As far as euthanasia is concerned, doctors are indeed in a dilemma. On the one hand, a doctor's duty, as taught at the universities' schools of medicine, is to alleviate the suffering of patients. On the other hand, a doctor also has to save lives, regardless. In other words, under all circumstances, doctors have to resuscitate their patients regardless of their chance of survival.
For those who are terminally ill, fighting against death is hard enough. Most of them would rather die than stay alive bearing such enormous pain once they learned that they were hopeless to recover.
Those who oppose to euthanasia claim that it is unethical and inhumane to the end the lives of the terminally ill. But have they ever thought that their opposition will lead to even more sufferings and more painful endings of those patients?
Therefore, I personally do not agree that euthanasia is a deprivation of patients' human rights and that doctors will indirectly become culprits. Instead, they will be the "Angels of Death".
Vicki Wong
Shum Tseung
AIDS is gradually spreading. By the end of 1992, 73 Hong Kong people had gotten it. What frightens me most is the estimation by experts that about 700 people in Hong Kong have been infected by now.
However, many people, especially those who are older or with lower educational level, still hold the wrong belief that AIDS is so far away that it only happens to homosexuals and Westerners. In fact, of all those who suffered from AIDS in 1992, 47 per cent were Chinese.
Although the mass media, and even film stars are employed to publicize messages about AIDS, stopping at this point is definitely not enough. Messages that have been broadcast so far merely concentrate on how to avoid catching AIDS. But there are no clear explanations.
Besides, messages on what AIDS actually is and how to get along with people with AIDS, though important, are overlooked. Leaflets and hotlines are available to provide information but it still leaves out the passive sectors in the community.
Hence, the government should take more intense and all-rounded actions to educate the public more on the incurable disease.
Cecily Yam
Kwun Tong
However, these opinions and complaints are too generalized. Some taxi drivers are very polite and helpful indeed. The continuation of complaints is, in fact, negative reinforcement for those drivers who try to improve, or have just improved their manner.
Moreover, for those drivers who are ever so helpful and polite, such complaints would be extremely discouraging. Regardless of their goodwill, passengers have never given them any credit but only criticisms.
To exaggerate, if the condition remains unchanged, those good drivers may finally give up being good. Then a vicious cycle starts: passengers continue to complain and drivers continue to behave badly.
No matter if they are taxi drivers or passengers, all of them ought to be polite and appreciative; otherwise the situation will never be improved.
Margaret Liu
Kowloon Bay
Frankly, I am disappointed with the few hours put in by these two groups of people. Everyone else in Hong Kong works much harder than that _ I myself work 170 hours per week, swear to God _ and everyone else in Hong Kong certainly doesn't ride in chauffeur-driven Daimlers, nor does he have the political power to call press conferences and whine about salaries and working conditions.
Will Hong Kong's doctors and lawmakers please stop grousing and get back to work?
Name and address withheld by request