Having "waded through" the long post on "Euthanasia and PD" I was not too
surprised that the source was someone in the "pro-life" movement. The old
familiar "slippery slope " argument is one that is often used in this and other
cases, as well as "guilt by association"(right-to-die people are Nazis).
John Morey speaks our mind in his insistence that noone else should make
this sort of decision for us--there are some people for whom "quality oflife"
is a matter of real importance
and we would hope that some carefully safeguarded means of letting
such folks determine when that quality is irretrievably lost can be worked out.
I know PWPs who agonize over their fear that they may reach a point of no
return and be _unable_ to practice "self deliverance"--their only choice
would be a life they consider unacceptable or putting a loved one in legal
jeopardy by asking them for"assistance in dying". This is something that is
rarely discussed but often contemplated, believe me. Surely the least we can
do is to respect the conscientious beliefs of others who may differ from us--
doctor-assisted suicide, or whatever name you use, is an_option_and never a
requirement for anyone(and it has been practiced unofficially in many cases
for generations.)
I hope no one will take offense at this expression of our personal opinions,
which are in no way binding on anyone else!
Peter and Camilla Flintermann, PWP(78/7) and CG, Ohio
