The Essential-Liberalism Manifesto (Article II)
II. RIGHT TO LIFE
1. Right to
maintain and end one’s life:
Every person is free to maintain his or her own life as well as to
end it, so long as the termination of one’s life does not involve
the assistance of another. Every adult also has the right to have
his or her expressed wishes granted not to be kept artificially
alive in the event of becoming terminally ill.
2. Taking of human life permitted
only in very narrowly defined circumstances: No
person’s life may be taken by another except in order to stop a
reasonably perceived threat of imminent death or grave bodily harm
from being inflicted by such person on an innocent person. The state
may take the life of a person to prevent the imminent infliction by
such person of grave bodily harm or death on an innocent person and
when lesser means are not reasonably available to prevent the person
from doing so; or, in principle, in the case of individuals over the
age of 18 at the time of commission and not currently pregnant—as
punishment for committing murder with specified “aggravating
factors”; for intentionally causing widespread mayhem; or for high
treason.
3. Right to life of a fetus:
An unborn human fetus of a certain age is in possession of the right
to life.
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Page last updated: October 15, 2008