We mourn the passing and celebrate the life of Desmond Tutu, Nobel laureate and former Anglican archbishop of South Africa, who did so much to ensure a peaceful end to apartheid and transition to democracy.
As a fervent supporter of human rights generally, Archbishop Tutu was also a passionate and highly public advocate for aid in dying. This 2014 op-ed he penned for The Guardian and this 2016 op-ed in the Washington Post are two of his most profound writings on the subject.
“I have been fortunate to spend my life working for dignity for the living. Now I wish to apply my mind to the issue of dignity for the dying,” wrote Mr. Tutu. “I revere the sanctity of life – but not at any cost. I confirm I don’t want my life prolonged. I can see I would probably incline towards the quality of life argument, whereas others will be more comfortable with palliative care. Yes, I think a lot of people would be upset if I said I wanted assisted dying. I would say I wouldn’t mind actually.”