It were two consenting adults when I or for that matter any of us were born but it would be the consent of, makers of law of the land where I live, the religion I follow and the code and ethics of the society to which I belong (seemingly) that would decide my fate, if I today choose to embrace death. I would be looking for the consent of all these people who comprise my world if today my body, a bubble floating over the thorny bushes, collapses. If today I am left, due to a mishap, as a mere vegetating human body, I would need the permission from others to end my sufferings, and most probably I won't be allowed to do that.
What an irony! Neither I am here by my choice, nor can I leave the world by my choice, in a respectful dignified way. Killing oneself still happens to be a crime, as is mercy killing or euthansia.
Euthansia - the word with works as the spine of the hindi movie "Guzarish" (meaning a request or appeal) - for a man paralyzed for life - requests the law to give him dignity in death and permit him to end his sufferings, as a man who can only think, speak or move his head, but cannot move an inch even to shoo a fly away from his face.
What is Euthanasia:
Euthanasia is a Greek word meaning 'good death' and refers to the practices of ending life in a painless manner. It is illegal in India and most countries of the world. Only ten odd countries have legalised the practice of mercy killing
Euthanasia conducted with the consent of the patient is termed voluntary euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia is legal in Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington. When the patient brings about his or her own death with the assistance of a physician, the term assisted suicide is often used instead.
My opinion:
The movie brought out the plight of the one's who don't want to live any longer due to their deteriorated medical condition. As a matter of fact, life is more a punishment for them than death.
But, the law of our country, India and most the countries of the world have illegalized such an act.
I fail to understand, why in a world where people are burned, cut into pieces, shot at, killed, brutally injured without any one's permission - no law or religion sanctifies such actions - why does the rules, the laws, the dictates apply only and only to the one's who want to abide them?
As if saying, let's control the controllable and let go the uncontrollable. Why laws cannot change with time? Why does the suffering of a human being mean nothing.... why he is forced to live.... To be an example of courage?.... Why do we have to preach a terminally ill person to fight it out and give life a chance? Who are we to tell a person that?
A person with a body with which he cannot perform normal functions of life, but has a sound mind, should be heard and respected and not given sermons to be strong. See this to read a related news article, though old.
I am not encouraging suicide nor am I suggesting that we let people die at the drop of a hat, but don't take away the right to die - in the overzealous approach to Article 21 of Indian Constitution - Right to Life.
I, as a human being have the right to live and die with dignity.
What do you feel about it?
RESTLESS
image courtesy: http://new-right.blogspot.com/2010/06/euthanasia.html
