A response to Dr Ravenscroft

I read 'A Doctor Against Euthanasia' because basically I support euthanasia, but I am interested in opinion against euthanasia. What I learned from reading the article is that if euthanasia is legal, it may be easier to choose death instead of continuing to look for a better treatment. If euthanasia had been available, they might have died too soon.

My reaction to this article is that DR Ravenscroft fears that people can be persuaded to choose euthanasia when they do not really want to. But I don't think so. Patients know about all the choices, not just euthanasia. But also I agree that euthanasia should never be easy for a doctor, or a person's family, so that people do not begin to think of it as something ordinary.

Kanazumi Ami (Japan)

The person and their family

I read 'The right to die - the story of Jose' because I often hear about right to die and euthanasia on TV and newspapers. I think the right to die is difficult problem, because the sick person has their own idea, but her or his family has another idea. For example, if my parent want the euthanasia, I could not give up her or his life. In this story the husband whose wife are going to die, and wanted an easy death, was troubled because he could not give up her life. But at last he accept her idea. It was very interesting story for me.

Takeuchi Hifumi (Japan)

A very difficult problem

I read the article 'Human organs for sale.' I have been interested in this subject since the law about transplant was passed in Japan. I have known that many poor people sell their organs in exchange for money. I think it is bad to sell their organs, but I also think they cannot live without selling their organs. So it is a very difficult problem. And in Japan, the donor system is also a very big problem. I don't have a donor card. It may take many years to accept it for Japanese people and me.

Hanai Hiromi (Japan)

I am not brave

I read about 'Human organs for sale'. The reason for choosing is that offering internal organs is a topic people are starting to talk about.

I think it's a good project because the dead person can help people who are likely to die, by giving them good organs. In my case, if I was dead and my organs help other people, I might sell them! But I am not brave, maybe I could not sell my body.

I was surprised at the differences between countries about human organs for sale. I think, in Japan, this topic has not infiltrated enough and people have feelings of fear, so we have not enough donors.

Tanaka Hazuki (Japan)

Don't kill the future

Hi,
I read your articles on abortion and I personally am against abortion. I think abortion is the taking of someone's life. A person has the right to live!

In America today it seems like teenagers are getting pregnant every day and they think the only way out is abortion. I've read stories how women have had abortions and it's not like you get pregnant, have an abortion, and then forget it never happened. It doesn't work that way. Women who have experienced an abortion have said that it feels like you're having your own guts taken out!

Abortions have left scars on these women's conscience and those scars will forever stay and will always remind them that they killed a child. Yes a child, who has not even had the chance to see the light of day, breathe fresh air, and see the world for the first time! These babies are paying the price for there mother's mistake! Why should the children have to suffer because the mother of the child made to wrong choice. Even if she was raped she should still keep the child. A child is the greatest gift ever given.

You never know, any one of those babies who was aborted could have the answer to life's main problems. They could be the next Ienstine- the smartest man who ever lived, or could have the answer to the cure of aids or even cancer. Our answers to life's problem might never be answered because we decided to trash them! I pray every night for these women, so that they can make the right choice and keep these babies and to give them birth and to learn to love them or even give them up for adoption so that people who can't have babies could give their love and care to watch them grow and to also make their choices. Children are the future and I say that we don't kill it!

A teenager (USA)

Choice makes you yourself

I'd like to tell you some of my reactions and opinions of articles on the website. I read 'The Story of Jose'. I thought it was a sad story, but if I were Jose maybe I would have done exactly the same thing. I think it's very good and necessary for the people who have a terminal illness to have a right to die. The 'right to die' is important, even if a person doesn't want to die.

I want a choice. Choice is good. The choice makes you yourself. I mean, if Jose chose to die, we can say it was her decision, and it was her life! If there is no choice, what are we going to do? Anyway, I thought it's a very deep question.

Matsutani Mika (Japan)

Let a person die with dignity

Hello, may I just say that I'm a strong believer in euthanasia. Just think of all those people who need hospital care but cannot get into hospital because there isn't enough beds. Instead, filling these beds are people who don't even want to be living in this world. Euthanasia lets a person die thinking they are making the right choices. Some think they are no use to society, think they have no purpose... Let a person die with dignity if they wish. So much for ruling one's life. Euthanasia should be introduced to our country.

Gemma, 13 years old (Australia)

The difference between us

I read this article Pablo's story. It's a story about a 14 year old boy that works in Bogota, Columbia. I read this article because the place we live is so rich that almost we can do anything. I thought we have to know that all other countries are not like Japan.

My reaction was so surprised. He is working for life, just a 14 year old boy and he is needed to work. That is the difference between us; in Japan we work so we have money to enjoy ourselves.

Reading some of the articles I really thought UNICEF and other charities are very good. All of the world should be happy, not only us.

Suzuki Shinsuke (Japan)

Reasons for prostitution?

I read an article about Paula's story on Child Labour. We don't see children who work because of poverty here in Japan, but as for prostitution, it's getting to be a social problem. I wanted to know if there's a difference of the reason they prostitute themselves between England and Japan.

Paula in England
Paula,who lives in the north-east of England where there is a lot of unemployment, is 15 years old. She says that she stopped going to school when she was 13 because it was so boring. She started taking heroin and she became a prostitute to buy drugs. She thinks kids start taking heroin because there's nothing to do. Even if they go to school and get qualifications there aren't any jobs for them. She thinks people should give kids more to do.

I was shocked to read this. I didn't understand exactly what she asked for. What made her bored? I think that ourselves we should look for something that never makes us bored. Students should get pleasure from school life, for example studying, club activities.

Child prostitutes in Thailand
On the other hand, I have read a story on child prostitution in Thailand in a newspaper. The article reports that some children were sold into prostitution trade by their parents to make a living. The article says that poverty seems to be the reason for the supply-side of child prostitution and brothels. But the demand for young flesh is the main reason for the existence of child abuse.

In my opinion, it is inhuman to demand sexual service from children. These shameless actions must be stopped. In Paula's case, she may be able to change her life. I think adults shouldn't leave their children alone. I'm so glad to read this kind of current topics and think about them.

Hara Junko (Japan)

The foetus's standpoint?

I have read 'A controversial issue: Abortion'. I understand there are a lot of different cases in abortion. We can understand women's situation, but a big question is that we cannot know foetus's standpoint. For example, if they feel terrible pain or not, if there is a spirit or not, and so on. For that reason I cannot tell for sure whether it is right or not in any cases.

Sakaida Makoto (Japan)

I need to think more

I think if I became pregnant now, I couldn't have a baby because I am a student, my parents pay my life's money and so on. But I am against abortion. I think child has a right to live and to be happy.

The articles said that in the Netherlands, for example, abortions are very safe and very easy to obtain, but the abortion rate in the Netherlands is the lowest in the world. On the other hand, in countries where there are laws against abortion, women have illegal abortions. I wonder at this.

Since I read this article, I don't understand my idea so I want to think more about abortion.

M. Y. (Japan)