Bill Would Approve of Suicide in Wyoming

Cheyenne Wyoming Tribune-Eagle ^ | 01-11-04

[Theodore R.]

I suppose from reading this that Representative Goodenough would also strongly believe in the "right" of Michael R. Schiavo to kill his wife in FL.

[Support Free Republic]

	Linda Carter is completely unrelated to Free Republic. But if I am going to have to post donation begs until the Freepathon is over, I'm going to occasionally post something I want! And there is only one way you can stop me!

[jigsaw]

How ironic if it dies in commitee.

[Mark was here]

The State did not give us our life.

The State does not OWN our lives.

The state should have no say in how we choose to exit our own life.

The State has been given the power by the people to punish those who take the life of others, just as the State can punish those who steal the property of others.

By giving the State the responsibility to prosecute property thieves we did not give the State title to our property.

By giving the State the responsibility to prosecute murderers we did not give the State title to our life.

[robertpaulsen]

See if this Jonah Goldberg article makes any sense to you.

"There's a big difference between winking at an exceptional case and legally empowering doctors to kill people. Pretty much everyone can understand this distinction, except for lawyers and a few other zealots."

[tcuoohjohn]

Read Goldberg's article. Classic Goldberg. Pseudo-intellectual claptrap filled with looping rationalizations, bumptious speculations, and other random navel gazing. The appeal to " hidden law" is about as specious an argument as I have encountered. He neglects to mention that the difference between law and convention is codification. If it isn't codified then it isn't law. It is custom. A custom agreed upon, becomes law when it is codified.

[nightdriver]

"There's a big difference between winking at an exceptional case and legally empowering doctors to kill people. Pretty much everyone can understand this distinction, except for lawyers and a few other zealots."

Jonah has the salient point, here.

It is impossible to legislate suicide out of existence, but it IS possible to protect our medical professionals from participating in it and violating their Hypocratic Oath.

To codify both euthanasia and abortion will turn our medical profession into something that nobody wants. I can see it now, "Now which one of these patients are we to operate on and which one are we supposed to kill?"

[Mark was here]

Table manners, restrictions on double-dipping potato chips, and common courtesy are part of the hidden law.

Five years hard labor for elbows on the table seems fair to me.

People choosing to exit their own lives is not the province of the State. The State has jurisdiction when others force someone to exit their life. The key word here is FORCE.

When did you give the State OWNERSHIP of your life?

[waterstraat]

Attempted suicide is attempted murder, the death penalty is what should be given, not legalziation.

[robertpaulsen]

"People choosing to exit their own lives is not the province of the State."

But you wish the state to formally recognize euthanasia as a legal act (similar to abortion).

I'm saying that I prefer the "hidden law" approach. But that's not good enough for you. If it's OK for even one person to do it, then it must be legal for everyone.

It is because of people like you that we have the "zero tolerance" laws that we do. To you, there is no room for reasoned judgement -- it's all or nothing. That's the meaning of the word "zealot" in Jonah Goldberg's article.

Let me guess. You're also in favor of legalizing all drugs, pornography, prostitution, and gambling. Right?

[Mark was here]

Attempted suicide is attempted murder, the death penalty is what should be given, not legalization.

If Murder and Suicide are the same thing why are there two different words?

Could it be that they mean different things, perhaps?

Murder is taking another life.

Your own life can not be another life to you.

You cant murder your self.

If you want the law involved in this matter, you are giving the State ownership of your life.

[robertpaulsen]

"Pseudo-intellectual claptrap filled with looping rationalizations, bumptious speculations, and other random navel gazing."

Yeah, that's why I love his writing. Fun, isn't it?

But he make an excellent point, nonetheless. Prior to the lawyers and the zealots, we didn't need all the laws. This behavior was governed by a moral people acting rationally and responsibly.

Says a lot about our current society, doesn't it?

[Mark was here]

I'm saying that I prefer the "hidden law" approach. But that's not good enough for you. If it's OK for even one person to do it, then it must be legal for everyone.

We are running kinda parallel here. By saying suicide is not a province of the law I am keeping it a private matter. I believe the intent of the law was to get it out of the public realm. This is where Dr. K. messed up peoples right to exit with grace.

Let me guess. You're also in favor of legalizing all drugs, pornography, prostitution, and gambling. Right?

Right on!

Where in the Constitution did the people give up the right to treat their own health? That is what the "War on Drugs" is. Treat your self with out permission of a "government agent" and go to jail.

Did not the 10th amendment secure all rights not specifically given to the government to the people?

Tell me where the Founding Fathers SPECIFICALLY gave up their right to treat their health in the constitution.

If you can not, you really can not support the war on drugs...

Porn and Hookers? No use for them, but you are free to choose for yourself.

[robertpaulsen]

"Did not the 10th amendment secure all rights not specifically given to the government to the people?"

No, it didn't. It secured all powers not specifically given to the government to the states or to the people. Since the federal government has been given the power to regulate drugs, the 10th amendment does not apply.

Obviously, it is your opinion that the government does not have this power. You are entitled to your own opinion.

But not your own facts. The courts have ruled the Controlled Substances Act constitutional.

And since when is shooting heroin "treating one's health"?

[waterstraat]

Why do I think you are trying to make a case that suicide(murdering yourself) is "justifiable homicide"?

[robertpaulsen]

Because Mrs Mark is one of those Libertarians who believe behavior that does not harm others should be none of the government's business. Suicide only harms the person that commits it. Same thing with drugs. Ditto, prostitution, gambling, and pornography.

I happen to disagree with that selfish, self-centered, juvenile, individualistic, and hedonistic philosophy.

[waterstraat]

I think at one time, some states had laws that did just that.

The original laws against suicide, were enacted so that the state could come in and confiscate all the property of the person who killed himself. It was a good/easy way to increase government revenues, much like our drug laws today where the government can take your home, car, and everything else you own if they find drugs. They know they are not going to stop people from taking drugs, but they also know that they will make a lot more money with such laws.