Wesley Smith, a plenary speaker at the 2013 Life and Learning Conference, opened with the question, “Why, when medical science has gone so far to limit and eliminate pain, are we considering ‘the right to die,’ ‘death with dignity,’ and ‘assisted suicide’?” He believes that the answer lies in Yuval Levin’s explanation that “health” has become a [...]
Here is a link to a LifeNews story on the very strong opposition to Connecticut’s assisted suicide bill. The article notes the effective testimony of my colleague Professor Stephen Mikochik (who is a visiting professor at Ave Maria School of Law). http://www.lifenews.com/2013/03/21/connecticut-residents-stand-strong-against-bill-for-assisted-suicide/ Richard M.
Here is a link to a good piece by Dr. Peter Saunders addressing this issue. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/07/11/dutch-doctors-use-deep-sedation-to-hide-assisted-suicides/ The use of “terminal sedation” to advance the euthanasia movement is worth careful attention. The use of “deep sedation” or “terminal sedation” needs to be distinguished from a legitimate technique–the use of sedation for symptom relief (so-called “palliative sedation”). There is a careful treatment of [...]
Here is a link to a good post by Wesley Smith noting that the Swiss law allowing assisted suicide is being extended to an increasingly larger number of “target groups.” Here’s the opening of the post: ”Once a society accepts the fundamental premises of assisted suicide–e.g., radical individualism and killing as an acceptable answer to suffering–there really are [...]
Here is a LifeNews.com story about a decision from the British Columbia Supreme Court holding a ban on assisted suicide unconstitutional. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/06/15/canadas-assisted-suicide-ban-struck-down-in-court/ Here’s critical commentary from Wesley Smith. http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/secondhandsmoke/2012/06/15/bc-judge-creates-right-to-suicide/ Richard M.
Georgia has now banned assisted suicide. http://www.lifenews.com/2012/05/01/georgia-bans-assisted-suicide-after-final-exit-network-flouted-law/ Georgia’s law banning advertising for assisted suicide had been held unconstitutional by the Georgia Supreme Court on First Amendment grounds. This new law bans the practice of assisted suicide, and according to the Lifenews article, makes Georgia the 39th state with such a criminal prohibition. Richard M.
