Slippery Slope of Assisted Suicide
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/opinion/editorials/article_25f14270-9373-11e2-9930-001a4bcf887a.html?mode=print
Montanans have a libertarian leaning towards a live-and-let-live philosophy, but what about live-and-let-die?
Physician-assisted suicide continues to be the subject of
legislation in Helena, and so far lawmakers have justifiably advanced
legislation that would ban the practice and make it clear that “consent
of the victim” is not a valid defense for a physician who assists a
person with suicide.
One’s initial reaction might be to wonder why the
Legislature is putting itself in a position of interfering with the
autonomy of a person to choose their own demise with medical assistance.
Advocates of physician-assisted suicide, after all, can and do bring
heart-wrenching testimonials about people with horrible diseases simply
wanting help in ending their lives.
But there are also plenty of reasons why more than
100 legislative proposals nationwide to allow physician-assisted suicide
have been rejected, and why 112 Montana doctors support the bill that
would ban it. Many of those reasons come from the experience of Oregon
and Washington, states that passed ballot initiatives to allow
physician-assisted suicide.
In those states, suicides usually aren’t actually
“assisted” by physicians; doctors instead provide lethal prescriptions
at the request of individuals who are mostly left on their own.
There is the story of an Oregon woman who had cancer
and chose suicide 12 years ago, only to be talked out of it by her
doctor. Now she is alive and well because she pursued treatment instead,
and thankful that she did.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Legal Assisted Suicide Puts the Government in Your Life
With the legalization of physician-assisted suicide, the Oregon State Government received a new right, which it exercises: The right to steer citizens to suicide with treatment and/or financial incentives. Oregon doctor, Ken Stevens, describes this right in detail below.*
In Montana, where physician-assisted suicide is not legal, the government does not have that right. The law in Montana is, however, in a confused state, which has opened the door to possible legalization.
To prevent that from happening, tell your legislators to vote "Yes" on HB 505!
_____
* Dr. Stevens states:
In Montana, where physician-assisted suicide is not legal, the government does not have that right. The law in Montana is, however, in a confused state, which has opened the door to possible legalization.
To prevent that from happening, tell your legislators to vote "Yes" on HB 505!
_____
* Dr. Stevens states:
Labels:
HB 505,
Ken Stevens MD,
Oregon,
steerage
A Response to Representative Moore
Re: Vote "Yes" on HB 505, A Response to David "Doc" Moore
Dear Senate Judiciary Committee:
I was moved by the recent letter in the Montana Standard by David "Doc" Moore who lost his wife to cancer eleven years ago. He says that when she "finally slipped into a coma, we thought that there would be relief." But, instead, "it was clear from her facial expressions and the constant death rattle that she was still suffering."
In 2009, my mother died a similar painful death. But it wasn't from her condition or a disease. You see, my mother was starved and dehydrated to death with massive doses of morphine after she'd had a mild stroke. It had not mattered that she had been trying to speak and had indicated that she wanted water. The family member holding power of attorney, affirmed by a young doctor, had decided that it was time for her to die.
Dear Senate Judiciary Committee:
I was moved by the recent letter in the Montana Standard by David "Doc" Moore who lost his wife to cancer eleven years ago. He says that when she "finally slipped into a coma, we thought that there would be relief." But, instead, "it was clear from her facial expressions and the constant death rattle that she was still suffering."
In 2009, my mother died a similar painful death. But it wasn't from her condition or a disease. You see, my mother was starved and dehydrated to death with massive doses of morphine after she'd had a mild stroke. It had not mattered that she had been trying to speak and had indicated that she wanted water. The family member holding power of attorney, affirmed by a young doctor, had decided that it was time for her to die.
Labels:
HB 505,
Kate Kelly
Daily Interlake Urges Passage of HB 505
Slippery Slope of Assisted Suicide
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/opinion/editorials/article_25f14270-9373-11e2-9930-001a4bcf887a.html?mode=print
Montanans have a libertarian leaning towards a live-and-let-live philosophy, but what about live-and-let-die?
Physician-assisted suicide continues to be the subject of legislation in Helena, and so far lawmakers have justifiably advanced legislation that would ban the practice and make it clear that “consent of the victim” is not a valid defense for a physician who assists a person with suicide.
One’s initial reaction might be to wonder why the Legislature is putting itself in a position of interfering with the autonomy of a person to choose their own demise with medical assistance. Advocates of physician-assisted suicide, after all, can and do bring heart-wrenching testimonials about people with horrible diseases simply wanting help in ending their lives.
But there are also plenty of reasons why more than 100 legislative proposals nationwide to allow physician-assisted suicide have been rejected, and why 112 Montana doctors support the bill that would ban it. Many of those reasons come from the experience of Oregon and Washington, states that passed ballot initiatives to allow physician-assisted suicide.
Labels:
HB 505
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