Assisted Dying or Nazi Eugenics
Assisted dying seems so neutral. But it's only a small step from eugenics.
Spot the difference...
Here are the words of the Assisted Dying Bill 2 which is currently being promoted by Rob Marris MP in the UK Parliament:
Subject to the consent of the High Court (Family Division) pursuant to subsection (2), a person who is terminally ill may request and lawfully be provided with assistance to end his or her own life. Subsection (1) applies only if the High Court (Family Division), by order 5 confirms that it is satisfied that the person:
1. has a voluntary, clear, settled and informed wish to end his or her own life;
2. has made a declaration to that effect in accordance with section 3; and
3. on the day the declaration is made: (i) is aged 18 or over (ii) has the capacity to make the decision to end his or her own life; and (iii) has been ordinarily resident in England and Wales for not less than one year.
Assisted Dying Bill 2 (2015)Susanne E Evans, in her book Forgotten Crimes wrote:
"…a [Nazi] Ministry of Justice Commission on the Reform of the Criminal Code drafted a similar law sanctioning "mercy killing" of people suffering from incurable diseases. The law read, in part:
"Clause 1 Whoever is suffering from an incurable or terminal illness which is a major burden to him or others, can request mercy killing by a doctor, provided it is his express wish and has the approval of a specially empowered doctor.
"Clause 2 The life of a person who because of incurable mental illness requires permanent institutionalisation and is not able to sustain an independent existence, may be prematurely terminated by medical procedures in a painless and covert manner."
Cited by Suzanne EvansWe are not quite at the point where most people agree with Clause 2. However the proposed Assisted Dying Bill proposed by Lord Falconer is essentially identical to Clause 1 of the Nazi Bill described by Suzanne Evans and which was the first stage in the legitimising the T-4 Action (which killed over 100,000 people with disabilities). The gas chambers which had been used to kill people with disabilities were then disassembled and taken to concentration camps and used on the Jews.
The connections between euthanasia, eugenics and the Holocaust are profound. Either life is sacred and its dignity should never be undermined or all is relative and we will leave the powerful to decide who counts as important and who doesn't.
If someone really believes their life is worthless they are just wrong.