OK I'm just going to pick out little parts to respond to because there's nothing that kills a thread quicker than massive rambling posts that includes quotes. Plus it gives me a headache.
My point all along has been that a line needs to be drawn at some point but that this isn't a situation where clear lines can be drawn. Even if I take the things you've said there are problems
Locked in - The patient isn't able to choose in any form. So by your notion of it being a purely personal choice that no-one else can decide on, AS is not an option here.
Terminally ill - Here we have the problem that they didn't kill themselves when they had the chance. Do they really want to die or just care and attention?
Paralysed - They're not actually dying, or in any physical pain whatsoever but you argue they should be allowed AS, and even though depression is a natural consequence of paralysis you're not willing to extend this to..
Depressives - Who are also not dying, not in physical pain and in all cases also unable to act with a clear mind.
Just because you and I are capable of making that choice, doesn't mean it's a choice we should have. I would argue that anyone who wants to kill themselves is, by definition, not in the right state of mind and that what people actually want or need is help. I think sometimes it's necessary to protect people from themselves.
Oh come on! Yeah we should just let people kill themselves instead of trying to help them. For someone who is arguing compassion for the dying, your attitude to the living is "fuck 'em".
My ex is schizophrenic and has tried to kill herself on 2 occasions. When she's sane she doesn't actually want to die, so should I have just let her jump off the roof when she was ill then? Sometimes people need to be protected from themselves, whether it's illness or their own stupidity. Just letting them get on with is callous and akin to leaving someone to die when you could instead help them.
You can have my personal guarantee on this one. I know one person in particular who is only alive because she's catholic and the perception is suicide is absolutely forbidden. Suicide is taboo in this culture and it stops so many people even discussing it, let alone going ahead with it. I guarantee that once the perception changes, suicide rates go up exponentially and again I'm going to reference Bridgend. For those who are not aware, it's a small Welsh town that a couple of years back had an explosion of around 30 teen suicides all within a couple of months of each other.
My point all along has been that a line needs to be drawn at some point but that this isn't a situation where clear lines can be drawn. Even if I take the things you've said there are problems
Locked in - The patient isn't able to choose in any form. So by your notion of it being a purely personal choice that no-one else can decide on, AS is not an option here.
Terminally ill - Here we have the problem that they didn't kill themselves when they had the chance. Do they really want to die or just care and attention?
Paralysed - They're not actually dying, or in any physical pain whatsoever but you argue they should be allowed AS, and even though depression is a natural consequence of paralysis you're not willing to extend this to..
Depressives - Who are also not dying, not in physical pain and in all cases also unable to act with a clear mind.
The way I look at this is simple - you or me could go out and commit suicide today if we wanted to. Someone paralysed, or with a terminal illness where they're losing all their dignity because they can't even wipe their own bottom doesn't have that choice. I don't think that's fair. If I decide to die today, I can die. But why can't they?
Just because you and I are capable of making that choice, doesn't mean it's a choice we should have. I would argue that anyone who wants to kill themselves is, by definition, not in the right state of mind and that what people actually want or need is help. I think sometimes it's necessary to protect people from themselves.
As I've said previously, if someone wants to kill themselves, let them. Are many likely to be for stupid reasons? Yes. But that's up to them.
Oh come on! Yeah we should just let people kill themselves instead of trying to help them. For someone who is arguing compassion for the dying, your attitude to the living is "fuck 'em".

My ex is schizophrenic and has tried to kill herself on 2 occasions. When she's sane she doesn't actually want to die, so should I have just let her jump off the roof when she was ill then? Sometimes people need to be protected from themselves, whether it's illness or their own stupidity. Just letting them get on with is callous and akin to leaving someone to die when you could instead help them.
I seriously doubt legalising assisted suicide for people with unmanageable illnesses is going to lead to regular people who had never thought of suicide before killing themselves.
You can have my personal guarantee on this one. I know one person in particular who is only alive because she's catholic and the perception is suicide is absolutely forbidden. Suicide is taboo in this culture and it stops so many people even discussing it, let alone going ahead with it. I guarantee that once the perception changes, suicide rates go up exponentially and again I'm going to reference Bridgend. For those who are not aware, it's a small Welsh town that a couple of years back had an explosion of around 30 teen suicides all within a couple of months of each other.