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Die With Dignity? Not if Ashcroft Has His Way

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 11 2004 9:40 AM

Submitted by MC_Dove. Edited By legionnaire.

Instead of just going along his merry way after resignation, Ashcroft has one more request of our government:block Oregon's assisted suide law. Lower courts have denied the federal government the right to hold fault with doctors who comply with Oregon's Die With Dignity Act, legislation that allows patients with 6 months or less to live and display mental competency to request lethal doses of medication.

While not as prominent as abortion, the issue is an important one for conservative Christians, who helped President Bush win a second term last week. The government waited until Tuesday, the final day possible, to file paperwork at the high court.

While some are outraged at this move, many, including Eli Stutsman (co-author of the act and attorney), are positive that the attempt will sink before it swims.

``We have won this case on the legal issues and we'll continue to win it on legal issues,'' Stutsman said. ``The strength of our legal position is that the states have always regulated the practice of medicine.''

Indeed. Of course, even the best laid arguments of mice and men often go astray under a theocratical government. Let's hope that the will of the people will aid this one.

15 Comments

inkncarrots

San Diego, CA

March 2004

NOV 11, 2004 10:07 AM

Ashcroft's all out war against this law has really been bugging me. I just don't see what bad comes of this law. Why try to stop it? It is a personal decision and one that is not one that is taken lightly. Terminally ill people are not just deciding on a whim to off themselves because they can. How dare Ashcroft try to take away these people's right to end the pain and suffering of terminal illness. It is truly a selfish and heartless act on his part.

Stiles

New York, NY

November 2002

NOV 11, 2004 10:12 AM

Ashcroft: the gift that keeps on giving.

sidewalker123

Kalamazoo, MI

January 2004

NOV 11, 2004 10:20 AM

Whatever, fine. If he'll just shut up and go away...

jewcy

Brooklyn, NY

July 2004

NOV 11, 2004 10:43 AM

the other day i saw the billboard that read:
"less taxes
more freedom
vote republican"

jewcy

Brooklyn, NY

July 2004

NOV 11, 2004 10:44 AM

Stiles said:
Ashcroft: the gift that keeps on giving.

just like herpes.

r00kers

Nederland, CO

February 2003

NOV 11, 2004 10:50 AM

I will call this one for Oregon, 7-2, maybe 6-3.

Koenigsegg

I'm lost

July 2004

NOV 11, 2004 10:54 AM

on the one hand, i am behind the right of the state to regulate how it chooses to use medicine.

on the other hand, i've never understood the difference between dignified suicide and undignified suicide. you're pretty much going to end up as fertilizer either way. whatever happened to pulling the tube out of your saline drip bag and blowing in it, causing an immediate heart attack?

Scopitone

Irvine, CA

OLD SKOOL

NOV 11, 2004 10:59 AM

Koenigsegg said:
on the one hand, i am behind the right of the state to regulate how it chooses to use medicine.

on the other hand, i've never understood the difference between dignified suicide and undignified suicide. you're pretty much going to end up as fertilizer either way. whatever happened to pulling the tube out of your saline drip bag and blowing in it, causing an immediate heart attack?

It's some kinda Jesus thing.

Koenigsegg

I'm lost

July 2004

NOV 11, 2004 11:01 AM

yeah, that's the argument that i hear more often than any other. but i always call bullshit on it. blowing your head off with a shotgun and taking a pill in some bucolic, peaceful setting are both offing yourself, and i don't see how either would piss jesus off any less than the other

Scopitone

Irvine, CA

OLD SKOOL

NOV 11, 2004 11:10 AM

Koenigsegg said:
yeah, that's the argument that i hear more often than any other. but i always call bullshit on it. blowing your head off with a shotgun and taking a pill in some bucolic, peaceful setting are both offing yourself, and i don't see how either would piss jesus off any less than the other

If you do that, it gives Satan another foot soldier in the coming holy war! I pray to Jesus I'm taken out by the crippling embrace of God's annihilating love in the first wave.

Vestril

Coronado, CA

February 2003

NOV 11, 2004 11:14 AM

It's more of a fear thing, I think most people a) don't trust themselves to do it correctly and b) would much rather slip into a coma and die than have a heart attack and die. I can't say as I blame them.

If you do that, it gives Satan another foot soldier in the coming holy war! I pray to Jesus I'm taken out by the crippling embrace of God's annihilating love in the first wave.

Bah! Jesus doesn't want cowards, he wants real men who will fight and kill those dirty demons for as long as possible. You didn't think he was coming back sane, did you? Zombies are never sane...

[Edited on Nov 11, 2004 11:16AM]

CeCe

SUICIDEGIRL

Texas, USA

NOV 11, 2004 02:04 PM

what is this "assisted suide" you speak of?

KaraLynn

Beverly Hills, CA

April 2004

NOV 11, 2004 02:14 PM

Why isn't he taking a stand against the death penalty? Societies elective abortion. Can't kill yourself but the government sure as hell can call you a terrorist and request that said government murders your ass.

Ashcroft is a prick. [And make sure you spell my name right on my FBI file, asshat.]