December 28, 2013

"Belgium’s euthanasia guidelines are a mere veneer that can be violated without consequence."

"When violations finally come to public light, lawmakers simply amend the law to reflect actual practice."

Belgian doctors have provided euthanasia to: "a transsexual repelled by the results of a sex change operation... a depressed anorexia patient who wanted to die after being sexually exploited by her psychiatrist... deaf twins, who asked to be killed together when both began losing their eyesight... elderly couples who preferred immediate death to eventual widowhood."

They harvest organs in the process too, when they can.

26 comments:

The Godfather said...

There may be people for whom suicide is the only option -- but there are a lot more people for whom it only seems to be the only option because they are depressed, or are facing challenges that they can't handle on their own, and no one is there to offer a hand and hope. For the Dr. Death types, suicide is the preferred option, just as for the "pro-choice" types, abortion is the preferred "choice".

BigFire said...

What's not reported is the doctors that decided to just kill their patient because of the suffering. After all, they knew better. Each year, thousands of patient are quietly and uncontroversially terminated in Netherland, and I won't be surprise if Belgium is doing the same.

Michael K said...

In Holland, for the past 25 years, euthanasia is not legal but any doctor who admits a chronic emphysema patient to ICU loses his job. No doctor has ever been fired for euthanasia in Holland. Or prosecuted.

Anonymous said...

But remember, only religious freaks who want the terminally ill to suffer, or ghoulishly to keep the brain-dead on life support, can have any reservations about allowing euthanasia.

virgil xenophon said...

Soylent Green: Art imitating life..

n.n said...

A commodity from conception to death. An inevitable outcome from the resurgence of progressive morality.

Jim S. said...

I lived in Belgium for eight years (back in the States for a year now), and the number one suicide method is jumping in front of a train. We knew someone who did it. I rode the trains nearly every day, and every few weeks there would be a big delay because there was an "accident" involving a person. I'm not saying it's a suicide culture, it was just a bit disturbing.

SomeoneHasToSayIt said...

This is welcome, especially if the person can sell organs and leave the $$ proceeds to beneficiaries.

A couple of years ago, I read a really interesting article about what doctors actually do about their situation when they find out they have terminal illnesses. They take themselves out well before the painful and drug-addled end.

Anonymous said...

At some point also to be provided to elderly single people with no family who are costing the government money.

Also likely to be provided to people with greedy next of kin who aren't above slipping the doctor some cash to make a fake diagnosis, combined with a doctor willing to do it.

rhhardin said...

It's a mere vermeer.

Michael K said...

"when they find out they have terminal illnesses. They take themselves out well before the painful and drug-addled end."

I have no argument with that philosophy and, in fact, have done it a few times. But only with fully informed and consenting patients. In Holland, no one asks the patient. It's just done.

Sam L. said...

The slippery slope: NOW with MORE grease and MORE slope!

William said...

When evaluating options, particularly in elderly relatives with large estates, It's important to remember that arthritis is a progressive disease and rarely has a happy outcome.......Did you catch that clever bit of wordplay I did with progressive.

Drago said...

Kill 'em in the womb.

Kill 'em at the end.

Leftism on full display.

Drago said...

Michael K: " In Holland, no one asks the patient. It's just done."

What kind of a right wing kook would you have to be to deny the wisdom of the state?

Take your pain meds and die already!! (assuming they don't just deny you food and water to "facilitate" your "departure")

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

Live by the state, die by the state.

I stay as far away from medical and government institutions as I can.

Joseph Blieu said...

This reminds me to add a clause to my will that the person pulling my plug is excluded from my estate. No docs I know say they will drink the hemlock without a fight.

Joseph Blieu said...

This reminds me to add a clause to my will that the person pulling my plug is excluded from my estate. No docs I know say they will drink the hemlock without a fight.

Clyde said...

How do you say "Carrousel" in Belgian?

(Yes, I know that they speak Flemish and Walloon, but where's the humor there? I also know that the correct spelling is "carousel.")

Humperdink said...

Anglelyne said; "But remember, only religious freaks who want the terminally ill to suffer, or ghoulishly to keep the brain-dead on life support, can have any reservations about allowing euthanasia."

You see Anglelyne, we are all terminally ill. Some closer to termination than others. When healthcare resources get scarce (coming to a country near you), the definition of terminally ill will slide to the left.

Humperdink said...
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Humperdink said...
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Humperdink said...

Alan Grayson (D-Nutcase) famous quote "Remember, the Republican plan: "Don’t get sick. And if you do get sick, die quickly.""

The irony is not lost on me.

jr565 said...

""Belgium’s euthanasia guidelines are a mere veneer that can be violated without consequence.""

Kind of like how women can't have abortions after the the second trimester "unless the health of the mother is in question".

SGT Ted said...

"oh, you are really, really, reaallllly sad?

Sure, go kill yourself. Here's some pills.

NEXT!"

Jane the Actuary said...

And my guess on the brain-dead tonsillectomy patient case is that the parents are unwilling to remove the machines partly because they see all these stories of euthanasia because the patient is "better off dead", and worry that the doctors really just want to harvest the organs.

http://janetheactuary.blogspot.com/2013/12/thinking-through-death-brain-death-and.html