This topic can get very touchy. While I respect and encourage people to use their rights responsibly (the “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” kind of philosophy), I must insist that once people become a menace (meant in the kindest way) or hazard to those around them their rights should be nullified by next-of-kin. If there is no next-of-kin I do NOT believe that the government should be able to force someone into care unless they have endangered someone’s well-being/safety or committed a crime as is current law.
Simply “having” a mental illness does not denote a public safety risk. Many do not even realize they have an illness until it strongly manifests itself and others become aware of it. If the government were to be able to place people they “feel” had an illness in an institution think of the abuse of power that would come of it. The government works for us, not the other way around and a mentally ill person is still a rights-bearing citizen.
The issue with law is where do lawmakers and even families draw the line as to what classifies a person incompetent to make rational decisions? Some people disbelieve in modern medicine while their family members swear by it. Should a family be able to force this treatment on them regardless of how they feel about it? This also casts a shadow on the question of life v. death.
Why is the need to live so great? Why is death frowned upon? Many have argued against capitol punishment due to the belief that we have no right to take another’s life. Well on the flip side, do doctors (or anyone for that matter) have the right to keep someone alive? Who’s right to life or death is it?
For myself, I will choose to life as long as I can until I can’t bear it anymore and I will choose at that point where to go. Until then, it is nature’s choice what happens to me.
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