X-Message-Number: 8367 Date: Sat, 12 Jul 1997 08:49:15 -0700 (PDT) From: Doug Skrecky <> Subject: Compelling Reasons to Oppose Legalized Euthanasia On the seat of a subway I spotted a brochure entitled "EUTHANASIA: A Cause For Concern". I believe the contents may help to explain the mind set of those who oppose progressive legislation in this regard. Here's an exerpt: Compelling Reasons to Oppose Legalized Euthanasia _________________________________________________ 1. EUTHANASIA IS MURDER. 2. Legalized euthanasia would make a mockery of our common law heritage which is founded on the concept of the sanctity and protection of innocent human life. In the words of Jean Vanier, The protection of innocent human life is well-founded in law; we destroy it only at our own peril. 3. Even if carefully circumscribed at first, legalized euthanasia would become the tool of the social engineers. After killing those who are dieing, it would only be a matter of time before we killed those who were soon to die, and then those who would be better off dead, until no one would be safe. 4. Euthanasia would give private citizens THE RIGHT TO KILL other citizens. It could not be tolerated openly for it would influence the young, the immature, and the unstable to take their own lives. It could not be tolerated in secret for it for it would be impossible to control. 5. Euthanasia, if performed only by doctors, would return medicine to a pre-Hippocratic time, when the physician was both healer and killer. To once again blur the distinction between healing and killing would abolish the trust and confidence of the doctor/patient relationship, and destroy the ethical guidelines necessary to prevent medicine from becoming the most dangerous profession of all. 6. Legalized euthanasia represents the total abandonment of those FINALLY in need of our love, support, comfort and care. Alliance Action Inc. B1-90 Garry Street Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3C 4H1 Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=8367