Rivers of Blood

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The two universal pillars of civilization are the sanctity of human life, and that the first duty of the State is to protect its citizens. The disturbing speed at which these pillars have been eroded, in
mere months, is truly disturbing.
Watching the debate on assisted suicide has become intensely personal. Not that I have anyone in my life looking to die, but because I am, was, a murderer. Forty five years ago I stood in my
school uniform as a Judge lectured me on my wickedness, before heaving me off to jail for 32
years.
It may be counter intuitive, but having killed someone leads to a lifelong journey of an
increasingly deep appreciation for human life. The longer I live, the deeper I understand what I
deprived my victim off. Coupled with a firm determination never to cause serious harm again.
And of course waking up in a concrete box every day for decades only hammers home the
message – killing is wrong.
This used to be axiomatic. From ethical, practical and religious reasons Western societies have
been shaped in every way from personal relationships to interstate wars. It is embedded deep in
our psyche- Do not kill. And this was a lodestone I followed as I clawed my way back into
society.
Only to find that the society I have rejoined is now not anchored to the sanctity of life. I have
returned to a nation whose leaders appear to be slightly psychopathic. Harsh words… but
having observed the process of the assisted dying bill I feel nothing less than horror. Not merely
at its very conception but also its process.
Committees stuffed with proponents, witness lists biased towards proponents, and swathes of
safeguards brushed aside. This rush has seen the concerns of every medical college, and every
disabled charity, ignored. The sheer ineptitude and vagueness of the Bill’s sponsor is, on such a
profound matter, frightening. It has all the hallmarks of a rather messy rush, as if any delay
would risk the arguments of proponents falling apart under considered scrutiny.
The assisted dying Bill could have as profound effects as our previous belief that life is sacred.
The Bill heaves that into the river of history, to be carried away to irrelevance. No longer is life
supremely important, to be a bedrock of our civilisation. No longer is the primary function of the
State to protect life.
Rather, we are making the value of life conditional. A moral relativism that risks divorcing us
from basic standards. Despite all of humanity’s bloodshed, at least the sanctity of life was an
aspiration. Now it risks becoming merely an impediment to the State offering you death rather
than pain relief.
Bizarrely, and horribly, as private companies will be allowed to kill under the Bill, this provides
opportunities for ex murderers. Or aspirational ones. Murderers could set up a killing company-
KillUQuik? – and introduce those who have an urge to kill with those who wish to die. That this
Bill could help reduce the unemployment rate of ex prisoners would make more sense than the
homicidal screeching of its supporters. I’d say “what a time to be alive!”, but being alive may
slowly become a somewhat risky business…