Whether it was meant as a joke or whether Councillor Hugh Jackson was serious, it appears that negative comments related to the lives of vulnerable people are becoming a regular news-making item in the UK.
In response to the issue of the cost of housing and caring for children in the care of the government Councillor Hugh Jackson suggested that euthanasia might be the way to cut the number of children in care.
Thankfully, other councillors and most of the public have responded to the remarks with outrage.
Considering the acceptance of the Groningen Protocol in the Netherlands and the fact that Belgium legislators are considering extending euthanasia to newborns in their country, sadly Jackson's comments aren't far from reality.
Last week a prominent Church of Scotland minister suggested that too much money was spent in Britain on old people who are clinging to life. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/27/nold127.xml
Once again, the cost of caring for the most vulnerable people in society, whether they be people with disabilities, children in care, some of whom have disabilities, or the frail elderly, is being questioned within the context of their cost to society.
My concern is due to an aging population that there is a growing negative trend toward vulnerable persons in society, that is fueling a push to legalize euthanasia. Even-though the promotion of euthanasia will be sold to the public as a “freedom of choice” issue, it will in fact result in the euthanasia deaths of many vulnerable people who are already deemed to be too costly for care.
Remember, euthanasia is not about personal autonomy, it is about giving the right to another person (usually physicians) to kill a person for reasons that are defined by the government.
Councillor suggests euthanasia to reduce children in care
News Guardian - March 28, 2008
By DAVID SEDGWICK
Find this article at www.newsguardian.co.uk/latest-news/Councillor-suggests-euthanasia-to-reduce.3924857.jp
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