QOD

Filed in National by on July 14, 2008

Is suicide an act of honor, bravery or cowardess? 

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Comments (17)

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  1. Mithras says:
    July 14, 2008 at 12:46 pm

    Spellcheck.

  2. anon says:
    July 14, 2008 at 12:46 pm

    It depends on the circumstances.

  3. mike w. says:
    July 14, 2008 at 12:48 pm

    “It depends on the circumstances.”

    Agreed. It also depends on ones religion.

  4. Delaware's Toughest Blogger says:
    July 14, 2008 at 12:53 pm

    I want your opinion Mike…not what others are 🙂

  5. CJO says:
    July 14, 2008 at 1:05 pm

    Cowardess. It effects others. The ultimate cop-out.

  6. mike w. says:
    July 14, 2008 at 1:09 pm

    My answer is simple.

    I do not morally agree with suicide, but it’s not my place to judge those who feel they need to end their life. (although I do feel terrible for the families of those lost) That said, they’re free to end their life as they see fit, so long as they don’t directly harm someone else in the process. If they have a right to live their life then they have a right to end it.

    I’m also not religious, so I’m not opposed to suicide on those grounds. I take a decidedly libertarian view.

  7. Rebecca says:
    July 14, 2008 at 1:55 pm

    Dispair or pain.

    Or, a desire to maintain one’s dignity, as with terminally ill patients.

    Did anybody see Bill Moyers last Friday night? He was talking to a couple of “conservatives” about this very topic. And, he pointed out that government meddling in life-decisions, like the Terry Schiavo case, is in fact the opposite of classic conservative ideology. The older guy, Mickey something-or-other, agreed with Moyers. The younger guy, who was too indoctrinated to pay any attention to, was less “conservative” and more concerned with power and winning elections through wing-nut pandering. It was an interesting discussion of the government’s role in end-of-life decisions.

  8. mike w. says:
    July 14, 2008 at 2:28 pm

    “He was talking to a couple of “conservatives” about this very topic. And, he pointed out that government meddling in life-decisions, like the Terry Schiavo case, is in fact the opposite of classic conservative ideology”

    I absolutely agree. Conservatives penchant for pushing their own morals on others as public policy is probably the biggest reason why I don’t consider myself a Conservative. To do so is wrong whether it’s the left or the right doing it.

  9. Mrs. Hotviti says:
    July 14, 2008 at 8:45 pm

    neither. it’s an act of desperation and at times, as crazy as it sounds (no pun intended), revenge.

  10. mike w. says:
    July 15, 2008 at 9:03 am

    “I want your opinion Mike…not what others are ”

    I gave my opinion DTB. Feel free to respond with a rational thought.

  11. mike w. says:
    August 8, 2008 at 11:33 am

    I think it also depends on the circumstances.

    During the fall of Masada when Israeli’s were fighting the Romans, once the Israeli’s knew the city would fall they all committed suicide rather than be forced into servitude as Roman slaves.

    In that type of context I firmly believe suicide to be honorable.

  12. Von Cracker says:
    August 8, 2008 at 11:43 am

    Depends on the situation.

    Money probs? No, you’re a coward.

    A long, drawn-out, painful death? Understandable.

    Occupied by islamic troops cylons in america new caprica and take a few out with some C4?

    Righteous and a martyr too!

    Getting caught misleading an entire country to war which caused the deaths of thousands of innocents?

    Honorable and Preferable.

  13. Delaware's Brilliantest Blogger says:
    August 8, 2008 at 11:46 am

    what’d take you a month to come up with that answer?

  14. Von Cracker says:
    August 8, 2008 at 11:49 am

    you talkin’ to me, dv?

  15. mike w. says:
    August 8, 2008 at 11:49 am

    Von – Doesn’t it depend not only on circumstances but on the values of the person making the decision to end his/her life?

    It is afterall their decision. If they believe it to be right, honorable etc. then that’s what they believe. They have the right to end their own life on their own terms.

  16. Von Cracker says:
    August 8, 2008 at 12:44 pm

    agreed

  17. mike w. says:
    August 9, 2008 at 12:22 am

    “I want your opinion Mike…not what others are ”

    I gave my opinion DTB. Feel free to respond with a rational thought.”

    Oh, and this is interesting. You specifically asked for my opinion on this issue (in fact posted the topic specifically for me) Then I answered you and you ignored the answer. Seems you do exactly that which you and Pandora baselessly accuse me of doing.

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