Cook1e
21-10-2005, 09:34 AM
Anyone care to respond to this? I know I will be doing.
K.
ARTICLE :
"GRAY MATTER
by CHRISTOPHER GRAY
A Matter of Life and Death
In the course of a characteristiclly well-expressed letter in The Times on
Tuesday, supporting Lord Joffe's Euthanasia Bill, Dr Evan Harris, the MP for
Oxford West and Abingdon, responded to claims that its safeguards could
never be sufficient to protect the vulnerable. "This sort of argument," he
wrote, "could be made against any legislation that permits autonomous adults
freedom to put themselves at risk, whether it is to gamble, to have sex, to
drink alcohol and so on."
As I read this, I mentally included among the 'and so on' the freedom of
people to ride around the country on motorcycles killing themselves or, more
likely, being killed. On the page before Dr. Harris's letter, The Times told
the sad story of Det Chief Supt Tony Crofts whose work on reinvestigating
the Damilola Taylor murder case was brought to an abrupt end when he was
knocked from his motorcycle on the M11. He lost his arm and suffered brain
damage.
He deserves our sympathy. But the fact remains that had he chosen a
different means of transport he would have been much less likely to have
been injured in any accident that befell him, whether through his or anyone
else's fault. I find it remarkable that these deadly machines are permitted
on the roads when such tight controls exist governing the safety of car
drivers. Riders know the risks and they take them. But do they always stop
to think of the effect their injury or death will have on those they love,
those dependent on them?"
__________________________________________________ ___
Christopher Gray is the "Oxford Times" Arts Editor. The direct line to his
desk is (01865) 425471.
The "Oxford Times" letters address is oxfordtimes.letters@nqo.com
This week's closing date for letters has passed but the deadline for next
week's edition is 4.30 pm on Tuesday 25th October.
K.
ARTICLE :
"GRAY MATTER
by CHRISTOPHER GRAY
A Matter of Life and Death
In the course of a characteristiclly well-expressed letter in The Times on
Tuesday, supporting Lord Joffe's Euthanasia Bill, Dr Evan Harris, the MP for
Oxford West and Abingdon, responded to claims that its safeguards could
never be sufficient to protect the vulnerable. "This sort of argument," he
wrote, "could be made against any legislation that permits autonomous adults
freedom to put themselves at risk, whether it is to gamble, to have sex, to
drink alcohol and so on."
As I read this, I mentally included among the 'and so on' the freedom of
people to ride around the country on motorcycles killing themselves or, more
likely, being killed. On the page before Dr. Harris's letter, The Times told
the sad story of Det Chief Supt Tony Crofts whose work on reinvestigating
the Damilola Taylor murder case was brought to an abrupt end when he was
knocked from his motorcycle on the M11. He lost his arm and suffered brain
damage.
He deserves our sympathy. But the fact remains that had he chosen a
different means of transport he would have been much less likely to have
been injured in any accident that befell him, whether through his or anyone
else's fault. I find it remarkable that these deadly machines are permitted
on the roads when such tight controls exist governing the safety of car
drivers. Riders know the risks and they take them. But do they always stop
to think of the effect their injury or death will have on those they love,
those dependent on them?"
__________________________________________________ ___
Christopher Gray is the "Oxford Times" Arts Editor. The direct line to his
desk is (01865) 425471.
The "Oxford Times" letters address is oxfordtimes.letters@nqo.com
This week's closing date for letters has passed but the deadline for next
week's edition is 4.30 pm on Tuesday 25th October.