Many people who oppose capital punishment are the same people who support assisted suicide. A stock objection to capital punishment is the risk of executing the innocent. If you're wrong, they don't get a second chance.
But when it comes to assisted suicide, you know that you're killing the innocent. They weren't even convicted of a serious felony.
Moreover, they don't get to change their minds about the wisdom of committing suicide once they're dead. Death has a certain…you know…permanence.
If they hadn't undergone voluntary euthanasia, they might have overcome their depression, been in a much more upbeat mood a month later or a year later or whatever. But by assisting their demise, you rob them of a second chance.
Why do people who support assisted suicide but oppose capital punishment think convicted killers are entitled to the benefit of the doubt, but not depressed patients?
It's also worth pointing out that the "safeguards" in place for euthanasia are usually weaker than the safeguards in place in the criminal justice system. In some jurisdictions I believe you only need a couple doctors to approve your euthanasia whereas in a murder trial you'd need to convince the entire jury.
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