Supreme Court Decision on Oregon's Doctor Assisted Suicide

Ah, Pat Robertson. He who speaks of his belief that we should assassinate leaders of other countries, that Ariel Sharon somehow deserves the horrendous medical problems that he's experiencing. This is the same person who states that we should be protecting the "life" of a terminally ill patient who has been examined by at least two doctors who agree that the person has less than 6 months to live.

It would be one thing if through some loophole this provision could be used by a non-terminal patient, who still had some course of action that could be taken to possibly treat or cure their condition. Those who have, and KNOW they have less than 6 months to live should not be told by ANYONE how to live out those last days, least of all the Federal government.

I applaud the citizens of Oregon for taking the initiative (twice) to gain some measure of control over their lives.

This court decision also has implications in other states where "assisted suicide" is not expressly authorized. When managing a patient's end of life, it is important to aggressively manage pain. In doing so, it is often difficult to know when you have reached a lethal dose. If this decision had gone the other way, doctors would not be willing to be as aggressive with pain management, thus allow unnecessary pain.
It seems that with situations like this, that taking the "high moral road" is not really that at all, but is good showmanship and a good way to raise money. The reality is that life is much more complex and such decisions need to be made between a compassionate physician and his or her patients (or family members when necessary).

Carol,

Obviously Pat and his minions get to decide. Surely you don't have a problem with a religious nutcase dictating your life -- and death.

timely, carol, and a lot to think about. i believe that people should be able to choose for themselves.

don't even get me going abt that evil tiresome man, robertson. argh!

I am 5 months away from 70 years old. I volunteer at our local Hospice. Hospice cares for anyone who is actively dying and wants to do so in their own home. It provides the necessary pain killing medicines, WHEN NEEDED, not when the clock says it's time. I wish our state was a advanced as Oregon and at least would put such a provision on our ballots.

Isn's it obvious that the radical conservative Christians are all about their right to dictate their beliefs, morays and way of life. They seem to say; "If everyone would just listen to US and be like US and believe like US then the whole world would be a BETTER place" Their whole agenda is for the Christianizaton (read Stepfordization) of the whole of all societies worldwide. - .'My way or the highway.' seems to be their creed in my humble opinion.
Thanks Carol for a thoughtful article on a sensitive subject. Ironic though isn't it how if we were to let an animal young or old lay sick and dying, even under medical care, suffering literally for years - WE would be considered abusers of the animal.
Veterinarians actively and passionatly advocate for the well being of pets and counsel the owners-guardians to literally be compassionate and let the animal go when the animal is elderly, ill or severly injured and its joy for life cannot be restored in a practical manner.

What I still find ironic is the inconsistency of their stances. All of life isn't sacred, just the parts they decree. As Gary says, it seems to be quite a bit of theatrics, and playing to the audience they think they have. The amazing thing is how many people listen too often, though I think in the case of the Florida case last year, that sort of backfired on them.

Pat Robertson is a extreme right winger. I am a pro-lifer,against capital punishment, conservative and I do not agree with most of his philosophy.

Edward, I commend you for having a consistent stance on life. I think the Catholic bishops have come a long way to helping many of us be consistent in our thinking of these political issues. But I guess they don't get the press that Robertson does.

As an Oregonian I appreciate your viewpoint. Pat Robertson and his sort aren't really pro-life; they are pro government deciding who lives and who dies. Can you call being anti-abortion, even when the life of the mother is at risk, pro-life? Is being against Oregon's Death With Dignity act yet supporting the death penalty pro-life? It's about the power to decide. Generally these are the same people who claim to be against big government. What could make government bigger than deciding who lives and who dies?

Your thinking is right in line with mine, Carl. Inconstance is their thinking. It seems pick and choose as far as people's rights.

excellent piece on a thorny issue. i admire your courage in taking it on. my father died, and i had to make the decision about whether or not to "tip the morphine" (most doctors will turn a blind eye if they are compassionate.) My father was in extreme pain, delusional and i had always promised him that if it came to that, i would do this for him...

Hardest thing i have ever had to do, but i did it and now, i know he rests easy. It was the right thing to do - the riht wing would call me a 'killer" - yeah, i suppose i shoul d have let him suffer. Wht a load of shite.... true compassion is not always the easy road, and it may seem counter to all that we believe but it is compassion nonetheless....

be well - S.

Sadi, I'll bet that was very hard indeed. I haven't had to make a decision like that, but hope that, if the situation is such for me, that someone has the courage to do it. I think this is something that people have to discuss within their families, like you did.

Carol, thank you for your article. Sadi, I am sorry you had to decide, but glad for your father he could trust you.
As far as your questions, Carol, you are correct in noting the inconsistencies. As many have already so eloquently commented, the religious right, espceially Pat Robertson, is not pro life at all.
Reminds me of the bus coming back from the September's DC Peace Protest. One of the protesters was recounting a verbal thrashing he received from somebody wearing a Support The Troops t-shirt. The man was calling him a dirty, smelly hippy who hated America! The protester did not engage the man, just flashed the peace sign which infuriated the guy!
The protester said, I may smell, but that's what happens after I work all day and ride the bus all night to exercise my right to protest an illegal war!
If that makes me a dirty hippie, so be it..... but then what does that make somebody who would support this war, and probably the death penalty, too? Without missing a beat, I heard "Pro-Life!" and we all got a good laugh. We laughed because it's true!

I'm always happy when someone tries to tell me how to run my life. It gives me the opportunity to ignore them or tell them what I think of their efforts. Unfortunately there are quite a few people who are willing to listen and fall in line because they don't have a critical faculty to sort things out.
God have mercy on us all.

The difference between the sincere values of the flock and the cynical manipulations of the pastors on the television is vast. But as long as people keep nodding their heads and allowing people like Pat Robertson to mediate their values for them, we are going to have the disconnect we currently do that creates the Frankensteinian distortions of the American character, and make many 'righteous' Americans look increasingly like smug hypocritical selfish monsters from my side of the pond.