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Posted on 03/16/2012 6:17:40 PM PDT by CHRISTIAN DIARIST
Dr. Peter Goodwin killed himself this week. He took advantage of Oregon’s 15-year-old assisted-suicide law, which allows residents of the Beaver State to score a legal dose of drugs by obtaining a prescription from an enabling physician.
Goodwin happened to be one of the first physicians to voice support for Oregon’s euphemistically titled “Death With Dignity Act,” which took effect in late 1997.
“I don’t think we would have aid in dying in Oregon without Dr. Goodwin,” said Barbara Coombs Lee, who worked closely with the former family physician to get the law the passed.
Indeed, the late Dr. Goodwin’s legacy is nearly 600 assisted suicides over the past decade and a half, including the record 71 souls who took their own lives in 2011, according to a report this month by the Oregon Public Health Division.
In an interview with National Public Radio, Coombs Lee, who heads an outfit, Compassion and Choices, which helps patients and doctors learn how to use Oregon’s assisted suicide law, complained that it’s unfair to say that a person who takes his or her own life committed “suicide” if their death is imminent and inevitable.
“Would we say that the people who jumped from the World Trade Center committed suicide?” she asked. “I wouldn’t, because the fire was in their face and they chose a different kind of death.”
That’s the kind of specious reasoning that provides the dubious intellectual and ethical underpinnings of Oregon’s assisted suicide law. It is on a par with the argument of abortion-rights advocates that taking the life of a pre-born child is not infanticide because the child has not emerged from his or her mother’s womb.
What particularly troubles about Oregon’s assisted suicide law is that it is almost as easy for a person to obtain a lethal dose of drugs – Dr. Goodwin reportedly swallowed a fast-acting barbiturate prescribed by his doctor – as it is in Californiato obtain a doctor’s prescription for “medicinal” marijuana.
There is little doubt that some of those who took advantage of Oregon’s assisted suicide law really weren’t six months away from the grave. There also is little doubt that some of those who took their lives suffered from depression or other mental issues.
Yet, the Public Health Division’s annual report revealed that only one of the 71 individuals who died by physician assisted suicide last year was referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist for formal evaluation. Moreover, doctors who prescribed fatal doses of drugs were present for the deaths of only six of those who took their own lives.
One needn’t be a pro-life Christian to find Oregon’s assistant suicide law morally repugnant. There is no “dignity” in artificially hastening the death of those diagnosed as terminally ill.
Congratulations to the killers in Oregon.
It ain’t “suicide” if someone else is involved
“lunatic fringe! We all know you’re out there..”
I thought the record was set by the people who voted for Zero in 2008.
Thanks CHRISTIAN DIARIST.
Well Oregon is really a good progressive state. Abort the babies, shame the old people into suicide, and aid and abet the queers, freaks and perverts. Are Oregon and Washington State wanabe Californicates?
They probably filled out 20 mail-in ballots each just before offing themselves.
I've always said suicide is the only logical conclusion for a dedicated environmentalist. That's why I know it is a mental illness because they largely don't kill themselves. They just expect you to die, not themselves.
As a life long Oregonian, I reckon at least 50% of Oregon citizens came from California. They say they came to escape California, but in reality, they brought it with them. I went to a party once where everyone was asked to state where they come from. our of 23 people, only 3 were native Oregonians.
So sad for you. I think most of Europe will be saying something similar in the near future as they learn Arabic, carry their prayer rugs and sink back into the 14th Century.
What a sad headline.
Comments anyone?
I must disagree
I have witnessed my mother die horribly and painfully due to cancer. She knew it was coming to an end as soon as she was placed in hospice under dr’s orders. “Nothing more could be done” we were told. She begged myself and my brother to end it. Not very many pain meds were available as she was allergic to most of them-they might kill her ya know. Three weeks! My mom was a tough lady, yet I would be jailed, labeled as not god fearing, or worse by some if we gave into her wishes. I believe god will judge me for letting the woman who in pain brought me into this world, suffer as she did.
I’ll be damned I guess if it were me, because I’d do it myself before I ever get to that place. That certainly isn’t sanctity of life. That’s ordered torture on a human being what she went through. Not everyone gets the death they want and nobody gets out of life physically alive. I had nightmares for months about that.
The hero’s who take a bullet for loved ones knowing they are going to perish are judged the same? Anyone ever witness a tramatic car wreck where bodies flew and were crushed but lived for 10-15 min? I know for a fact they were asking it to stop. What about my living will? I’m a DNR and an organ donor. I will give my last bit of time on earth to possibly help others. Someone will have to make the call when the Dr asks what time is it. Who are any of you to judge me? But if you must judge these actions people take or want to take staring down what’s coming, then i’ll judge you. For shame!
Again, I disagree
BTW I’m going through cancer now. And god willing i’ll beat it down like a rented goalie!
Read the tag line “........
You are so right!
Put your sufferings at the foot of the Cross. Give them to God.
These people who commit suicide in this fashion have lost hope. I can see that you haven’t.
God bless
Bridgman committed suicide by gunshot after living with metastatic cancer for some time. His suicide note read in part, "It isn't decent for society to make a man do this thing himself. Probably this is the last day I will be able to do it myself."
Government knows best and what drugs we can have, and what rights we have , whether to be or not to be, etc. /sarcasm
I did, I left it there fair and square.
I don’t think of what i’ve seen very often until I see posts from an author with one side of the story. I don’t want to candy coat what I believe, yet I know for a fact there are instances where humans will beg for the end. Especially if they know what’s up for them. There are many people on this planet that can and will make any person beg for the end, if they so choose. Torturers comes to mind. The victims should not be judged.
I pray to god, and for my family, and to/for our human condition.
Good night, Salvation
Only 600? Come on all you Oregon liberals, you can do better than that! Think about how miserable your lives are and get to it!
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