Mercy Killing
The media storm over BBC Producers Ray Gosling's admission that he smothered his dying lover as he lay dying from latter stage AIDS in the 80's is suprising.
And the news he has now been arrested is just plain wrong.
Back in the really dark days of the 80's when thousands of people were dying in the most gruesome ways from AIDS related diseases some begged an pleaded to be helped to end their pain, whilst others like some friends I knew fought on to the very end.
I am a believer of euthanasia in controlled circumstances, but it's technically illegal to help someone die, even though if you ask many hospice nurses and doctors they will allude to the fact that they do 'help' people to die faster with some dignity.
It may be through elevated levels of morphine to a level that stops the person's respiration, or it may be something else.
Thousands of people helped their partners, friends, parents, brothers and sisters to end their suffering.
Generally the last days of someone with a terminal illness are horrific as their body shuts down and the pain cannot be controlled by pain medication.
I think if I were in that situation I would want someone to help me end the pain and suffering.
It's ridiculous, we routinely and humanely help our pets to end their suffering and I have experienced this too.
But when it comes to our fellow humans we are legally required to torture them for the last days of their lives.
It just doesn't seem fair really.
And arresting someone like Ray Gosling for doing the heroic thing and helping his dying lover end the pain and suffering is just plain ridiculous. Especially since by the sounds of his confession it was totally mutual decision.
A great movie from this era is It's My Party with a star studded cast including George Segal, Olivia Newton John, Roddy McDowall, Margaret Chow and Eric Roberts deals with a guy with an AIDS related brain disease which will kill within days and has no cure. He decides t throw a hell of a party and then end his own life before he goes gaga.
The movie also touches on assisted suicide in the era of AIDS of the 80's and is ver poignant and topical to this story.
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