a valuable service or encouraging vulnerable people to take their lives?
The Samaritans operate support services for those feeling suicidal - to access their website click here
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5LNPI: Honours and dishonours 30 Dec 09
10:29 Wed, 30 Dec 09
In Thursday's programme we'll find out who'll be named on the Queen's New Year's Honours list. Recipients usually include people from the world of sport, showbiz celebrities and a smattering of ordinary people who deserve public recognition. But on the phone-in from 9 - we want to know who would be on your New Year's honours list? All are welcome - from your postman to celebs. And also let's not forget those who've spent the year behaving badly - name and shame people by nominating them for our dishonours list.
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Comments
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can you ask this doctor of death how much he is chargeing for the the kit to end your existence if you are a elderly person?
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most elderly folk suffer from depression and a sense of being a burden on there family and society what he is promoting is totally wrong as it targets vulnerable people especially in these difficult economic times there is a big deffrence between somebody who is terminal ill with a incurable illness and the majority of elderly who with good good care and change of circumstances can improve there quality of life and outlook we should not be treating our elders as commodities and saying your no longer any use to us and a burden on society i think what this prophet of death is doing is a disgrace especially as he is makeing money on the vulnerable by selling this kit would he give it to his own mum and dad and family members?
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I support Philip Nitschke. If someone wants to end their life then it is their life to take.
"Those who sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither" - Benjamin Franklin
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People in the UK don't want euthanasia - In the UK the pro-euthanasia lobby has been foiled 3 times, and there have been 40 unsuccessful attempts in 20 American States to legalise euthanasia.
Judges have persistently rejected attempts by the euthanasia lobby to allow assisted suicide. Clearly, euthanasia cannot be legalised without undermining the vital protection which the law should give to vulnerable people.
The spate of recent suicides of teenagers shows how dangerous - and wrong it is to publicise information about how to kill yourself!
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If you are going to consider committing suicide, surely it is better to have the facts and options in front of you. Or is it better to chuck yourself in front of an express and ruin a train drivers life too? Why are other people so determined to make other peoples life and death choices for them?
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i cant but help feel with recent govt commentary that the govt would like more of the british public to take the opportunity to commit suicide ..
anyway its good to see that 5live is encouraging people to consider the idea .. by providing a platform .. and maybe . give people the idea that was not present before.
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