Assisted Dying - Airbrushed out of Society

Currently making its way through the House of Lord’s is Lord Falconer 's legal efforts to relax the existing legislation on the Assisted Dying Bill which is likely to receive a second reading in the Lords shortly.  Enough 'Yes' votes will enable it to proceed to the Commons before the summer recess and already this amendment feels like an unstoppable tide.

I have just come from a meeting of the local Disabled Peoples' Organisation where self-directed, Independent Living support was discussed.  At the end of the meeting I presented the proposed amendment to the existing Bill's legislation after which I boarded a bus. 

During the bus journey I sat in the allocated space for wheelchair users when, to my disgust, I noticed that the wheelchair symbol had a sticky note placed across it completely blocking it out.  I felt the hatred expressed in this simple action.  As a disabled person this obliteration of the sign gave a strong message that disabled people are a waste of space (literally). I felt I had been not only airbrushed out of the local community but out of society. It led to deeper feelings that if a person could so easily eradicate the symbol they could eradicate me and other areas of my life where they view disabled people as economically too costly, where disabled people are not worthy of housing, work, food, recreation, relationships or practical support.  I felt sick. It made me realise even more strongly how the extension to the existing Assisted Dying Bill will risk disabled and older people experiencing depression or worse. And this is without them having to stump up money for ever-increasing financial contributions towards their care packages in order to stay alive. 

It is known that Independent Living and a future worth living continue  to remain a pipe dream for the majority of disabled people, irrespective of age.  It is recognised that when someone is labelled ‘severely’ disabled and depression establishes itself, it is relatively easy to be coerced into thinking about ending one’s life and for media remarks such as ‘we (presumably meaning the public) cannot financially support the growing numbers of older people.’   Thoughts and messages can get compounded and it does not take long for a disabled or older person to make a decision that they may not live to reverse.  What a disabled person may think and feel one day can be totally different the next day so it is important to understand the implications of this extension to the Assisted Dying Bill.   The piece of paper covering a symbol on the bus can easily be removed, but it does not eradicate the feelings that may result in the serious decision to end one’s life.  This decision may not be so easy to change and neither will an extension to the Bill.

Go to the 'Not Dead Yet' website for information, updates and petition to the amendment on the Assisted Dying Bill.