The Value of A Life

Demented and disabled people have a duty to die.
SO when I read this, it was meant for a post.

The weak are the first to suffer when a society embraces a “quality of life” standard as the measure for human worth. The truth is that the strong and the rich in society are the true beneficiaries of euthanasia. Their responsibility to care for the sick and infirm is lifted when euthanasia is encouraged.

A lot of people think they have a right to die in a manner of their choosing. This may or may not be true- it is based upon personal beliefs and values. Now we have governments and a culture that encourages people to legislate death wishes- even upon those who cannot speak for themselves.

The “quality of life” rhetoric of the euthanasia movement is the same rhetoric that the Nazis embraced when they embarked on a policy of killing and sterilizing the mentally or physically handicapped. Genocide of the “defective” became the means of removing the “waste” from society. This same mindset was present in the sterilization of the mentally handicapped in the U.S. in the early 1900s. These historical examples show the end result of “quality of life” thinking. Grading lives on a scale of “quality” implies that some lives are more or less worth living than others. It is a natural step from such thinking to advocate that those unfortunate people leading “lesser lives” ought to be put out of their misery.

Uugh. Astonishingly true. We see this often in the abortion debate: A woman learns her unborn baby will have a disability; she gets “rid” of “it” to avoid the
personal sacrifice of time and money such a child would require
hard life such a child would live.
To just put one out of their misery is a cop out…and a form of murder. Disabled and demented, and sick and hurt people should be scared. Because their lives are being calculated against the lives of others: Costs analysis should never be part of the discussion. Ever.
Life should be valuable- not as an asset or a liability– but as a gift. A priceless gift.