Assisted Suicide

There is no question in my mind that a person who is terminally ill or otherwise debilitated to the extent his/her 'quality of life' is severely and permanently impaired, should have the right to commit suicide with the assistance of his/her doctor.

This is yet another area where religious belief inflicts itself upon people who don't share those beliefs - a violation of the 1st Amendment. There are other cultures, Japanese, for example, which consider suicide for reason is honorable.

My present bout with rheumatoid arthritis which, without pain medications would be intolerable, makes me realize that there most certainly are situations in which suicide is the only humane treatment. In fact, veterinarians perform euthanasia routinely on pets and other animals - they "put them out of their misery." But then, animals are not governed by god(s).

However, I do agree with Governor Schwarzennegger that such laws should come from the people, not government representatives if such governments have an initiative process.

The Federal government, of course, is relatively primitive in structure and only provides lip-service to representing the people. All laws must originate in Congress or default to the Supreme Court which is charged with upholding the Constitution. ..AG

Calif. lawmakers reject assisted-suicide bill
Wed Jun 28

SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) - California lawmakers narrowly rejected a bill on Tuesday that would have allowed the terminally ill to enlist doctors to help them commit suicide.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 3-2 to block the measure. Committee Chairman Sen. Joe Dunn, a Democrat from Santa Ana, California, cast the deciding vote, siding with two Republicans.

Dunn said he could not trust that future lawmakers would refrain from expanding the bill to allow persons not suffering from terminal illnesses to hasten their deaths.

The bill mirrored an Oregon law allowing doctors to prescribe a lethal prescription to terminally ill patients.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger suggested earlier this year he would not sign such a bill because the issue of physician-assisted suicide is of such importance it should be left to voters.