So far, Washington and Oregon are the only states that have legalized assisted suicide in this country. Some believe that Montana has also, but a legal analysis of two court decisions which supposedly legalize assisted suicide in the state questions that assumption.
For all its efforts, Compassion & Choices, which was once known as the Hemlock Society, has seen more setbacks than successes. But that hasn’t stopped its latest campaign from revving up in Idaho.
It started in the local press with a column Tucker wrote in the June 25 issue of the Coeur d’Alene Press.
Tucker writes that “Idaho does not have a statute specifically addressing aid in dying, either to permit or prohibit the practice. It does not have [a statute making it] a crime of assisting another to ‘commit suicide.’ Accordingly, in Idaho, physicians can provide aid in dying.”
Margaret Dore, an attorney in Seattle who specializes in elder law, wrote a rebuttal to Tucker’s column for the Idaho Medical Association.Dore stated that Tucker’s claim that there were no statutes dealing with assisted suicide “is untrue.”
“Idaho does have a statute prohibiting assisted suicide. Moreover, it has been in effect since 1994. Prior to that time, assisted suicide was prohibited solely by common law,” Dore emphasized.
“With assisted suicide prohibited by common law and not subsequently made legal, a doctor who causes a suicide with ‘deliberate intention’ is guilty of an unlawful killing … [and] can be statutorily charged with murder,” Dore explained.
Full Article and Source:
Selling Assisted Suicide State to State
The Not Dead Yet folks are an inspiration!
ReplyDeleteThe money spent pushing assisted suicide should be spent for controlling pain and for curing disease instead.
ReplyDeleteI believe a person's body belongs to that person and if he/she wishes to terminate his/her own life, then that's ok.
ReplyDeleteBUT, the problem is that assisted suicide will give unscrupulous, greedy and evil people a tool to terminate life against someone's will or to influence someone to terminate their life unnecessarily.
Not only that, but "assisted suicide" won't be displayed as the cause of death on the death certificate. So, who will be watching out for the vulnerable?
The fact that Kathryn Tucker chooses to use a euphemism is a red flag that they're trying to pull the wool over people's eyes.
ReplyDeleteI think people with a terrible and painful disease like Lou Gehrig's Disease should have the right to end it if they so choose.
ReplyDeleteThey should never be forced, of course.
Neil:
ReplyDeleteThe same person will watch out for the vulnerable that is watching now. NO ONE!!
My own mother told me that she would rather be "dead" than live like she is. Currenly she is held against her will & given deadly anti psychotic drugs by a guardian who is exploiting her with the courts permission.
Who is watching?? NO ONE
The elderly and vulnerable are in serious danger in this country!