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A 23-year-old who played rugby for England as a teenager has committed suicide in a Swiss euthanasia clinic after having become paralysed from the chest down in a training accident.
Nuneaton rugby club hooker Daniel James felt his body had become a “prison” and lived in “fear and loathing” of his daily life, his parents said last night, having accompanied him to Switzerland from their home in Sinton Green, near Worcester. He had attempted to kill himself several times since March 2007 when a scrum had collapsed on him and dislocated his neck vertebrae, trapping his spinal cord and rendering him immediately tetraplegic.
West Mercia Police have begun an investigation into his assisted suicide, which took place on September 12. Details were made public yesterday when police published a statement relating to an inquest in progress. Assisted suicide is illegal in the UK, and family or friends who help face up to 14 years in jail. Officers have questioned a man and a women in the case and are preparing to submit a report to the Crown Prosecution Service.
James’ parents, Mark and Julie, said last night that their son had been “an intelligent young man of sound mind” and “not prepared to live what he felt was a second-class existence“.
He is one of the youngest Britons to have travelled abroad for assisted suicide. Earlier this month, Dignitas, the centre for assisted dying in Zurich, said that 100 Britons have travelled to Switzerland to make use of its more liberal laws. It is thought James attended a clinic in Berne.
What do you think? Most times we consider the question of the right to die it’s in the context common to supportive laws. That is – someone with a terminal illness – wishing to end their own life with dignity and in the setting they choose themselves.
Very different context. Does that change his right to choose death?
I think everyone should make up there own mind. Even though I think its wrong on several levels doesn’t mean I should try to force my beliefs on you.
Another problem comes in when others like this fellows parents get involved. How much did they influence him one way or the other?
I have been a paraplegic since 2001. It took me at least two years before all of the emotions leveled off.
It took another few years to learn how to live with this condition. I am experiencing things not many get to experience, and i think my life has enough meaning and potential to not want to throw it away.
I cannot walk so I’m in a wheelchair but I’m not a quadriplegic so I can only try to imagine what that would be like. If he was in a lot of pain that ads another wrinkle to it.
I have said before and probably will again that I can deal with not being able to walk, its the constant pain that is difficult to deal with.
Societies have laws criminalizing assisted suicide for reasons of imposed religious morality or protection of the disabled. Protecting those who can’t fend for themselves is a cornerstone of civilization. But the laws have been twisted, and can force the sufferer to endure an agony. Sometimes, we’re more humane towards animals than we are to our own.
Medical professionals often can’t accurately determine what level of pain and suffering a person endures. Patients can refuse treatment against medical advice and have do-not-recussitate orders enforced. So why aren’t we free to end our lives in the time, place, and manner we think is best for ourselves? And why punish those who care for and love us for helping?
The able-bodied take unreasonable risks with their own lives every day, and some are even celebrated for it. Where are the indictments against those who injure themselves due to misadventure? Why aren’t they in prison? I’ll tell you – there’s no compelling reason to punish fools for their own stupidity that doesn’t harm anyone else. It ain’t a crime to be stupid, because a lot of people are, and most people act that way from time to time.
How we will be judged as a society will be based as much on our acceptance or rejection of personal liberty as it is on our compassion and the protection of the defenseless among us.
We must demand that governments stop interfering in the most intimate, personal, and private decisions of our lives. Personal liberty must take priority over the state’s interest in preserving an individual’s life.
To the state: Take your hands off my body, and quit forcing religion down my throat.
Recommended read: In Defense of Dignity, by Dan Savage
#27 – ECA, I enjoy coming here, decompressing from all my traveling and making my wise-ass commentary on events and people on this blog. Your entry immediately snapped me back to reality. I appreciate you making me aware and if there was anything I can do to make your life easier…
p.s. I still think James Hill is an ass-wipe, seriously.
#33, Special Ed,
I think ECA could use one of those fancy ass pants keyboards where the Cap Lock key doesn’t stick.
8)
While I think there are certain instances where euthanasia is appropriate (brain dead, extreme never ending pain, etc) this doesn’t sound like one. As a generally rule I think that the government that governs best, does so least. However, there are some instances where a government has violate individual rights for the good of the whole. Controlling highly addictive and dangerous substances is one instance. Not allow doctors to murder someone when they become inconvenient is another.
In the greater scheme of things, life is short and brutal even if you live to 110 years of age and never want for anything. A life that ends at 23 years of age because of paralysis is a just a pity, and it also starts of dangerous precedent where I am sure there are others who are quite capable of living a full and meaningfully life (even if it is a bed ridden one) who will be encouraged to just end it all by people who can’t be arsed to care for them. And that is why suicide in this case should not have been legal and why I the British government charges the parents as accessories to murder.
Republicans have a love/hate relationship with cripples. One one hand they call them Social Security parasites that deserve nothing but to die on their feces under a bridge and on the other hand they need to pretend they’re compassionate with them by calling them heros for trying to live with dignity.
#13, 14,
You fail to understand that people are different. Not all people have the same feelings about what distinguishes a life worth living from a tortured existence. Some of us may be able to make a good life in a body damaged by illness or injury. Some may not.
I think the real issue here is to determine whether the person is legally sane for the purpose of determining their own fate. If so, why take the person’s right to die a dignified death away from them? Further, why commit them to a tortured existence unable to escape the horrors of living in a body they feel is not up to the task of giving them a decent life.
Those who would make this decision for others, or worse, codify it into law, believe that one answer is right for all individuals. Ditto for abortion rights.
People who think that they always know the right answer are acting from the highest moral principles and from the strongest desire to do what is right and moral.
Unfortunately, they are utterly immoral and are making the absolute wrong choices for so many by their simple and complete arrogance and vanity in believing that one person can possibly know what is right for everyone.
To any who think that they know or even can know whether this is right for another, I would say this to you.
Please consider why it is that you feel that freedom can take a backseat to your views. Please consider how much evil you are doing in the name of what you consider to be good. For indeed, there are fates worse than death. Please consider the horrific suffering, both physical and mental that you personally are causing.
Please consider why it is that in an issue that millions of people can argue vehemently over for hours on end that you personally possess the right answer for all.
Do you not see the fallacy in your logic?
Probably not. And, you probably never will. I hope with all my heart to be able to make my own choice without influence from the likes of you.
To the good folks of Switzerland, I would say this.
Keep up the good work. Some of us in less progressive countries take great comfort in the awareness that you are there for us.
31,
DITTO..
I understand the depression.
I understand the pain.
I understand the FIGHT to find recourse in life to find a FUNCTION.
I understand the NEED to find a USE for myself, and to challenge myself.
You have seen much of it also, and I think you may understand where this persons mind was. Even losing the use of 2 legs, you have defeated many of the problems. And I see that you can sympathize with THIS persons thinking.
I agree there should be a HOLD period. A period to ADAPT if possible. Then comes the idea that we DONT have the money, like Stephan HAWKINS to adapt. But, its also 1 MAIN point. Growing up WITH all your functions and then Losing it ALL.
As a handicap person, I LEARNED over time. As a person that was in an accident, HE COULDNT.
This is like having that 1 TRUE love all your life..A home/car/girl/boy and All the memories that go with it…GONE in a second. Like all your digital media and memories on 1 computer(IDIOTS) and no backups or copies, and the BSOD of life hits you and it WONT BOOT.
34,
I could remove it, but i use it for VOICE chat. it seems I can chat in 2 diff programs with that key as a 2nd button of 2nd program.
35,
To a point I can see your point.
(dont get me wrong here)
But I also have another eye on a few other problems.
1. over population
2. Happy pills DONT WORK for long.
3. HOW much REAL resources can be paid for a person.
The family cant handle caring for him for more then a few years. the STATE will get tired of paying money for a person that hasnt worked very long. ANd medical persons get tired of it after a time also.
In the USA medicare pays for the EYE exam, but NOT THE GLASSES.. Even medical when working is, STUPID, you dont get DENTAL and NO eye care most times. Even cancer care is spotty at best.
37,
DITTO..
Put another way..
DONT put your pseudo CHRISTIAN/purest ideological Idiocy in my concerns. WE arent ALL the same. And the POPE may be wrong.
I find it strange that when a person wishes to NOT FEED himself, so that he may DIE, that the STATE will walk in and put him in a hospital and I.V. him to keep him alive. THEN medicate him so he dont know where his-self is, and send him out into the world.
Yes, it is a good thing to help each other. It is a GOOD person that can help a friend from the oblivion of depression and suicide. But a TRUE effort to kill yourself will KILL YOU. And friends will eventually get tired of TRYING to save you.
Have fun guys.
its good to try and HELP someone, but you can Never SAVE a person. HE(the person deciding) MUST save themselves.
Iv suggested to a few persons, that HANDICAPPED kids dont need to be Coddled. CHALLENGE THEM, treat them as EQUAL to their age. LET THEM challenge themselves…JUST WATCH and clean up afterwards.
It is those that DONT take the challenge, that STOP fighting that will end up WEAK, and wont be able to DEAL with the future.
They must LEARN as every child does. EVEn if they get HURT. They must EXPERIENCE LIFE.
For those that had a Full life, and experience a Accident, IT IS more OF A CHALLENGE.
So he attempted suicide several times after being
fully paralyzed? Like to know how that works.
When I watched Million Dollar Baby, all I could
think is , well she is not much of a fighter
after all as she?
And don’t get me started about how Steven Hawkins is committing suicide next spring.
He’s taking YOU with him. Suckers!
Black hole evaporation my ass!