“To prepare oneself for death is to prepare oneself for freedom. The one who has learned to die has unlearned to be a slave.” – Montaigne
Do Canadian’s have the right to die with honor, dignity and peace? What about those who prefer to end their lives without the intervention of the healthcare system? For instance let’s say we are hit with another epidemic that severely restricts or cuts off access to healthcare altogether; are we expected to wait for months or years on end in hopes of getting permission from a doctor who may or may not want to assist us with taking our lives while our quality of life sinks way below the threshold of human decency.
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As things appear to be relatively stable in our country, there are very sick people living in senior homes that are being denied euthanasia because of their religion. After all the abuse scandals committed in Canada alone, you would think the church would at least practice discretion if not compassion. But what the hell does a tormented Christ on the cross dying in agony have to do with compassion you might say. These sheep like souls dogmatically believe that this savage act of murder is a testament to how much their God loves humanity. It’s no wonder these clergy take delight in making elders suffer to the bitter end.
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So is that it; are we to turn a blind eye to these outlandish acts without applying reason, simply allow these things to go on without ever questioning them! Alas, Christianity is not the only phenomenon that clouds our better judgement; prejudice, superstition and fear have crept into our society in multiple ways and like leaks in a boat there can be no way to stop each one while something else comes undone.
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Canadians are neither collectively nor individually prepared for death. We would sooner put it off and live out our lives in a dark dingy room filled with mold than take responsibility for our end. We justify our negligence with notions that a natural death would be more fitting, without pausing to consider that a natural death is but a lazy man’s suicide; i.e., leaving it up to the physical body to end him instead. There’s nothing intrinsically noble about a naturally occurring end, regardless of the beliefs we concoct to mitigate our angst.
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Our value in life has little to do with how long we exist but more to do with how well we live. Living well also means taking proactive measures to prevent living poorly, dismissing false notions that everything is going to be alright and that conditions are invariably going to support the ability to have a good life for everybody at all times on equal terms, even for people who are living hand to mouth.
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Canadians pride themselves in the idea of having diversity when in actuality we would be better off learning to empathize with others, including those who are determined to take their lives. Are we still in the dark ages; must they die an agonizing death or take their chances on street drugs? Are there no exceptions to the norms? Do we or do we not have the right to die with honor, dignity and peace or is that only possible for a limited few and at the discretion of those who have no fracking idea or experiential knowledge of living in dire straits? How many more people will have to kill themselves in desperation before political leaders grow a conscience and stop imposing laws that perpetuate such unnecessary misery? People who really want to die are going to find a way, so why must we make it gruesome for them and keep them in the dark as to peaceful, painless and safe methods for departing life for good.
