tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67390746848636945452024-03-18T22:20:08.078-06:00MontanaA non-profit corporation opposed to assisted suicide, euthanasia and other forms of imposed death, worldwideUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger168125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-9661102619108572024-02-29T12:48:00.003-07:002024-02-29T12:49:22.244-07:00The Baxter Decision<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJQ3Br0kjEWwoptaCqyBfbOhm8HKxMBPM37RzfB5guG8EsRFAHgNNZkikDVgOpOliMdCVL6wlE0BEIBDxRNN2a5YUiIDmeqNR7A0eaZ_ZUWV3lHS1hv5TtgqHF3Bng0sMieZKFLvVdPYscn7aibNZ3Llw7vuDOmZaLpp2-NbtK1q_I39E96N-0Kmn4_E/s719/01.sealofmontanastateseal.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="719" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJQ3Br0kjEWwoptaCqyBfbOhm8HKxMBPM37RzfB5guG8EsRFAHgNNZkikDVgOpOliMdCVL6wlE0BEIBDxRNN2a5YUiIDmeqNR7A0eaZ_ZUWV3lHS1hv5TtgqHF3Bng0sMieZKFLvVdPYscn7aibNZ3Llw7vuDOmZaLpp2-NbtK1q_I39E96N-0Kmn4_E/w122-h122/01.sealofmontanastateseal.jpg" width="122" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">By Margaret Dore</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2009, the Montana Supreme Court issued <i>Baxter v. State</i>, which cracked open the door to the legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia in Montana.* A local doctor subsequently announced that he was actively killing or assisting to kill his patients. As far as I know, no one did anything to stop him.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Assisted suicide and euthanasia became </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">de facto</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> legal. Some of these deaths were presumably voluntary. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">In my personal experience from other states, deaths also occur on an involuntary or nonvoluntary basis, for example due to financial concerns. Adult children want the money right away and/or fear that mom or dad will change their wills, leaving the children with nothing.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">A few years ago, Montana State Representative Jerry Bennett fought to the bitter end to overturn <i>Baxter</i>, losing by one vote. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">____</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="background-color: white;">* Baxter v. State</i><span style="background-color: white;">, 354 Mont. 234, 224 P.3d 1211 (2009).</span></span></p>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-19992712489312606282019-11-07T00:34:00.001-07:002020-12-15T21:46:30.176-07:00A Short History of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in Montana<h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="font-size: 13.2px; font-weight: normal;">By Margaret Dore, Esq., MBA</span> </h3>
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<span style="font-size: 13.2px;">Assisted suicide means that someone provides the means and/or information for another person to commit suicide. If a doctor is involved, the practice may be termed physician-assisted suicide. Euthanasia is the administration of a lethal agent by another person. </span><br />
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<b>A. Assisted Suicide</b><br />
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In 1895, the Montana Legislature enacted a criminal statute prohibiting assisted suicide as a "crime against the public safety."[1] In 1907, 1921 and 1947, this statute was re-codified, but its text remained unchanged.[2] The statute stated: "Every person who deliberately aids, or advises or encourages another to commit suicide is guilty of a felony."[3]<br />
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<b style="font-size: 13.2px;">B. The Constitutional Convention</b><br />
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In 1972, Montana held its constitutional convention. At that time, the convention’s Bill of Rights Committee considered and rejected a proposed “right to die.”[4] The testimony supporting this proposal had included an argument to allow physician-assisted suicide in the case of a painful death.[5]<br />
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On June 6, 1972, the new Montana State Constitution was ratified by the people without the proposed right to die.[6] This is the present Constitution of the State of Montana.[7]<br />
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<b>C. A New Criminal Code</b><br />
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In 1973, the Legislature enacted a new criminal code drafted by the Criminal Law Commission. The new Code moved the prohibition against aiding a suicide to the homicide statutes.[8] If the suicide occurred, the offense would be homicide.[9] If the suicide did not occur, the offense would be “aiding or soliciting suicide.”[10] The Criminal Law Commission Comments stated that a victim’s consent was not a defense, as follows:<br />
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If the conduct of the offender made him the agent of the death, the offense is criminal homicide, notwithstanding the consent or even the solicitations of the victim. (Emphasis added).[11]</blockquote>
The new Code did not, however, provide this clarifying information in the statutes themselves. In 1981, the Legislature added a monetary penalty.[12]<br />
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<b>D. Civil Liability</b><br />
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In 1989, the Supreme Court of Montana issued <i>Krieg v. Massey</i>, describing that civil liability can be imposed against a person who causes or fails to prevent another person’s suicide.[13]<br />
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<b>E. <i>Baxter v. State</i></b><br />
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On December 8, 2008, a district court judge issued a decision holding that there is a right to physician-assisted suicide under the Montana State Constitution.[14] On December 31, 2009, the Supreme Court of Montana vacated that decision in <i>Baxter v. State</i>.[15] The vote to vacate was six justices to one.[16]<br />
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In <i>Baxter</i>, the Supreme Court also held that a patient’s consent to assisted suicide is a defense to a homicide charge against an assisting physician.[17] When making this holding, the Court said that it was not bound by the Criminal Law Commission Comments, providing that a victim cannot consent, because the language of the Comments did not appear in the statutes themselves.[18]</div>
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<b>F. Elder Abuse and Civil Liability Overlooked</b><br />
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The Court’s decision was also based on a determination that assisted suicide is not against Montana public policy.[19] The Court, however, overlooked elder abuse. <i>Baxter</i> states that the only person “who might conceivably be prosecuted for criminal behavior is the physician who prescribes a lethal dose of medication.”[20] <i>Baxter</i> thereby overlooked criminal behavior by family members and others who benefit from a patient’s death, for example, due to an inheritance. The Court thereby overlooked Montana’s explicit public policy to prevent elder abuse.[21] The Court also overlooked <i>Krieg v. Massey</i> describing that civil liability can be imposed against a person who causes or fails to prevent another person’s suicide.[22] Indeed, the Court completely overlooked civil liability.[23]<br />
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<b>G. A Confusing Decision</b><br />
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<i>Baxter</i> did not legalize assisted suicide.[24] The decision was, however, confusing. This allowed suicide proponents to claim that physician-assisted suicide was legal in Montana.<br />
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<b>H. The 2013 Legislative Session: Baxter Remained in Place</b><br />
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In 2013, the legislative session featured two bills on assisted suicide: HB 505 sought to reverse Baxter’s holding; SB 220 sought to legalize assisted suicide.<br />
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HB 505 passed the House, but then died on the Senate floor. SB 220, by contrast, was tabled in Committee. With the failure of both bills, <i>Baxter</i> remained in place.</div>
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<b>I. Hospice/Palliative Care Abuse</b></div>
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During the 2013 legislative session, Carol Mungus, whose husband had been euthanized against his will under the guise of palliative care, supported HB 505. Her published letter states:</div>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Doctors and nurses already misuse or abuse the power they have. The stakes are too high to consider expanding their power by legalizing assisted-suicide.[25]</span></blockquote>
Consider also the similar experiences of Kate Kelly, Mike Moe and Gail Bell.[26]<br />
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<b>J. Defacto Legality</b><br />
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The 2013 legislative session also featured Eric Kress, a doctor who testified that he had assisted three suicides. He was not charged, which ultimately led to other people following his lead.<br />
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In 2017, I attended the Governor's Conference on Aging in Glendive. Nearly everyone we spoke with described assisted suicide as legal.<br />
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<b>K. Conclusion</b><br />
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Assisted suicide is<i> defacto</i> legal in Montana. Euthanasia is occurring under the guise of palliative care and hospice.<br />
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* * *<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Footnotes:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>[1] Section 698, Pen. C. 1895.<br />
[2] In 1907, § 698, Pen. C. 1895 was reenacted as § 8529, Rev. C. 1907. In 1921, the statute was reenacted as § 11261, R.C.M. In 1947, the statute was reenacted as § 94-35-215.<br />
[3] Id.<br />
[4] See Margaret Dore, “Montana Constitution Does Not Include a ‘Right to Die,’” Montanans Against Assisted Suicide, updated January 20, 2013, at <a href="http://www.montanansagainstassistedsuicide.org/p/no-right-to-die.html" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration-line: none;">www.montanansagainstassistedsuicide.org/p/no-right-to-die.html</a><br />
[5] Id.<br />
[6] Id.<br />
[7] Id.<br />
[8] See Table of Contents at [link no longer active]<br />
[9] See Montana Legislative Services Division, 2012 Annotations to the Montana Code Annotated, p. 271 (Annotator’s Note regarding 45-5-105, MCA).<br />
[10] 45-5-105(1), MCA.<br />
[11] Criminal Law Commission Comments regarding 45-5-105, MCA.<br />
[12] See 45-5-105(2).<br />
[13] <i>Krieg</i>, 239 Mont. 469, 472-3 (1989) states: " The general rule . . . is that '[n]egligence actions for the suicide of another will generally not lie since the act or suicide is considered a deliberate intervening act exonerating the defendant from legal responsibility . . .' There are two . . . exceptions to this rule. The first exception deals with causing another to commit suicide . . . The second exception allows the imposition of a duty to prevent suicide but only in a custodial situation where suicide is foreseeable. These situations typically involve hospitals or prisons."<br />
[14] <i>Baxter v. State</i>, 354 Mont. 234, ¶¶ 7 & 9, 224 P.3d 1211, 2009 MT 449.<br />
[15] Id., ¶ 51.<br />
[16] In <i>Baxter</i>, Justice James Nelson, specially concurring, was the only justice who voted to affirm a constitutional right to physician-assisted suicide under the Montana State Constitution. See his concurrence beginning at ¶ 64. The majority opinion issued by Justice William Leaphart vacated the district court’s constitutional ruling at ¶ 51 (“The District Court’s ruling on the constitutional issues is vacated ...”) Leaphart was joined by Justices Patricia O. Cotter, John Warner and Brian Morris. Warner’s concurrence, ¶ 54, states “This Court correctly avoided the constitutional issue . . .” The dissent by Justice Jim Rice, joined by Joe L. Hegel, would have gone farther to state that there is no constitutional right to assisted suicide under the Montana State Constitution. See ¶¶ 111-116.<br />
[17] <i>Baxter</i>, 354 Mont. at 251, ¶ 50, states: “We . . . hold that under § 45-2-211, MCA, “a terminally ill patient’s consent to physician aid in dying constitutes a statutory defense to a charge of homicide against the aiding physician when no other consent exceptions apply.”<br />
[18] The Court stated: “[T]he comments analyze language, such as ‘agent of death,’ that does not even appear in the aid or soliciting statute or anywhere else in the Montana code.” <i>Baxter</i>, 354 Mont. at 249, ¶ 42.<br />
[19] <i>Baxter</i>, 354 Mont. at 250, ¶ 49. <br />
[20] <i>Baxter</i>, 354 Mont. at 239, ¶ 11.<br />
[21] See e.g., the Montana Elder and Persons With Developmental Disabilities Abuse Prevention Act, 52-3-801, MCA; the Protective Services Act for Aged Persons or Disabled Adults, 52-3-201, MCA; and the “Montana Older Americans Act,” 52-3-501, et. al., MCA.<br />
[22] See <i>Baxter</i> in its entirety.<br />
[23] Id.<br />
[24] Attorneys Greg Jackson and Matt Bowman state: “[T]he Court's narrow decision didn't even ‘legalize’ assisted suicide. . . . After <i>Baxter</i>, assisted suicide continues to carry both criminal and civil liability risks for any doctor, institution, or lay person involved.” Analysis of Implications of the <i>Baxter</i> case on Potential Criminal Liability, Spring 2010, at <a href="http://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/p/baxter-case-analysis.html" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration-line: none;">http://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/p/baxter-case-analysis.html</a><br />
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[25] Letter to the Editor from Carol Mungas to the Great Falls Tribune, March 13, 2013, available at <a href="https://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/2013/03/i-support-house-bill-505-which-clearly.html" style="background-color: transparent;">https://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/2013/03/i-support-house-bill-505-which-clearly.html</a></div>
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[26] Kate Kelly, A Response to Representative Moore, ("I could do nothing except watch my mother die slowly"), at <a href="https://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/2013/03/a-response-to-representative-moore.html" style="background-color: transparent;">https://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/2013/03/a-response-to-representative-moore.html</a>; Mike Moe, Letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee ("her death was hastened by dehydration and starvation"), at <a href="http://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/2013/03/vote-for-hb-505-to-stop-bad-situation.html" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">http://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/2013/03/vote-for-hb-505-to-stop-bad-situation.html</a> and Letter from Gail Bell to the <i>Ravalli Republic</i>, March 5, 2013 (Because of my mother’s experiences, I no longer believe in physician-assisted suicide. Support House Bill 505). Letter available at <a href="http://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/2013/03/because-of-my-mothers-experiences-i-no_8.html" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">http://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/2013/03/because-of-my-mothers-experiences-i-no_8.html</a></div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-54849786412590322862019-08-11T22:50:00.000-06:002020-06-10T22:53:56.202-06:00Join Us at the Fair!<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtqqNMz33oCbOJOY25P-JDnEdL1UzYQllYP1wexDPYRNBNg1U5Jgrvec4_-yWxNrJICzcHzoHmW9QQrK41Qc7v77P1SeleX6IyCVSVkrlukIboXLI_ROdunSKUU98D9G6DCcmttA3IY-w/s1600/Goats+224+x+145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidtqqNMz33oCbOJOY25P-JDnEdL1UzYQllYP1wexDPYRNBNg1U5Jgrvec4_-yWxNrJICzcHzoHmW9QQrK41Qc7v77P1SeleX6IyCVSVkrlukIboXLI_ROdunSKUU98D9G6DCcmttA3IY-w/s1600/Goats+224+x+145.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">This month, <a href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/" target="_blank">Choice is an Illusion</a> will be at the <span class="il">fair</span> in both Montana and Washington State. We have a long history of working in Montana, but this will be our first time in Washington.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In Montana, we will have a booth at the NW Montana <span class="il">Fair</span> & Rodeo, in Kalispell, August 14-18, 2019. <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://t.e2ma.net/click/o1g5wb/o5v736/wjw3yo&source=gmail&ust=1591931899126000&usg=AFQjCNEYrXmB7y7AWhR1PqE0tojsfB5VbA" href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/lucinda-final-mt-10x10-2019.pdf" style="color: #333333;" target="_blank" title="Click here">Click here</a> to read our event flyer to learn more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We will also have a booth at the <span class="il">Evergreen</span> State <span class="il">Fair</span> in Monroe, Washington on August 31, 2019. (Booth C79).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In Washington State, assisted suicide was legalized by a ballot measure in which voters were promised that "only the patient" would be allowed to administer the lethal dose, which isn't true. Such persons may also have years to live. For more information, click <a href="https://www.kcba.org/kcba/newsevents/barbulletin/BView.aspx?Month=05&Year=2009&AID=article5.htm" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.seattleweekly.com/news/terminal-uncertainty/" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In Montana, assisted suicides are occurring due to a State Supreme Court decision (Baxter). Bills to overturn the decision have been proposed in every legislative session since. To learn more, <a href="https://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br /><br />In Montana, our booth will be located near the political booths, which will allow us to talk to legislators and candidates for office about problems with legalization. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Donations needed and appreciated!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Looking forward to seeing you at the <span class="il">fair</span>!</span></div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-22047024252907371162018-08-20T21:28:00.000-06:002020-08-03T13:26:50.071-06:00The Northwest Montana Fair<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNT3bKR1N297s0XGjpaQ5kdB0Ryikkn-QQboRAiMT7gbBLRahNKuI9WGRDyrCiPl65Q7-WOlzq2vXhdijB1fasHBvk3MHdjZYMO4s4MkSoT3lDV7tj8wyQMkFlbDR780PC1OuQwVSdz_o/s1600/Lucinda+Hardy+2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNT3bKR1N297s0XGjpaQ5kdB0Ryikkn-QQboRAiMT7gbBLRahNKuI9WGRDyrCiPl65Q7-WOlzq2vXhdijB1fasHBvk3MHdjZYMO4s4MkSoT3lDV7tj8wyQMkFlbDR780PC1OuQwVSdz_o/s200/Lucinda+Hardy+2018.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Thank you to our volunteers who braved the smoke to join us at the 2018 Northwest Montana Fair in Kalispell.<br />
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We educated the public about problems with legalization, including how people with years to live are encouraged to throw away their lives, and fatal elder abuse.<br />
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Thanks especially, to everyone who worked the table, including Lucinda Hardy of Columbia Falls, Gail Bell of Bozeman and Linda Clark of Seattle. To read Lucinda's story, <a href="http://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/2014/08/montanas-law-protected-me.html" target="_blank">click here</a>. To read Gail's story, <a href="http://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/2014/08/mothers-death-provided-painful-personal_5.html">click here</a>.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>We also heard from people who were considering assisted suicide for themselves. Two were older men who came to the booth about fifteen minutes apart. After learning more about the process, each signed our petition to the legislature to clarify the law, that assisted suicide is not legal in Montana.<br />
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To sign an electronic version of the petition, please <a href="http://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/2018/03/sign-our-petition-to-legislature.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
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Thank you again to everyone who made this event possible. Your time and monetary donations are invaluable.<br />
<br />
Margaret Dore, President<br />
Choice is an IllusionAdminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-23226167004942166782017-08-20T17:44:00.000-06:002024-02-05T14:46:39.627-07:00Thank You Senator Hinkle<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuaGzzSj9KCFnC8cQGpqRXBjVR23zS_CEm_-oeQRh5eNK8Er10jvPmcYzNK_nL8Nkd5UwHKSXsZW23Iuw81lu72ynwd2gyxPwKeS0BVurKGcdJrfBNru_J_bceTnBj9k0Lvko2N9SMA20/s1600/Photo+Margaret%252C+Greg+%2526+Gail+NW+MT+Fair+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="1600" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuaGzzSj9KCFnC8cQGpqRXBjVR23zS_CEm_-oeQRh5eNK8Er10jvPmcYzNK_nL8Nkd5UwHKSXsZW23Iuw81lu72ynwd2gyxPwKeS0BVurKGcdJrfBNru_J_bceTnBj9k0Lvko2N9SMA20/s200/Photo+Margaret%252C+Greg+%2526+Gail+NW+MT+Fair+.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L-R, Margaret Dore, Senator Greg <br />
Hinkle (ret.) and his wife,<br />
Gail Hinkle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Choice is an Illusion & it supporters had a great time at the Northwest Montana Fair where it hosted an information booth in opposition to assisted suicide and euthanasia.<br />
<br />
Volunteers included former State Senator Greg Hinkle, who stood alone to stand up against assisted suicide legalization. His leadership was a key reason for the 2011 defeat of SB 167, which had sought to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia in Montana.<br />
<br />
Since then bills seeking to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia in Montana have repeatedly failed.Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-86185558595013232532017-08-18T12:58:00.000-06:002017-09-25T18:25:57.174-06:00In Oregon, Other Suicides Have Increased with the Legalization of Physician-Assisted Suicide<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-5388872693646390444" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 470px;">
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">By Margaret K. Dore, Esq.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XXYztDc7KokPJxsvGhxjb5uy35oQnqxNRBAcx46TwLXux1T_ItzYDKEkq3gw5C6MNEJPhmmtVtla8Bmk4bCNB5g4i6E0S0IXMuiwtVoJJ9Dd6mO8F9vc3vhY9I6nFh4nUF7RiWm-KmI/s1600/Oregon+pretty+and+dark+coastal+cliffs.jpg" style="clear: right; color: #3d85c6; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XXYztDc7KokPJxsvGhxjb5uy35oQnqxNRBAcx46TwLXux1T_ItzYDKEkq3gw5C6MNEJPhmmtVtla8Bmk4bCNB5g4i6E0S0IXMuiwtVoJJ9Dd6mO8F9vc3vhY9I6nFh4nUF7RiWm-KmI/s200/Oregon+pretty+and+dark+coastal+cliffs.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 221, 158); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since
the passage of Oregon’s law allowing physician-assisted suicide, other
suicides in Oregon have steadily increased. This is consistent with a
suicide contagion in which the legalization of physician-assisted
suicides has encouraged other suicides. In Oregon, the financial and
emotional impacts of suicide on family members and the broader community
are devastating and long-lasting.[1]</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">A. Suicide is Contagious <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">It
is well known that suicide is contagious. A famous example is Marilyn
Monroe.[2] Her widely reported suicide was followed by “a spate of
suicides.”[3]</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">With
the understanding that suicide is contagious, groups such as the
National Institute of Mental Health and the World Health Organization
have developed guidelines for the responsible reporting of suicide, to
prevent contagion. Key points include that the risk of additional
suicides increases:</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">[W]hen
the story explicitly describes the suicide method, uses
dramatic/graphic headlines or images, and repeated/extensive coverage
sensationalizes or glamorizes a death.[4] </span></blockquote>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>B.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Oregon, prominent cases of physician-assisted suicide include Lovelle Svart and Brittany Maynard.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lovelle Svart died in 2007.[5] <i>The Oregonian</i>,
which is Oregon’s largest paper, violated the recommended guidelines
for the responsible reporting of suicide by explicitly describing her
suicide method and by employing “dramatic/graphic images.” Indeed,
visitors to the paper’s website were invited “to hear and see when
Lovelle swallowed the fatal dose.”[6] Today, ten years later, there are
still photos of her online, lying in bed, dying.[7]</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Brittany
Maynard reportedly died from physician-assisted suicide in Oregon, on
November 1, 2014. Contrary to the recommended guidelines, there was
“repeated/extensive coverage” in multiple media, worldwide.[8] This
coverage is ongoing, albeit on a smaller and less intense scale.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">C.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Young Man Wanted to Die Like Brittany Maynard</span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">A
month after Ms. Maynard’s death, Dr. Will Johnston was presented with a
twenty year old patient during an emergency appointment.[9] The young
man, who had been brought in by his mother, was physically healthy, but
had been acting oddly and talking about death.[10]</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dr.
Johnston asked the young man if he had a plan.[11] The young man said
"yes," that he had watched a video about Ms. Maynard.[12] He said that
he was very impressed with her and that he identified with her and that
he thought it was a good idea for him to die like her.[13] He also told
Dr. Johnston that after watching the video he had been surfing the
internet looking for suicide drugs.[14] Dr. Johnston’s declaration
states:</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He
was actively suicidal and agreed to go to the hospital, where he stayed
for five weeks until it was determined that he was sufficiently safe
from self-harm to go home.[15]</span></blockquote>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The young man had wanted to die like Brittany Maynard.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b><b>D.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Oregon, Other Suicides Have Increased with Legalization of Physician-Assisted Suicide</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oregon
government reports show the following positive correlation between the
legalization of physician-assisted suicide and an increase in other
suicides. Per the reports:</span></div>
<ul style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oregon legalized physician-assisted suicide “in late 1997.”[16]</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By 2000, Oregon’s conventional suicide rate was "increasing significantly."[17]</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By 2007, Oregon's conventional suicide rate was 35% above the national average.[18]</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By 2010, Oregon's conventional suicide rate was 41% above the national average.[19]</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By 2012, Oregon's conventional suicide rate was 42% above the national average.[20]</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By 2014, Oregon's conventional suicide rate was 43.1% higher than the national average.[21]</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">E.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Financial and Emotional Cost of Suicide in Oregon </span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oregon’s report for 2012 describes the cost of suicide as “enormous.” The report states:</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Suicide
is the second leading cause of death among Oregonians aged 15 to 34
years, and the eighth leading cause of death among all ages in Oregon.
The cost of suicide is enormous. In 201[2] alone, self-inflicted injury
hospitalization charges in Oregon exceeded $54 million; and the estimate
of total lifetime cost of suicide in Oregon was over $677 million. The
loss to families and communities broadens the impact of each death.
(footnotes omitted).[22]</span></blockquote>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">F.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Significance for Montana</span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Montana, the law on assisted suicide is governed by the Montana Supreme Court decision, <i>Baxter</i> <i>v. State</i>, 354 Mont. 234 (2009). <i>Baxter</i> gives doctors who assist a suicide a potential defense to criminal prosecution.[23] </span><i>Baxter</i> does not legalize assisted suicide by giving doctors or anyone else immunity.[24]<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The
decision, however, is also confusing so that it can be read different
ways. More importantly, some doctors are claiming to have assisted
suicides in Montana. If nothing is done to clarify the law, there will
at some point be </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">de facto</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> legality.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Montana already has a higher suicide rate than Oregon.[25] If <i>Baxter</i> is
not overturned and/or the law clarified that assisted suicide is not
legal, the suicide problem in Montana will only get worse. Montana does
not need the Oregon experience.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Footnotes:</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">[1] Shen X., Millet L., Suicides in Oregon: Trends and Associated Factors. 2003-2012, <i>Oregon Health Authority</i>, Portland Oregon, <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/suicides-in-oregon_-trends-and-associated-factors-2003-2012-p-3.pdf" target="_blank">p.3, Executive Summary</a>. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">[2] Margot Sanger-Katz, “<a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/the-science-behind-suicide-contagion.pdf" target="_blank">The Science Behind Suicide Contagion</a>,”<i> The New York Times</i>, August 13, 2014.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">[3] Id.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">[4] "<a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/recommendations-for-reporting-on-suicide.pdf" target="_blank">Recommendations for Reporting on Suicide</a>,” <i>The National Institute of Mental Health</i>. See also “Preventing Suicide: A Resource for Media Professionals,” World Health Organization, at http://<a href="http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/resource_media.pdf">www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/resource_media.pdf</a>.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">[5] <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/ed-madrid-lovelle-svart.pdf" target="_blank">Ed Madrid, “Lovelle Svart, 1945 - 2007</a>, <i>The Oregonian</i>, September 28, 2007. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">[6] Id.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">[7] The still shots <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/lovelle-printed-10-09-16.pdf" target="_blank">at this link</a>, are still up today, July 7, 2017.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">[8] The worldwide coverage of Ms. Maynard in multiple media started with an exclusive <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/people-magazine.pdf" target="_blank">cover story</a> in People Magazine. Other coverage has included TV, radio, print, web and social media.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">[9] <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/willard-johnston-maynard-decl.pdf" target="_blank">Declaration of Williard Johnston, MD</a>, May 24, 2015. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
[10] Id.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
[11] Id.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
[12] Id.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
[13] Id.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
[14] Id.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
[15] Id.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
[16] Oregon's Death with Dignity report for 2016, p. 4, <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/excerpt-from-oregon-dwd-report-for-2016.pdf" target="_blank">first line</a>. </div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
[17] Oregon Health Authority News Release, September 9, 2010, at <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/news-release-09-09-10.pdf">https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/news-release-09-09-10.pdf</a> ("After decreasing in the 1990s, suicide rates have been increasing significantly since 2000"). </div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
[18] Suicides in Oregon: Trend and Risk Factors, issued September 2010 (<a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/oregon-report-excerpt.pdf" target="_blank">data through 2007</a>). </div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;">[19] Suicides in Oregon: Trends and Risk Factors, 2012 Report (data through 2010). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">[20] </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;">Suicides in Oregon: Trends and Associated Factors, 2003-2012 (<a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/suicide-in-or-data-thru-2012.pdf" target="_blank">data through 2012</a>). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="white-space: pre;">[21] Oregon Vital Statistics Report 2015 (data through 2014;</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="white-space: pre;"><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/vital-statistics-report-2015-suicide-pp-6-25-to-6-27.pdf" target="_blank">at page 6-26</a>, third full paragraph)</span></span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
[22] See <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/suicides-in-oregon-2003-2012-p-6.pdf">https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/suicides-in-oregon-2003-2012-p-6.pdf</a> </div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">
[23] Greg Jackson, Esq. & Matt Bowman, Esq., "<a href="http://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/p/baxter-case-analysis.html" target="_blank">Analysis of Implications of the <i>Baxter</i> Case on Potential Criminal Liability</a>," April 2010.<br />
[24] State Senator Jim Shockley and Margaret Dore, Esq., "<a href="http://www.choiceillusionmontana.org/p/no-physician-assisted-suicide-is-not.html" target="_blank">No, physician-assisted suicide is not legal in Montana: It's a recipe for elder abuse and more</a>," <i>The Montana Lawyer</i>," The State Bar of Montana, November 2011.<br />
[25] CDC Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, "<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6345a10.htm" target="_blank">QuickStats: Age Adjusted Suicide Rates by State, United States, 2012</a>," published on November 14, 2014.</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-21904871732496952622017-07-20T14:15:00.000-06:002017-09-30T14:20:55.065-06:00Hall Declaration: " If Dr. Stevens had believed in assisted suicide, I would be dead"I, JEANETTE HALL, declare as follows:<br />
<br />
1. I live in Oregon where assisted suicide is legal. Our law was enacted in 1997 via a ballot measure that I voted for.<br />
<br />
2. In 2000, I was diagnosed with cancer and told that I had 6 months to a year to live. I knew that our law had passed, but I didn’t know exactly how to go about doing it. I tried to ask my doctor, Kenneth Stevens, but he didn’t really answer me. In hindsight, he was stalling me.<br />
<br />
3. I did not want to suffer. I wanted to do our law and I wanted Dr. Stevens to help me. Instead, he encouraged me to not give up and ultimately I decided to fight the cancer. I had both chemotherapy and radiation. I am so happy to be alive!<br />
<br />
4. It has now been 17 years since my diagnosis. If Dr. Stevens had believed in assisted suicide, I would be dead. Assisted suicide should not be legal.<br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>_<u>/s/</u>__________<br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Jeanette HallAdminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-5493599574141262752017-04-06T11:20:00.002-06:002017-09-24T14:00:13.317-06:00When Euthanasia Becomes Murder<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2057659501611554108" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 470px;">
<article about="/blog/when-euthanasia-becomes-murder" class="node node--blog node--promoted node--full node--blog--full" role="article" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both;" typeof="sioc:Post sioct:BlogPost"><div class="node__content" style="box-sizing: border-box;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69SbjfVKfEJ5vD85imQ0kheJpHBLK2V4_AgzOruexinR6bAa28W2L5kArbLXWKsC4ZByeqbLvhPJG0zpfPQ9rR0Te8MPq6SCFz3U4t-e2R0JG15HGlFVZUwx-Xcj-480ebW3WaPImyRM/s1600/photo+hand+and+needle.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #3d85c6; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69SbjfVKfEJ5vD85imQ0kheJpHBLK2V4_AgzOruexinR6bAa28W2L5kArbLXWKsC4ZByeqbLvhPJG0zpfPQ9rR0Te8MPq6SCFz3U4t-e2R0JG15HGlFVZUwx-Xcj-480ebW3WaPImyRM/s200/photo+hand+and+needle.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 221, 158); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #2a2a2a;"><a href="http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/when-euthanasia-becomes-murder" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration-line: none;">http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/when-euthanasia-becomes-murder</a></span></div>
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By <a href="http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/users/barry-brownstein" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Barry Brownstein</a></div>
<div class="rtejustify" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1.29412em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a;">In the Netherlands an elderly woman suffering from dementia </span><a href="http://www.christianpost.com/news/netherlands-clears-doctor-wrongdoing-ordering-family-hold-down-woman-assisted-suicide-173910/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #776d5a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.2s ease-in-out; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">was held down against her protests</a><span style="color: #2a2a2a;"> as a lethal injection was administered by a doctor. In the days before her “euthanasia” she repeatedly said “I don’t want to die.” The doctor was cleared of wrongdoing.</span></span></div>
<div class="rtejustify" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1.29412em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: inherit;">Another elderly woman in the Netherlands was euthanized <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2741453/Dutch-doctor-kills-patient-spare-living-care-home.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #776d5a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.2s ease-in-out; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">due to her supposed “unhappiness”</a> about living in a nursing home. This despite testimony from the staff that she was often “content and friendly.”</span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.2px;">Doctors in the Netherlands and Belgium have also routinely euthanized patients with depression. Now, a law to “</span><a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-theatrical-rebuttal-to-the-farce-of-dignicide-1488586076" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #776d5a; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.2px; transition: 0.2s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">legalize euthanasia for perfectly healthy people</a><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.2px;"> who hold ‘a well-considered opinion that their life is complete’” is being considered in the Netherlands.</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the US, Washington, DC and five states—California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington—euthanasia is legal. Should we be concerned?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.elon.edu/e-web/pendulum/Issues/2005/11_10/opinions/euthanasia.xhtml" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #776d5a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.2s ease-in-out; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">Advocates tell us</a> euthanasia allows a patient to “skip the suffering and die with dignity.” Based on this, euthanasia advocates advocates suggest that until we walk in the shoes of someone who wants assistance in dying, who are we to deny them "death with dignity"? The idea that an individual has an “inalienable right” to use their body as they see fit has some appeal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Liz Carr is the creator of the hit British anti-euthanasia play <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Assisted Suicide: The Musical</i>. Carr grew up with and still suffers from severe disabilities. In her youth she visited some emotional “dark places” where she saw no hope. Born in 1972, Carr feels lucky that euthanasia was not yet on the cultural radar. It is her belief that the movement can encourage disabled individuals to believe their life “isn’t worth living.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Wall Street Journal, </i>Sohrab Ahmari conducted a <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-theatrical-rebuttal-to-the-farce-of-dignicide-1488586076" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #776d5a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.2s ease-in-out; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">compelling interview</a> with Carr who argues we “don’t know what assisted suicide means or what the consequences are.” We just clap along to a mindless mantra “the right to die, the right to die.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Why shouldn’t we exercise "self-determination" and choose how and when we die?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ahmari cautions, “The death-with-dignity case is often based not on the lived experience of people with disabilities, but on the subjective judgments of others.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Legalizing euthanasia doesn’t empower you,” argues Carr. “<i style="box-sizing: border-box;">It empowers doctors</i>.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ahmari adds, “In the context of the modern welfare state, that means empowering agents of the government.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Carr feels strongly that giving the state power to decide is to invite pressure on the disabled with seemingly well-meaning words, such as “I understand you, and I support your right to go.” Carr’s point is crucial, since it is a rare individual who is not responsive to the social environment in which they are immersed. </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 221, 158); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; color: #9db84e; float: left; margin-right: 1em; padding: 5px; position: relative;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOXKfAzVKP7E2GE_s0jLJDdCxW93n9H8s4GihO9PYBeTIS1mTYRjrGz0jzd0kdch3g24O3d_ngqorKhuceXKZXv19EmU3z57yB2Sj1_bV2g9fKfhM77WdLGOKqAodRLTVSQEHVbVb6T0/s1600/Photo+bbrownstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #3d85c6; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOXKfAzVKP7E2GE_s0jLJDdCxW93n9H8s4GihO9PYBeTIS1mTYRjrGz0jzd0kdch3g24O3d_ngqorKhuceXKZXv19EmU3z57yB2Sj1_bV2g9fKfhM77WdLGOKqAodRLTVSQEHVbVb6T0/s200/Photo+bbrownstein.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/users/barry-brownstein" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Barry Brownstein</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="rtejustify" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2a2a2a; margin-bottom: 1.29412em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you believe Carr’s concerns about empowering doctors to end your life is overblown, consider Nazi Germany. <a href="https://www.ushmm.org/learn/students/learning-materials-and-resources/mentally-and-physically-handicapped-victims-of-the-nazi-era/euthanasia-killings" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #776d5a; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.2s ease-in-out; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank">In Nazi Germany, physicians</a> were the most “highly Nazified professional group in Germany” and had no problem carrying out all aspects of the Nazi extermination program against the disabled and mentally ill. Of course, Hitler’s extermination program against the disabled was couched in socially acceptable terms. The murders were “mercy deaths” provided to “patients considered incurable according to the best available human judgment of their state of health.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Carr believes the word “dignity” has been hijacked by those arguing for “death with dignity.” What is the source of dignity? She asserts, “Your state of health, mental or physical, has no bearing on your dignity.” Many of us who know individuals who are ill or disabled and live rich lives with dignity. All of us know from our own lesser challenges that our mental or physical health does not have to determine our dignity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We are a long way from Nazi Germany, but if “dignity derives from good health and ability” then are we not sliding down a slippery slope where doctors, as agents of the state, can discard the “weak and vulnerable”?</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-88216751152230373242017-03-22T14:15:00.000-06:002017-09-24T13:40:38.559-06:00Montana lawmaker revives bill to prohibit physician-assisted suicide<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjly123HUWA97CGTg0Y4kMluZyf4s67JKP10T_MF3FoAAkycc9J7ruBMraROJDtMMprhyphenhyphen2S2d7eICfQi1Et3YvtRrbn6sZm9RbyTRk4GeyB2bojpCdSHvZSAcZytr_D625KVrtn1FlRikNH/s1600/Photo+Senator+Olszewski.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjly123HUWA97CGTg0Y4kMluZyf4s67JKP10T_MF3FoAAkycc9J7ruBMraROJDtMMprhyphenhyphen2S2d7eICfQi1Et3YvtRrbn6sZm9RbyTRk4GeyB2bojpCdSHvZSAcZytr_D625KVrtn1FlRikNH/s200/Photo+Senator+Olszewski.jpg" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Senator Olszewski</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/montana-legislature/montana-lawmaker-revives-bill-to-ban-doctor-assisted-suicide/article_6c0d6cda-0f0e-5bc7-8b05-86a4abcebbeb.html?platform=hootsuit">http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/montana-legislature/montana-lawmaker-revives-bill-to-ban-doctor-assisted-suicide/article_6c0d6cda-0f0e-5bc7-8b05-86a4abcebbeb.html?platform=hootsuit</a>e<br />
<br />
BOBBY CAINA CALVAN Associated Press Mar 22, 2017<br />
<br />
HELENA
– A Montana lawmaker has revived an attempt to outlaw
physician-assisted suicides, this time with a twist: There's no mention
of physicians or suicides.<br />
<br />
But Republican Sen. Albert
Olszewski, an orthopedic surgeon from Kalispell, acknowledged that the
bill he introduced this week is a replacement measure for one that died
in the House in a 50-50 vote. The measure needed at least half of all
votes cast to advance.<br />
<br />
"It died because one person
mistakenly pushed the wrong button on the House floor," Olszewski said.
"If that's true, then we'll give her an opportunity to redeem herself."<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
He
was referring to Republican Rep. Peggy Webb of Billings, who had
earlier voted in favor of the initial bill but accidentally, she said,
cast "no" on the final vote.<br />
<br />
The proposal is scheduled for a hearing Friday before the Senate Judiciary Committee.<br />
<br />
Olszewski's
bill would insert an additional definition of "deliberate homicide" in
the state code. The bill seeks to rule out consent from a victim as a
legal defense.<br />
<br />
The earlier measure was explicitly directed at doctors. They could have faced homicide charges if they helped a patient die.<br />
<br />
A 2009 state Supreme Court decision shielded doctors from prosecution if they help terminally ill patients die.<br />
<br />
While
opponents of physician-assisted suicide argue that the court's ruling
did not give blanket immunity to doctors, they are pushing a revision to
state law to remove any ambiguity.<br />
<br />
"We hear so much
about freedom issues around here, but so much for freedom," said Sen.
Diane Sands of Missoula, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary
Committee. "So a person at the end of their life suffering from
debilitating pain is being prevented from ending their life."<br />
<br />
Olszewski
introduced the bill as a revenue measure to meet Legislative rules that
prohibit non-revenue bills from being introduced in the second half of
the session. Anyone convicted of a "mitigated deliberate homicide" could
face up to 40 years in prison and be fined as much as $50,000.<br />
<br />
A more serious non-mitigated charge could lead to life imprisonment.<br />
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<header class="asset-header" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><h1 itemprop="headline" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: Hind, sans-serif; font-size: 50px; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 100px 0px 0px;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-63466193103306862132017-02-25T14:17:00.000-07:002017-09-23T15:35:44.932-06:00Resolution Addresses "Mistaken Assumption That Suicide Is a Rational Response to Disability"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Y2V05xTgYE_Z8RFBI7uSUR7jkm3fdvamAWFZVr4Rs_l6LVharem22D3O3Zp0W73378ycjQZ9q9S1t0eQSjvo2loZ2QqsfA84VkI02L-w2-yAS0c7ukYq1sb8XaTnL9t6Tja7yDAKEkVa/s1600/Photo+Brad+T+Cropped+.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Y2V05xTgYE_Z8RFBI7uSUR7jkm3fdvamAWFZVr4Rs_l6LVharem22D3O3Zp0W73378ycjQZ9q9S1t0eQSjvo2loZ2QqsfA84VkI02L-w2-yAS0c7ukYq1sb8XaTnL9t6Tja7yDAKEkVa/s200/Photo+Brad+T+Cropped+.jpg" width="167" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Representative Brad Tschida</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Representative
Brad Tschida has introduced Joint House Resolution No. 14 to include
people with chronic health conditions in Montana's Strategic Suicide
Prevention Plan for 2017. A key paragraph notes: </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Until
recently, the Montana Strategic Suicide Prevention Plan was considering
assisted suicide of the terminally ill as a separate issue from suicide
prevention. The active disability community in Montana, however, has
been vocal on the need for suicide prevention services for individuals
with disabilities. . . . . Individuals with disabilities have a right to
responsive suicide prevention services. </span></blockquote>
There is a specific recommendation to "address . . . the mistaken assumption that suicide is a rational response to disability."<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Please see the full text below.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
WHEREAS, the rights of individuals with chronic health conditions and
disabilities should be taken into consideration in Montana's Strategic
Suicide Prevention Plan of 2017.<br />
<br />
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:<br />
<br />
That
the Department of Public Health and Human Services be urged to include
the following language in Montana's Strategic Suicide Prevention Plan of
2017:<br />
<br />
"Living with chronic or terminal physical
conditions can place significant stress on individuals and families. As
with all challenges, individual responses will vary. Cancer,
degenerative diseases of the nervous system, traumatic injuries of the
central nervous system, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, chronic kidney disease,
arthritis, and asthma are known to elevate the risk of mental illness,
particularly depression and anxiety disorders. In these situations,
integrated medical and behavioral approaches are critical for regularly
assessing suicidality.<br />
<br />
Disability-specific risk
factors include encountering a new disability or a change in an existing
disability, difficulties navigating social and financial services,
stress of chronic stigma and discrimination, loss or threat of loss of
independent living, and institutionalization or hospitalization.<br />
<br />
Until
recently, the Montana Strategic Suicide Prevention Plan was considering
assisted suicide of the terminally ill as a separate issue from suicide
prevention. The active disability community in Montana, however, has
been vocal on the need for suicide prevention services for individuals
with disabilities. There may be unintended consequences of assisted
suicide legislation on individuals with disabilities. Individuals with
disabilities have a right to responsive suicide prevention services. The
Montana Strategic Suicide Prevention Plan intends to continue to
explore the needs of the disability community for these services."<br />
<br />
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Montana Strategic Suicide Prevention Plan of 2017 address recommendations for:<br />
<br />
(1) developing greater scrutiny of someone's intention to die;<br />
(2) identifying and training practitioners to develop expertise in working with disabled individuals who are suicidal;<br />
(3) addressing the mistaken assumption that suicide is a rational response to disability;<br />
(4) treating mental health conditions of disabled individuals as
aggressively as mental health conditions of individuals without
disabilities; and<br />
(5) encouraging and increasing participation from the disability community and encouraging educational presentations.<br />
<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-14997289336312993792015-05-07T19:55:00.000-06:002017-09-22T13:13:59.660-06:00SB is 202 Dead.<div>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">On February 11, 2015, SB 202, seeking to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia, was tabled in committee. With the close of the legislature, the bill is now dead.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Under the bill, young adults with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, would have been "eligible" for assisted suicide and euthanasia. </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">The bill, if passed, would have created the following problems:</span></span></div>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<ul style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The encouragement of people with years to live to throw away their lives. </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The creation of new paths of elder abuse, especially for people with money (in the inheritance context).</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The empowerment of health care systems to steer patients to suicide, which is documented in Oregon, one of the few states where assisted suicide is legal. </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An increase in other "conventional" suicides, including violent suicides by firearms, which is the case in Oregon. </span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"></ul>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To view documentation regarding these problems, and other problems with legalization, please click <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/sb-202-testimony-02-10-15.pdf" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a> for the text; click <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/sb-202-testimony-attachments-02-10-15.pdf" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a> for the attachments</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you to everyone for your help to make the defeat of SB 202 possible.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-31622095559253728372015-04-10T17:56:00.002-06:002017-09-24T13:05:35.346-06:00SB 202 Presumed Dead<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;">
</h3>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">On February 11, 2015, SB 202, seeking to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia, was tabled in committee. The bill is now presumed dead.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Under the bill, young adults with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, would have been "eligible" for assisted suicide and euthanasia. </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">The bill, if passed, would have created the following problems:</span></span></div>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<ul style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The encouragement of people with decades to live to throw away their lives. </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The creation of new paths of elder abuse, especially for people with money (in the inheritance context).</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The empowerment of health care systems to steer patients to suicide, which is well documented in Oregon, one of the few states where assisted suicide is legal. </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An increase in other "conventional" suicides, including violent suicides by firearms, which is the case in Oregon. </span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"></ul>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To view documentation regarding these problems, and other problems with legalization, please click <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/sb-202-testimony-02-10-15.pdf" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a> for the text; click <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/sb-202-testimony-attachments-02-10-15.pdf" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a> for the attachments</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you to everyone for your help to make the defeat of SB 202 possible.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-42689010961861705842015-03-30T12:00:00.003-06:002015-03-30T12:00:39.576-06:00Tell Your Legislators to Vote "Yes" on HB 477!HB 477 will reverse <em>Baxter</em> and send a clear message that medical killings are prohibited and against public policy. Individuals will be protected from the medical establishment, individual doctors and family members with something to gain.<br />
<br />
<strong>A. Involuntary Medical Killings.</strong><br />
<br />
Throughout the US, there are increasing reports of involuntary medical killings.[1] Consider a 2012 case against Kaiser Healthcare. Doctors killed the patient, a wealthy older man, through a “terminal extubation.” His daughters had allegedly urged this result in order to obtain large inheritances.[2] In Montana, examples include Dr. James Mungas, who was killed under the guise of hospice/palliative care. His widow, Carol Mungas, states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is traumatic, still, to realize his last communications were attempts to get help.[3]</span></blockquote>
<b>B. Likely Problems</b><br />
<br />
<i>Baxter </i>has created confusion in the law and has emboldened some doctors and family members to publicly admit participation in assisted suicides. If HB 477 is not enacted, this situation will likely lead to defacto legality and the following problems:<br />
<br />
<b> 1. New paths of elder abuse, especially for people with money.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Legal assisted suicide creates new paths of elder abuse. Consider, for example, the <a href="http://www.montanansagainstassistedsuicide.org/2013/03/physician-assisted-suicide-part-of.html" target="_blank">Thomas Middleton case</a>, where legal physician-assisted suicide in Oregon was part of a financial elder abuse fraud.<br />
<br />
<b> 2. Steerage to suicide.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
It is well documented that Oregon's Medicaid program steers patients to suicide (suicide is covered in lieu of treatments for cure or to extend life). Private health plans and providers have this same ability. To learn more, see <a href="https://maasdocuments.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/dr-stevens-affidavit_001.pdf" target="_blank">this affidavit</a> by Oregon doctor, Kenneth Stevens, MD.<br />
<br />
<b> <span style="font-family: inherit;"> 3. </span></b><b>Pressure on patients. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
See this <a href="http://www.montanansagainstassistedsuicide.org/2013/03/he-made-mistake-of-asking-for.html" target="_blank">letter</a> by Marlene Deakins, RN, describing the pressure put on her brother after he merely asked a question about assisted suicide in Washington State. <br />
<br />
<b> 4. More conventional suicides, including violent suicides.</b><br />
<br />
In Oregon, conventional suicides, including violent suicides, have substantially increased with legalization of assisted suicide. This is consistent with a suicide contagion. The financial cost of these suicides is "enormous." For more information, <a href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/2014/03/the-high-financial-cost-of-regular.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b> 5. Pressure to expand to non-terminal people.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
In Washington state, there have been "trial balloon" proposals to expand its law to non-terminal people, including those who have simply fallen on hard times. See e.g., this <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 22px;"><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/jerry-large_001.pdf" target="_blank">column</a> in the <i>Seattle Times</i>, suggesting euthanasia for people without money for their old age.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><b>C. Contact Your Legislators.</b></span></span></div>
<br />
Contact your legislators and urge them to vote "YES" on HB 477.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;">* * *</span><br />
[1] Peter Whoriskey, "<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/storyline/wp/2014/08/21/as-more-hospices-enroll-patients-who-arent-dying-questions-about-lethal-doses-arise/?" target="_blank">As More Hospices Enroll Patients who Aren't Dying, Questions About Lethal Doses Arise</a>," <i>The Washington Post</i>, August 21, 2014.<strong> </strong><br />
[2] William Dotinga, “<a href="http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/02/06/43641.htm" target="_blank">Grim Complaint Against Kaiser Hospital</a>,” Feb. 6, 2012.<br />
[3] Carol Mungas, at <a href="http://www.montanansagainstassistedsuicide.org/2013/03/i-support-house-bill-505-which-clearly.html">http://www.montanansagainstassistedsuicide.org/2013/03/i-support-house-bill-505-which-clearly.html</a> Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-6207594856933234362015-03-17T08:56:00.000-06:002015-03-17T08:56:04.228-06:00HB 477 PASSES the HouseYesterday, HB 477, which overrules Montana's <i>Baxter </i>decision by clarifying that physician-assisted suicide is against public policy and prohibited, passed the House of Representatives.<br />
<br />
Many thanks to our sponsor, Representative Jerry Bennett, for making this happen.<br />
<br />
The next step is the Senate.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-7435453849474887362015-03-16T23:00:00.000-06:002017-09-24T13:56:31.470-06:00HB 477 Passes Third ReadingToday, HB 477, providing that physician-assisted suicide is against public policy, passed on third reading on the floor of the House of Representatives, with a tie vote, 51 to 48. The bill seeks to overturn Montana's <i>Baxter </i>decision, <a href="http://www.montanansagainstassistedsuicide.org/p/baxter-case-analysis.html" target="_blank">which gives doctors who assist a suicide a potential defense to a homicide charge</a>. <br />
<br />
Another bill, HB 328, which had also sought to overturn <i>Baxter</i>, failed 51 to 49. SB 202, which would have legalized physician-assisted suicide, is apparently dead in Committee.<br />
<br />
We thank everyone who helped us get this far, especially our sponsor, Representative Jerry Bennett, our volunteers and our financial contributors.<br />
<br />
[UPDATE: On April 28, 2015, HB 477 died in the Senate Judiciary Committee]<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-90462909288775267982015-03-13T14:19:00.000-06:002015-03-13T14:19:26.197-06:00Bill Clarifying that Assisted suicide is a Crime, Passes House<a href="http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/politics/2015/03/12/bill-makes-physician-assisted-suicide-crime/70228080">http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/politics/2015/03/12/bill-makes-physician-assisted-suicide-crime/70228080</a>/<br />
<br />
<span class="-newsgate-character-cci-dateline-">HELENA – </span>The
Montana House of Representatives endorsed a bill by one vote Thursday
that would make it illegal for doctors to prescribe life-ending
medication to terminally ill patients who ask for it.<br />
The House
endorsed the bill 51-49 on second reading. If it passes third reading,
the measure will head to the Senate for consideration.<br />
<br />
“We do talk
in this chamber about personal liberty, but with liberty comes with
responsibility,” bill sponsor Rep. Jerry Bennett, R-Libby, said.
“Suicide is a contagion. This creates a difficult situation for a state
that has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation.”<br />
<br />
<span class="-newsgate--ccix-command-147-1-0-18"></span>Republican Rep. Keith Regier of Kalispell added that House Bill 477 in his estimation is a suicide-prevention bill.<br />
<br />
Under
the measure, physician-assisted suicide would become a crime,
punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $50,000 fine, or both.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Before the vote, Rep. Virginia Court reminded lawmakers that they rejected a similar bill earlier this session.<br />
<br />
“It
is the choice for the terminally ill that is important,” the Billings
Democrat said. “They often relay that it gives them comfort and peace of
mind that as their illness advances that they are in control of their
final days. Give these folks the dignity to die in the manner of their
choosing.”<br />
<br />
The Legislature has struggled to clarify whether the
practice is specifically legal or illegal since the Montana Supreme
Court ruled in 2009 that nothing in state law prohibits physicians from
giving aid in dying. The high court also said at the time that doctors
could use a patient’s request for the medication as a defense against
any criminal charges.<br />
<br />
A competing bill aiming to prohibit the
prosecution of doctors who prescribe such medication and give doctors
guidelines in these situations has been tabled in the Senate Judiciary
Committee.<br />
Without formal laws guiding the procedure, no state
reporting on these deaths is required, and it is unknown how common the
practice is in Montana. A Missoula doctor said in a public hearing at
the Capitol in February that he has been involved in about 10 cases.<br />
<br />
Four states — Oregon, Washington, New Mexico and Vermont — currently allow patients access to aid in dying.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-73234759462389285722015-03-13T00:27:00.002-06:002015-03-13T00:27:32.468-06:00Montana one step closer to reversing Baxter.<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today, the Montana House of Representatives voted to pass <a href="http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2015/billhtml/HB0477.htm" target="_blank">HB 477</a>, which </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">clarifies that "physician-assisted suicide" is prohibited and against public policy in Montana. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">To view HB 477, please </span><a href="http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2015/billhtml/HB0477.htm" style="background-color: white; color: #2288bb; font-family: inherit; line-height: 23.9555549621582px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">click here</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 23.9555549621582px;">.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-49855570208295814072015-02-21T09:37:00.003-07:002015-02-21T09:37:47.794-07:00Vote Yes on HB 477!HB 477 clarifies that "physician-assisted suicide" is prohibited and against public policy in Montana.<br />
<br />
Technically, the term refers to the actions of a physician to facilitate suicide by providing a patient with the means and/or information to do so. In practice, other persons and institutions are involved, to steer patients to suicide for their own benefit. Such other persons can include family members interested in a quick inheritance.<br />
<br />
In Oregon, where physician-assisted suicide is legal, examples include the Thomas Middleton case in which physician-assisted suicide was part of an elder abuse fraud. See <a href="http://www.montanansagainstassistedsuicide.org/2013/03/physician-assisted-suicide-part-of.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
<br />
In Oregon, where physician-assisted suicide is legal, young adults with chronic conditions such as diabetes are "eligible." Such persons can have years, even decades, to live. Consider also, Jeanette Hall, who was adamant that she would be doing assisted suicide, but was convinced to be treated instead. Today, nearly 15 years later, she is "thrilled to be alive." See <a href="http://www.montanansagainstassistedsuicide.org/2013/04/if-kress-had-been-my-doctor-in-2000-i_27.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
In Oregon, that state's Medicaid Plan steers people to suicide through coverage incentives. For more information, see the affidavit of Kenneth Stevens, MD, <a href="https://maasdocuments.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/dr-stevens-affidavit_001.pdf" target="_blank">at this link</a>.<br />
<br />
In Oregon, other conventional "violent" suicides have increased significantly with the legalization of physician-assisted suicide. In Oregon, conventional suicides are a $41 million problem due to hospitalization costs, etc. See <a href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/2014/03/the-high-financial-cost-of-regular.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <span style="font-family: inherit;"> Legalization, regardless, sends the wrong message to young people that suicide is an acceptable solution to life's problems. Montana already has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Physician-assisted suicide is against public policy for the following reasons</span>:<br />
<ul>
<li>It encourages people with years to live to throw away their lives.</li>
<li>It creates new paths of elder abuse.</li>
<li>It empowers healthcare systems to steer people to suicide.</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Please tell the Montana Legislature to vote "YES" on HB 477.</span><br />
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<br />
To view HB 477, please <a href="http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2015/billhtml/HB0477.htm" target="_blank">click here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-55112100950984162572015-02-13T16:44:00.001-07:002015-02-13T16:44:35.927-07:00SB 202 Tabled in Committee!On February 11, 2012, SB 202, which would have legalized assisted suicide and euthanasia in Montana, was tabled in Committee.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-45300542555764618192015-02-09T16:01:00.000-07:002015-02-11T13:34:24.965-07:00Defeat SB 202!<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">The Montana Legislature is considering SB 202, which if passed, would legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia in Montana.</span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
Under the bill, young adults with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, would be "eligible" for assisted suicide/euthanasia. Such persons can live long healthy lives, for years, even decades. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
The bill, if passed, it will create the following problems:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
<ul style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">It will encourage people with years to live to throw away their lives. </li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">It will create new paths of elder abuse, especially in the inheritance context.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">It will empower health care systems to steer patients to suicide, which is well documented in Oregon where assisted suicide is legal. </li>
</ul>
If the bill is passed, and Montana follows the "Oregon experience," other conventional suicides will increase, which will create serious public welfare/financial issues in Montana (in Oregon, conventional suicides are a $41 million problem due to hospitalization costs, etc).<br />
<ul style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"></ul>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
To view documentation regarding these problems, and other problems with legalization, please click <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/sb-202-testimony-02-10-15.pdf" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a> for the text; click <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/sb-202-testimony-attachments-02-10-15.pdf" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a> for the attachments</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">
Please also tell the Montana Legislature to vote "NO" on SB 202.</div>
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<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-14332624026865855362014-11-18T15:34:00.001-07:002017-09-24T13:26:35.698-06:00Senator Shockley: Position Changed with Evidence<a href="http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/mailbag/position-changed-with-evidence/article%20406ec244-237a-5cca-b240-1f2b407b49f3.html">http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/mailbag/position-changed-with-evidence/article%20406ec244-237a-5cca-b240-1f2b407b49f3.html</a><br />
<br />
October 24, 2014 6:30 am<br />
<br />
I am a former legislator and a lawyer who at one
time favored permitting physician-assisted suicide, but changed my position
after looking at the evidence.<br />
<br />
William Clarke is wrong about the legality
of assisted suicide, and his definition of suicide, as described in his
letter of Oct. 15. Physician-assisted suicide is against the law in Montana
and killing oneself is suicide regardless of your health.<br />
<br />
The present law
is the <i>Baxter</i> case, which says that under certain circumstances a physician who
assisted someone to kill herself/himself has a defense to a charge of homicide.
It is a defense if the doctor is charged with homicide, that does not make it
legal. If the doctor is charged with homicide and can convince a jury of certain
facts, he or she will not be convicted. If the doctor fails to do so, he or she is convicted of a
felony. Of course, there is the civil liability of the doctor, which is not
addressed at all by Clarke.<br />
<br />
Legalizing physician-assisted suicide will
lead to elder abuse and other problems. The American Medical Association is against
physician-assisted suicide for the same reason I am. It will lead to abuse of
the elderly and others who are infirm, mentally or physically, but not really
“terminally ill.” As an example, the much-touted
Oregon law allows ordinary diabetes to be considered a terminally ill disease<br />
<br />
<i>Jim Shockley,<br /><br />Victor</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-15564995701392177662014-10-24T03:10:00.000-06:002014-10-24T03:10:22.551-06:00MAAS' Demand Letter to People Magazine: "The risk of suicide contagion is real. The potential victims include children."Dear Editor:<br />
<br />
People Magazine’s coverage of Brittany Maynard breaks all recommended media guidelines for responsible reporting of suicide. The risk of suicide contagion is real. The potential victims include children. <br />
<br />
It is well known that media reporting of suicide can encourage other suicides, sometimes called "copycat suicides," or more generally, a "suicide contagion." A famous example is Marilyn Monroe, whose suicide death led to a suicide spike.<br />
<br />
This encouragement phenomenon can also occur when the inspiring death is not a suicide. An example is the televised hanging of Saddam Hussein, which led to suicide deaths of children worldwide. An NBC News article begins: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The boys' deaths - scattered in the United States, in Yemen, in Turkey and elsewhere in seemingly isolated horror - had one thing in common: They hanged themselves after watching televised images of Saddam Hussein's execution.</blockquote>
<a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/id/16624940/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/copycat-hangings-follow-saddam-execution/#.VDr5AfldWS">http://www.nbcnews.com/id/16624940/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/copycat-hangings-follow-saddam-execution/#.VDr5AfldWS</a><br />
<br />
Your coverage of Brittany Maynard is, of course, exponentially more intense and of broader range than that of Marilyn Monroe or Saddam Hussein.<br />
<br />
As a major media organization, you are expected to be familiar with recommended guidelines for the responsible reporting of suicide. Important points include that the risk of additional suicides increases "when the story explicitly describes the suicide method, uses dramatic/graphic headlines or images, and repeated/extensive coverage." See <a href="http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention/recommendations-for-reporting-on-suicide.shtml">http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention/recommendations-for-reporting-on-suicide.shtml</a><br />
<br />
Your coverage of Brittany Maynard's upcoming death violates all of these guidelines. We are told of the planned method, when and where it will take place and who will be there. There is repeated extensive coverage in multiple media. Your website says that the story has gone "viral." <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, People Magazine, in grocery stores everywhere, with children in line, glorifies Ms. Maynard's upcoming death. Her photo is on the cover; she's beautiful and now she's one of your celebrities. In big white letters, there is this headline: "My Decision to Die." There are also these words, also in white, simple enough for a child to understand: "Why Brittany Maynard, 29, plans to end her life in less that three weeks." <br />
<br />
According to your publication, Ms. Maynard is going to kill herself, and if you don't do something to change this suicide promotion trajectory, so will many other people.<br />
<br />
Now you can write me back, and say, "Oh, but Ms. Maynard's not suicidal, it's different." <br />
<br />
Saddam Hussein wasn't suicidal and it wasn't different. Those boys died.<br />
<br />
My client, Montanans Against Assisted Suicide, hereby demands the following:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
1. That you immediately cease and desist your suicide promotion activity, which means removing all glorifying content from your website, grocery stores, wherever;<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> <br />
2. That you immediately add suicide prevention content to your publications, including where to call for help; and</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
3. That you in no shape or form promote Ms. Maynard's suicide if and when it occurs.</blockquote>
People Magazine celebrates the heroes among us. It's time for People Magazine to show its integrity by this time being the hero among us to stop the contagion.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
<br />
Margaret Dore,<br />
Attorney for Montanans Against Assisted Suicide (MAAS)<br />
<br />
Law Offices of Margaret K. Dore, P.S.<br />
<a href="http://www.margaretdore.com/">www.margaretdore.com</a><br />
1001 4th Avenue, 44th Floor<br />
Seattle, WA 98154<br />
206 389 1754 main reception<br />
206 389 1562 direct lineUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-75480848532976543972014-10-09T18:39:00.001-06:002023-12-25T15:08:00.553-07:00"This is how society will pay you back? With non-voluntary or involuntary euthanasia?"<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">
<b>Assisted suicide discussion veering into talk of terminating lives on non-terminal people</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/mailbag/assisted-suicide-discussion-veering-into-talk-of-terminating-lives-of/article_87332fc0-4fe8-11e4-94f5-632029a45aed.html" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/mailbag/assisted-suicide-discussion-veering-into-talk-of-terminating-lives-of/article_87332fc0-4fe8-11e4-94f5-632029a45aed.html</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am a lawyer in Washington State, where assisted suicide is legal. Our law was passed by a deceptive ballot measure spearheaded by Compassion & Choices. Voters were promised that only the patient would be allowed to administer the lethal dose, which is false. Our law does say that the patient may self-administer the lethal dose, but there is no language saying that administration must be by self-administration. For more information, please go here: </span><a href="https://www.kcba.org/newsevents/barbulletin/BView.aspx?Month=05&Year=2009&AID=article5.htm" style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;">https://www.kcba.org/newsevents/barbulletin/BView.aspx?Month=05&Year=2009&AID=article5.htm</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once assisted suicide is legal, there is pressure to expand. For example, here in Washington State, we have had “trial balloon” proposals to expand our law to non-terminal people. For me, the most disturbing one was a casual discussion in our largest paper suggesting euthanasia for people who didn’t save enough money for their old age. So, if you worked hard all your life, paid your taxes, and your pension plan went broke, this is how society will pay you back? With non-voluntary or involuntary euthanasia?</span></div>
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To view a copy of the newspaper column, please go here: <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/jerry-large_001.pdf" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/jerry-large_001.pdf</a>.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Protect yourselves and your families. Don’t let assisted suicide become legal in Montana.</span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Margaret Dore, president,</em><br /><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Choice is an Illusion</a>,</em><br /><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Seattle, Washington</em></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-29745469832773928212014-10-09T15:15:00.000-06:002017-09-30T15:17:37.971-06:00This is how society will pay you back? With non-voluntary or involuntary euthanasia?<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/mailbag/assisted-suicide-discussion-veering-into-talk-of-terminating-lives-of/article_87332fc0-4fe8-11e4-94f5-632029a45aed.html">Assisted suicide discussion veering into talk of terminating lives of non-terminal people</a></div>
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<a href="http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/mailbag/assisted-suicide-discussion-veering-into-talk-of-terminating-lives-of/article_87332fc0-4fe8-11e4-94f5-632029a45aed.html">http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/mailbag/assisted-suicide-discussion-veering-into-talk-of-terminating-lives-of/article_87332fc0-4fe8-11e4-94f5-632029a45aed.html</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am a lawyer in Washington State, where assisted suicide is legal. Our law was passed by a deceptive ballot measure spearheaded by Compassion & Choices. Voters were promised that only the patient would be allowed to administer the lethal dose, which is false. Our law does say that the patient may self-administer the lethal dose, but there is no language saying that administration must be by self-administration. For more information, please go here: </span><a href="https://www.kcba.org/newsevents/barbulletin/BView.aspx?Month=05&Year=2009&AID=article5.htm" style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.kcba.org/newsevents/barbulletin/BView.aspx?Month=05&Year=2009&AID=article5.htm</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once assisted suicide is legal, there is pressure to expand. For example, here in Washington State, we have had “trial balloon” proposals to expand our law to non-terminal people. For me, the most disturbing one was a casual discussion in our largest paper suggesting euthanasia for people who didn’t save enough money for their old age. So, if you worked hard all your life, paid your taxes, and your pension plan went broke, this is how society will pay you back? With non-voluntary or involuntary euthanasia?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">
To view a copy of the newspaper column, please go here: <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/jerry-large_001.pdf">https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/jerry-large_001.pdf</a>.</div>
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I never heard anyone talk like this before our assisted suicide law was passed.</div>
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Protect yourselves and your families. Don’t let assisted suicide become legal in Montana.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">
<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Margaret Dore, president,</em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/" target="_blank">Choice is an Illusion</a>, </em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Seattle, Washington</em></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6739074684863694545.post-83818328287918701812014-10-06T16:55:00.000-06:002014-10-06T16:55:39.240-06:00Assisters Can Have Their Own Agenda<a href="http://ravallirepublic.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_d9ec8917-b025-5aad-97dd-0520559fde00.html">http://ravallirepublic.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_d9ec8917-b025-5aad-97dd-0520559fde00.html</a><br />
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<b>Greed, personal motives can influence 'choice' to commit assisted suicide . . .</b><br />
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A Roundup man was recently charged with “aiding or soliciting suicide” of a 16-year-old girl here in Montana. His apparent motive was to prevent her testimony against him in another matter, i.e., by getting her to kill herself. According to an Associate Press article, he coerced her to actually take steps towards that goal, which fortunately did not result in her death. See <a href="http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/convicted-rapist-charged-with-aiding-or-soliciting-suicide-of-victim/article_65c2f39c-ae01-5104-a279-da45b352ef42.html" target="_blank"> http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/convicted-rapist-charged-with-aiding-or-soliciting-suicide-of-victim/article_65c2f39c-ae01-5104-a279-da45b352ef42.html</a><br />
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Similarly, in Minnesota, a former nurse was recently convicted of assisting a young man to kill himself. Both the nurse and the Roundup man had used webcams to communicate with their victims. The nurse’s reported motive was the “thrill of the chase.” See <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/suicideobsessed-us-nurse-convicted-of-helping-coventry-man-kill-himself-9722534.html">http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/suicideobsessed-us-nurse-convicted-of-helping-coventry-man-kill-himself-9722534.html</a>.<br />
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These stories illustrates a fundamental problem with legalizing assisted suicide. The assisting person can have his or her own agenda to encourage a person to kill themselves. The “choice” will not necessarily be that of the victim/patient.<br />
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In my practice, where I have a high percentage of older patients, I have witnessed greed by family members over inheritances, including vicious battles over the death bed. This same motive of greed could lead to a coerced suicide, especially if assisted suicide were legalized in our state.<br />
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Let’s keep legal assisted suicide out of Montana.<br />
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<em>Annie Bukacek,</em><br />
<em>Kalispell</em></div>
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