"Rights of the suicidal" and other civil liberties

[JustSwingingTheD]

I see a lot of connections between the non-existing rights of the suicidal people and other civil rights issues.

A person who dies doesn't suffer from "not existing" in any way, so the argument cannot be made that preventing suicide by banning the drugs that make it easy would ease the suffering of anyone, on the contrary. Much like how the prevention of abortions by banning them doesn't ease the suffering of anyone, but instead causes more suffering.

As long as suicidality and suicidal behaviour is seen purely as a byproduct of a mental illness, there wont be any serious discussion about the issue, and so no rights for the suicidal people either. Much like with homosexuality.

 

[FuneralCry]

I do wish that we lived in a world where our right to die is respected. To me wanting suicide can be a rational choice, it does not necessarily mean that the person is ill, in my case I simply do not see life as being worth living. I do feel like if suicide was not so stigmatised and peaceful methods were easily available then the society would lose their workers. To me it is cruel to try and force people to live against their wishes until they die from old age.

 

[locked*n*loaded]

I think, By far, the BEST argument one could make for having the right to end one's life at their own choosing would be the "pursuit of happiness" theory, which, as far as I know, has never been tested as far as making it's way to the Supreme Court (talking about US law, obviously). There's no right spelled out in the Constitution giving the right to end one's own life. Personally, I feel there doesn't have to be a right given by man that allows me to do that. Who better to have that right than the one whose life and body are in question. Certainly, not the state. Why should the government get to tell me when I should, or shouldn't die? I understand that they basically do in other instances, say when they force one to go off to war. It's not quite the same thing, I know. If killing oneself makes them happy, the government should have no right to interfere with that pursuit of happiness. That's how I see it, anyway.

 

[JustSwingingTheD]

Personally, I feel there doesn't have to be a right given by man that allows me to do that.

Yes there is. There is a need for free information about painless methods for suicide, real information based on studies and peer reviewing, not just borderline shady stuff like the PPH, of which most suicidal people in the world have not even heard of. A need for safe ways for getting the needed materials/drugs for those methods. A need for removal of the stigma, shaming and peer-pressure concerning suicide.

It should be admitted that the choice ending ones life can be a respectable act of a sane person and not always a sign of mental illness/weakness to be ashamed of. For all of these reasons and more there needs to be public discussion and civil action concerning the issue, aside from the issue of euthanasia, which is a different, although a related question.

the government should have no right to interfere with that pursuit of happiness. That's how I see it, anyway.

And yet it interferes in so many ways.

 

[locked*n*loaded]

Yes there is. There is a need for free information about painless methods for suicide, real information based on studies and peer reviewing, not just borderline shady stuff like the PPH, of which most suicidal people in the world have not even heard of. A need for safe ways for getting the needed materials/drugs for those methods. A need for removal of the stigma, shaming and peer-pressure concerning suicide.

It should be admitted that the choice ending ones life can be a respectable act of a sane person and not always a sign of mental illness/weakness to be ashamed of. For all of these reasons and more there needs to be public discussion and civil action concerning the issue, aside from the issue of euthanasia, which is a different, although a related question.

Notwithstanding everything you said, and even as I agree with the substance of your response, I still maintain that I don't need some type of man-made law to "OK" my inherent right to do as I please with my body as I see fit.