Corey Noles, staff writer for The Daily Statesman and Editor of The North Stoddard Countian, is the author of a regular baseball/St. Louis Cardinals column and also uses his blog to sound off on various happenings in sports. He also operates a weekly baseball mailbag column.

Assisted suicide for Ozzy?

Posted Monday, October 1, 2007, at 9:03 AM

As I was rifling headlines this morning I came across something that I realized is a topic we've never discussed here.

Apparently, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have agreed that if either of them come down with a mentally degenerative disease they want to choose their own ends.

According to the article, they recently witnessed the long death of Sharon's father and decided neither of them want to die that way.

Both being strong supporters of euthanasia, they have decided that if that happens, they want to go to Switzerland where assisted suicide is legal.

This is a subject I have mixed feelings on. While I think suicide is wrong, I also believe it to be a person's right if they so choose.

I watched my grandfather die of colon cancer and I don't want to go through that. I don't want to see anyone else go through it either.

In cases of cancer or as in the Osbourne's case mental diseases, I think that should be the individual's choice.

They should have to handle it the way Ozzy and Sharon have chosen by getting with an attorney and drafting documents so the family will know what's going on.

It's not the government's business to force you to live.

What do you think? Should people have the right to be "put to sleep" if they so choose?

Comments

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never really posted before,but i like ur blog. dude,how will anyone know when the oz is really gone or sharon's just tired of being in a hospital with him?

we now have ozzfest without ozzie,and the last time i heard him sing,it was sad,like an ad 4 dont do drugs or something.

if it is legal in other counties 4 them to do it,then thats their business not ours.i hope i never have to make that decision 4 someone else,but if it is a person really sick and suffering,who can blame them?

if they are just demented or something with old timers,then if they dont know they are there,what does it matter and when people say they wouldn't want to live like that,how would u know if they change their mind if their mind is bad?

too much responsibilty 4 me

-- Posted by CharlesSmith01 on Mon, Oct 1, 2007, at 3:47 PM
I think it is a individuals choice, not the governments. If a person has it legally documented while they have their right mind then I don't think the government should have any say. If a persons quality of life is over then why should they have to suffer. Its never made any sense to me that if a person lets their pet suffer & doesn't have it put to sleep they can be charged with neglect. But you have to let your loved one lay in a nursing home (sometimes for years) & suffer. I know I don't want to spend numerous years in a nursing home if I don't have my right mind or I'm in extreme pain.

-- Posted by PapaOf4 on Mon, Oct 1, 2007, at 11:00 PM
I voted for him, but Ozzie still speaks more coherent than our President!!! lol

-- Posted by Carlin may be right on Tue, Oct 2, 2007, at 3:15 AM

Corey Noles' response:
HAHA! So did I and you're exactly right.
Uh, oh!! You guys have gone and done it now! You're gonna get it!! Hee hee!

-- Posted by goat lady on Tue, Oct 2, 2007, at 7:53 AM

Corey Noles' response:
Does that put us on a watch list? I'm not saying a word about Bush's performance, just the way he speaks.
More like a hit list!

-- Posted by goat lady on Tue, Oct 2, 2007, at 5:19 PM
When we have a pet that is sick and is going to die, what do we say? "I just can't let him/her go through the suffering. Got to put it down." But yet, when it comes to our loved ones, do we still want them to suffer? I don't!! I sat and watched an uncle of mine suffer and die. The day before he passed, he said that a dog dies with more dignety tan he does, at least an animal can go away and die peacefully without having people comng in and trying to connect them to wires and hoses. He wanted to be left alone. But, on the other hand, I had heard the pator at another uncles furneral had stated, suffering is part of God's mercy. It is a way for the individual to get ready to let go and the loved ones left to let them go. If you get to thinking, that is very true. We don't want them to suffer, we want to see them let go and die, but then we ask, "Why did they have to suffer so?" Then I think how true, it is God's mercy.

Where do I stand? I agree, that an individaul should be able to choose. Who wants to suffer? I don't.

-- Posted by aztecmomma on Sat, Oct 6, 2007, at 7:44 AM
Nobody has the right too decide to take there life. .God is the begining and the end it should be his choice this is not are choice too make,I belive its wrong too think its just up too us anyway.Besides that suicide is the biggest know know and the qickest way i know too go directy to hell you don't pass go you don't collect 200 hundred dallors you know what i mean. Big no no guys..

-- Posted by lynn1979 on Wed, Oct 10, 2007, at 2:14 PM

Corey Noles' response:
I understand the Christian viewpoint on suicide and I totally respect that. If one believes in God and wishes to live that lifestyle then that's great. But I also believe God does think it's our choice. God gave us free will and left it up to us as individuals to determine whether we would follow him. Religiously speaking, God's wants us to follow him because we choose to, not because he forced us. Otherwise wouldn't we all have just gone directly to heaven in the beginning?

My point is that regardless of whose choice it is, it is definitely not the government's. The religious view on suicide is no secret and anyone who kills themselves knows what it would mean. It's up to the individual to determine whether the choice is worth the risks.

Thanks for commenting. It's nice to see new names on the blog.
I can only say, They shoot horses, don't they?

-- Posted by ct on Fri, Oct 12, 2007, at 12:32 PM
Yeah God also tells us christians too die in order too live .To die too are flesh too die too are will,and too follow his will for are lifes.Yes it is a choice and if you chose too take your life you will recieve your reward for that choice, thank you for your respect on my belief on the matter.The real question here is do you belive?That it is worth the risk.I don't! thanks for hearing my view too. I very much enjoy your blogs.

-- Posted by lynn1979 on Thu, Oct 18, 2007, at 9:44 PM
I, myself, have VERY mixed emotions on this. When my grandma died 4 years ago, I took it hard b/c she was my inspiration, but she had alzheimers disease, and honestly, it was bitter sweet. I was so upset to lose her, but almost relieved to see her go. She was a very christian woman, and wouldn't have ever thought of suicide to rid her of her pain and suffering.

On the other hand, my mother commited suicide a little more than 3 months ago. I don't believe it was planned, and there hasn't been a note recovered. She was 45 years old, had COPD and emphazyma, and was a/b to endure a surgery that was risky w/ the uncertaintly that she may die due to her other health problems. She chose to take her own life instead of live w/ the pain of her diseases, and the thought of possibly dying in surgery. And it has made it extremely hard for me. She, for all my life, was always against suicide. So it makes it even harder to understand why she did it.

So, if you compare experiences...it's much easier to cope w/ someone dying naturally, by God's means, than to have them (or someone else) take their lives. I know that the Oz and Sharon have actually made the plan on telling when and where they will do it, but most of us have these Christian values a/b suicide, and, taken from experience, it makes it extremely difficult to deal w/. So, I guess at this time, I couldn't honestly make the decision.

Oh, and maybe we euthanize our pets and animals when they are suffering due to our lack of being able to put ourselves out of our own misery, and we feel its the right thing to do b/c we are helping them in a way that is acceptable to God.

-- Posted by mrsdolphin on Thu, Oct 25, 2007, at 8:25 AM
Only God should decide when a life is done, Read your Bible and you will know this. Say they pulled the plug and 2 days later a cure was found. I would feel really bad. Wouldn't you? Everything has a purpose and a reason and we are not to question. I hate to see anyone suffer but from suffering comes salvation. You never know who will be in charge at the end either could be you cousin that never liked you anyway.

-- Posted by janaj100 on Thu, Oct 25, 2007, at 12:56 PM

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