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The VE Bulletin Excerpts
'No price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself' Rudyard Kipling
Guest speaker: Phillip Beddall
Phillip Beddall, chairperson of Disability Action, spoke to SAVES in a personal capacity on ‘Disability and the right to choose’. He talked of the diversity of views on voluntary euthanasia within the disability sector and the fact that the issue is a sensitive one. For some, there is fear about legislation to allow choice.
Phillip considers that in law people have the right to commit suicide and therefore there should be effective legislation, incorporating safeguards, which would allow choice for voluntary euthanasia. While he supports voluntary euthanasia for the terminally ill he also has qualified support for those people with severe disabilities who earnestly seek assistance to die. While this is not a choice that he may ever make for himself, he respects the right for others. Assisted suicide is happening already for people with disabilities but it is covert and puts carers under stress.
SAVES thanks Phillip for addressing the July meeting and for presenting his personal views on one’s right to choose voluntary euthanasia.
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