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Dr. Mark Mostert: A Swedish Poster Person for Euthanasia
Disability Matters ^ | 3/18/10 | Dr. Mark Mostert

Posted on 03/18/2010 4:46:03 PM PDT by wagglebee

Those of us who can clearly see the slippery slope from human exceptionalism and the nurturing of life to assisted suicide and euthanasia on demand for any reason are often taken to task for being alarmist and illogical.

Don’t believe that for a minute.

As I have often written, the Netherlands pretty much led the way down the slippery slope beginning in the late 80s. Since then, we’ve seen assisted suicide legalized in several European countries and three US states.

I think it’s fair to say that the UK will likely follow sooner or later. In the UK, the poster person for the right to assisted suicide was Debbie Purdy, a woman with MS who has campaigned for several years to have her partner help her commit suicide without any legal penalty. Purdy’s persistence eventually resulted in an official clarification of UK penalties for those who aid and abet suicide. The clarification is quite vague, ambiguous, and potentially opens the door to all kinds of abuse.

Now Sweden’s own version of Purdy is asking that she be euthanized, and in her case, it will be euthanasia, because she is completely paralyzed and therefore cannot physically be assisted to kill herself by taking lethal meds, as is the case for assisted suicide.

From Sweden’s Radio International:

Swedish Woman Demands Euthanasia

A letter to the Swedish Social welfare board has rekindled the debate here on mercy killing – or euthanasia – at present banned by Swedish law.

The letter has come from a 31-year-old woman who has been tied to a respirator since the age of 6 – growing constantly worse from a neurological disease from birth.

Unable to take a single breath on her own or to move, she is asking to be put to sleep and that the machine be shut off so that she can end her life in what describes as in dignity.

She wants this to be done now – while she still has full mental capacities and before she gets worse.

Her Swedish doctor insists that her request must be respected – otherwise this is forced treatment against her will, and he is asking the association of doctors for a ruling.

The head of the association’s ethical committee says he agrees, that the social welfare authorities have in general agreed with the committee’s line, but now has make a clear decision lifting the ban on euthanasia to make it easier for the patient and the doctors to make their decisions.

Earlier Swedish headlines have been captured by some Swedish terminal patients travelling to euthanasia clinics in Switzerland and elsewhere – to get the help they are denied here in Sweden.

I predict months of handwringing, the pro-deathers loudly commandeering the media for their nihilistic propaganda, and the beatifying of this woman with significant medical disabilities.

I further predict that sooner rather than latter the Swedish legal system will be cowed into going along with euthanasia.

And along the way, trust me, we’ll be told repeatedly what a good, compassionate, and loving idea this is.



TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Society
KEYWORDS: euthanasia; moralabsolutes; prolife
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To: BykrBayb

Dr. Mostert is one of the leading experts on disabled people in the world:
http://www.regent.edu/acad/schedu/faculty_staff/mostert.cfm


21 posted on 03/18/2010 5:39:46 PM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: wagglebee

Did you mean “retzach”?


22 posted on 03/18/2010 5:46:48 PM PDT by Psycho_Bunny
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To: little jeremiah; Psycho_Bunny; Sopater
what’s wrong with being “holy” or rather, standing up for morality?

That reminds me of the Days of Praise entry we had on Tuesday. I was hoping not to have to type it out from my booklet, so I searched, and discovered Free Republic has a thread about it. Thank you Sopater.


DAYS OF PRAISE ~ Tuesday, March 16, 2010

23 posted on 03/18/2010 5:47:09 PM PDT by BykrBayb (Somewhere, my flower is there. ~ Þ)
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To: wagglebee

This is from a 2007 contact list of congressional aides. Some might not be there any longer, but worth a try. The ones on the one post are senate aides, a few have bounced back, it’s worth the effort to clog up their email system along with the phones, and 1/3rd of these senators are up for re-election.

Mail must be inspected for anthrax.

Contact congressional aides.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1857768/posts
U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121
U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121
White House comments: (202) 456-1111
Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep
Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Toll free to the US Senate:
1-800-882-2005. (Spanish number)
1-800-417-7666. (English number)
Courtesy of a pro-amnesty group, no less!!

Defeat Obamacare call list: List now contains the new MAYBES culled from FR posts. Be sure to call KNOWN RINOS too.THEY ARE ANSWERING THEIR LOCAL NUMBERS

Here is one of the ones Rush gave out on the radio that I’m calling. So far it’s been busy but I’m going to burn it up till I get to tell my congress critter to vote NO!
Join me?..... 1-877-762-8762

Good idea from the bloggers at Hillbuzz:

http://hillbuzz.org/2010/03/17/action-items-march-17th-2010/
They offer specifics and links on how to put pressure on Dem DONORS, who have private numbers for legislators who may have taken their phones off the hook.

Congress may not want to hear from us, but they’ll listen to the money men.

KEEP THE CALLS UP! DC OFFICE LOCAL OFFICE

CODE RED Contact list http://www.nrcc.org/CodeRed/targets/
Remember they are all being offered BRIBES for their votes. Ask them how much their bribe price is.
The National Republican Congressional Committee has published a target list on health care. In addition to continuing to contact the five Tennessee Democrat Congressmen, you can go http://www.votervoice.net/link/clickthrough/ext/94697.aspx to contact some of these targets. Much of the talk following Obama’s announcement has focused on how to defeat this second bill through reconciliation, but that is misleading because the first step to defeating Obamacare is not by concentrating on defeating the “fixer” bill but by defeating the Senate bill in the House when it goes to the floor for an up-or-down vote on Thursday, March 18th.

RUSH says to pressure these 2

Charles Wilson, Ohio Toll Free Number 888-706-1833 DC (202) 225-5705 fx: (202) 225-5907, Bridgeport, (740) 633-5705 fx: (740) 633-5727, Canfield, (330) 533-7250 fx: (330) 533-7136 Marietta, : (740) 376-0868 fx: (740) 376-0886 Ironton, (740) 533-9423 fx: (740) 533-9359 Wellsville, 330) 532-3740
Joe Cao DC (202) 225-6636 Fax: (202) 225-1988, NO (504) 483-2325 Fax: (504) 483-7944

New FLIPPERS
Dennis Kucinish, Lakewood 216)228-8850, Fax (216)228-6465,
Parma. 440)845-2707, Fax (440)845-2743, DC (202)225-5871
Dennis Cardoza DC (202) 225-6131, Fax: 225-0819, 800-356-6424, Merced, (209) 383-4455 Fax: 726-1065 Modesto 209) 527-1914 Fax: 527-5748 Modesto, (209) 527-1914
Fax: 527-5748
Jim Costa Fresno 559-495-1620, Fax:559-495-1027, Bakersfeld, 661-869-1620 Fax: 661-869-1027 DC Phone:202-225-3341 Fax: 202-225-9308
Fax (202)225-5745
James Oberstar (202) 225-6211, Duluth (218) 727-7474, Chisholm (218) 254-5761, Brainerd (218) 828-4400, North Branch, (651) 277-1234
Gabrielle Giffords (202) 225-2542 (520) 881-3588 AZ 8th District
John Boccieri (D), Ohio Voted Yes on Stupak, NO on Health Care.Contact info - DC office (202) 225-3876 - Fax - (202) 225-3059 (330) 489-4414, Local Fax - (330) 489-4448

Rep. Lincoln Davis 202-225-6831 Columbia office: 931-490-8699
Rep. Jim Cooper 202-225-4311 Nashville office: 615-736-5295
Rep. Bart Gordon 202-225-4231 Murfreesboro office: 615-896-1986
John Tanner (202) 225-4714, Union City, (731) 885-7070, Jackson Phone: (731) 423-4848, Millington (901) 873-5690 TN (MAYBE)
Rep. Steve Cohen 202-225-3265 Memphis office: 901-544-4131
Harry Mitchell (202) 225-2190 (480) 946-2411 AZ 5th District
Ann Kirkpatrick (202) 225-2315 (928) 226-6914 AZ 1st District
Jerry McNerney (202) 225-1947 925-833-0643 CA 11th District
John Salazar 202-225-4761 970-245-7107 CO 3rd District
Jim Himes (202) 225-5541 (866) 453-0028 CT 4th District
Alan Grayson (202) 225-2176 (407) 841-1757 FL 8th District
Bill Foster (202) 225-2976 630-406-1114 IL 14th District
Baron Hill 202 225 5315 812 288 3999 IN 9th District
Mark Schauer (202) 225-6276 (517) 780-9075 MI 7th District
Gary Peters (202) 225-5802 (248) 273-4227 MI 9th District
Dina Titus (202) 225-3252 702-256-DINA (3462) NV 3rd District
Carol Shea-Porter (202) 225-5456 (603) 743-4813 NH 1st District
Tim Bishop (202) 225-3826 (631) 696-6500 NY 1st District
John Hall (202) 225-5441 (845) 225-3641 x49371 NY 19th District
Bill Owens (202) 225-4611 (315) 782-3150 NY 23rd District
James Matheson Toll-Free Number 1 (877) 677-9743 (202) 225-3011Mike Arcuri (202)225-3665 (315)793-8146 NY 24th District
Dan Maffei (202) 225-3701 (315) 423-5657 NY 25th District
Earl Pomeroy (202) 225-2611 (701) 224-0355 ND At-Large District
Steven Driehaus (202) 225-2216 (513) 684-2723 OH 1st District
Mary Jo Kilroy (202) 225-2015 (614) 294-2196 OH 15th District
Zach Space (202) 225-6265 (330) 364-4300 OH 18th District
Kathy Dahlkemper (202) 225-5406 (814) 456-2038 PA 3rd District
Patrick Murphy (202) 225-4276 (215) 826-1963 PA 8th District
Christopher Carney (202) 225-3731 (570) 585-9988 PA 10th District
Paul Kanjorski (202) 225-6511 (570) 825-2200 PA 11th District
John Spratt (202) 225-5501 (803)327-1114 SC 5th District
Tom Perriello (202) 225-4711 (276) 656-2291 VA 5th District
Alan Mollohan (202) 225-4172 (304) 623-4422 WVA 1st District
Nick Rahall (202) 225-3452 (304) 252-5000 WVA 3rd District
Steve Kagen (202) 225-5665 (920) 437-1954 WI 8th District
Bart Stupak (202) 225 4735 MI (MAYBE)
Brian Baird (202) 225-3536, Vancouver, (360) 695-6292. Olympia, (360) 352-9768, (MAYBE)
senator mark begich (202) 224-3004 toll free. (877) 501 - 6275 just became a MAYBE
Jason Altmire 202-225-2565, Aliquippa, 724-378-0928,
Natrona Heights, 724-226-1304 (MAYBE)

On the Bubble (Major developments from the “yes” and “no” columns in the House)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2467046/posts

Congressional Dems on Twitter
http://www.arrghpaine.com/congressional-dems-on-twitter

And here are toll-free numbers we can use to call any Senators or Reps.

At the first number below you must wait through a tape recording urging you to tell your Rep or Senator to vote “yes” for the health care bill. Just hang on and when the recording is over, you will get the Capitol operator. Just ask for your Rep or Senator’s office. Then you will either talk to an aid or have the chance to leave a message for him/her to vote NO on the health care bill.

When you use the second number and the Capitol operator comes on, just ask for your Rep or Senator’s office. Every time I use this number I get the Rep or Senator’s answer machine, so it may be set up that way all the time...to go to their answer machine. Either way you can leave a message to vote NO on the health care bill!

We need to use these toll free numbers that have been set up for the health care/ BO supporters and illegals to use! After all they are FREE!

1-866-220-0044, 1-866-338-1015, 877-851-6437, 877-210-5351


24 posted on 03/18/2010 5:53:05 PM PDT by GailA (obamacare paid for by cuts & taxes on most vulnerable Veterans, disabled,seniors & retired Military)
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To: wagglebee

You said the truth as clearly and beautifully as anyone could.


25 posted on 03/18/2010 6:04:13 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Asato Ma Sad Gamaya Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya)
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To: wagglebee
ANYONE has the right to commit suicide, but that doesn't make it right and it doesn't mean that the government should participate.

That funny little distinction between legal rights and moral imperative.
26 posted on 03/18/2010 6:27:13 PM PDT by Das Outsider (Cicero, where art thou?)
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To: the invisib1e hand
Swedes are mostly Lutherans. Now, maybe it's getting wide like the Netherlands. This euthanasia crap is spreading across Europe like wildfire. Lutherans need a kick in the pants for not being more openly pro-life. Remember Tiller the Killer was an usher at a Lutheran Church.

At least the Calvary Baptist had the balls to kick murdering Judge George Greer out of their church when he was scheming to kill Terri Schiavo. They finally killed her on March 31, 2005.

Lutherans, cut the crap. Euthanazi's, rot in hell.

27 posted on 03/18/2010 7:07:22 PM PDT by floriduh voter (I heart Adam Lambert from American Idol Season 2009. He's gay. Get over it.)
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To: Longbow1969

When you’re wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An’ go to your Gawd like a soldier.


28 posted on 03/18/2010 7:32:58 PM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: wagglebee
The letter has come from a 31-year-old woman who has been tied to a respirator since the age of 6 – growing constantly worse from a neurological disease from birth. Unable to take a single breath on her own or to move, she is asking to be put to sleep and that the machine be shut off so that she can end her life in what describes as in dignity.

I would contend she has every legal and moral right to have her machine turned off.

She also has the right to ask that this be done while she is unconcious so she doesn't suffer as she dies.

I don't consider this euthanasia. That would involve giving her medication that kills her directly.

29 posted on 03/18/2010 7:36:01 PM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: Sherman Logan; wagglebee

I am not sure what kind of equipmment is keeping this woman alive. The word “respirator” was used; usually this means a machine which does all of one’s breathing; and usually a person is sedated into a coma to tolerate the pain and discomfort. I’ve visited a friend who was on one; he was similarly sedated into unconsciousness; it was a temporary therapy after a serious emergency operation, and he survived and 20 years later is alive relatively healthy.

My understanding of “assisted suicide” is being given something that causes death such as any kind of pharmaceutical drug or other poison, or removing food and water. Of course some people are also bedridden and cannot take care of themselves at all, and if left unattended, would die.

But the realm of machinery that keeps people alive such as ventilators or respirators or other machines that take over bodily functions like heart or lungs - to turn these off, if the patient has previously requested, or is brought to consciousness and then requests them to be turned off, is not suicide. I do not know the details in this case.

I had an old friend who was diagnosed a few years ago with a very fast growing, inoperable and incurable lung cancer. He was in his mid-50s. He was put on a ventilator, and sedated heavily. His family arrived, and was told that there was not a tiny possibility of treatment or cure, and that death was inevitable, as the cancer had spread throughout both lungs and other parts of his body. They brought him to consciousness, told him the situation, and asked if he wanted to be kept alive on the ventilator or have it turned off.

He chose to have it turned off, and neither he, his family, or I consider it suicide. He left this world with prayer and in the company of his family and a couple of close friends.


30 posted on 03/18/2010 8:34:50 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Asato Ma Sad Gamaya Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya)
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To: Psycho_Bunny

You are free to use that word if you want. It still doesn’t explain why you condemn Dr. Mostert for his opposition to killing.


31 posted on 03/19/2010 8:08:23 AM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: little jeremiah

I agree. Your friend died naturally.

[If all the woman wants is to turn off the breather, she is not committing suicide, she is living free of assistance for a few moments, and then dying naturally of her illness. I think people who want to die naturally are ok. But if you need to ask someone to give you a lethal injection or a pill or otherwise cause you to die, you are asking too much of them. They become your killer and it’s wrong to ask that of them. And it’s wrong to play God and do it to yourself. But if it’s time to “let go and let God”, ok.]


32 posted on 03/19/2010 1:36:23 PM PDT by married21
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To: married21

Exactly. Everyone born here has to die (aka “depart from the earthly tent) at some point. No one can stay in the perishable body forever, nor would any sane person want to.

But when we arrive and when we leave, is in God’s hands, and to try to wrest that power away from Him is pure destructive evil.


33 posted on 03/19/2010 1:49:53 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Asato Ma Sad Gamaya Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya)
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