Legislators in Amsterdam have proposed extending their country's practice of euthanasia and assisted suicide to children as young as 12. Dutch bureaucrats with the Justice and Health ministries were quoted in a Reuters story last week justifying the measure as follows: "In the case of 12- to 15-year-olds, the consent of the parents or guardian is required [for the doctor to perform euthanasia], but in the event of refusal . . . a minor's request may nevertheless be met if the doctor is convinced this would prevent serious detriment to the patient."
Euthanasia as "prevent[ing] serious deteriment" to the one being put to death? Maybe it sounds better in the original Dutch.