8mm
Posted on 06/16/2008 5:07:59 PM PDT by wagglebee
Booth Gardner the millionaire former governor of the state, is the lead spokesman for the I-1000 assisted suicide proposal.
Gardner suffers from Parkinson's disease, which is incurable but not fatal and he would not qualify to use the assisted suicide measure to take his own life. However, it prompted his desire to speak up for those who may want to take advantage of the grisly idea.
Yet, his assisted suicide advocacy has hurt his relationship with his son.
Gardner's 46-year-old son, Doug, told the Associated Press the two didn't talk for some time after Booth started pushing I-1000. While their relationship has improved since, Doug told AP he will join the coalition of groups and residents against the assisted suicide measure.
"I love him, I want the best for him," Doug Gardner said. "But don't make it easier for these people who are in a weak state to have an opt-out option."
Meanwhile, disability rights groups like Not Dead Yet are speaking up as well and saying the proposal discriminates against and targets the disabled.
They say disabled people who are worried they will become a burden to their families need psychological help and pain relief for their conditions -- not en encouragement to die.
"This capitalizes on those fears people have about a disability, about people losing bodily control and function, that people would be better off dead than having to face that," NDY spokesman Duane French told AP.
I-1000 backers have to submit 224,800 valid signatures to the secretary of state by July 3 to qualify the measure for the Washington ballot.
Last year, pro-life advocates were successful in stopping assisted suicide in California, Hawaii, and Vermont. They worried Washington would join Oregon, where assisted suicides are at an all time high.
This isn't the first time euthanasia backers have tried to get the state to authorize assisted suicide. In 1991, 54 percent of state voters rejected Initiative 119, which, unlike this new measure, allowed doctors to administer the drugs.
Related web sites:
Washington Coalition Against Assisted Suicide - http://www.noassistedsuicide.com
Human Life of Washington -- http://www.humanlife.net
Perfectly stated!
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My sister and I had a major and heated disagreement over the Terri Schiavo case, as she doesn’t share my view that life is sacred.
Now, my beloved husband has Parkinson’s, and we have to walk the walk, and not just talk the talk. No-one wants to be disabled. Everyone fears disability. We all want to be little gods of our own lives, and have things the way we think convenient and perfect, in accord with our own desires.
That isn’t the way life works. Life isn’t about what we want, it is about what we learn, when we are asked to grow beyond our own desires and egos.
If they are inconvenient, we are encouraged to abort our unborn children. And so now, if inconvenient, we are are being encouraged to “off” the elderly and disabled relatives whose care might interfere with our plans, preferences, and desired “life-style”.
How dare we criticize Hitler? Aren’t we falling victim to the same evil, which is our own egotistical desire to have the “perfect life”? And, just what do we gain from that?
Do I dare ask my sister if I should deprive my husband of a feeding tube, if he is unable to swallow? According to her philosophy, his life, if not perfect, might not be deserving of such support. She doesn’t think much about souls or the unique qualities of daily existence, but about whether one can buy stuff, and have stuff.
After all, if one can’t consume, what’s it all about, Alfie?
Is it just for the moment we love?
As a former GOP county chair in Washington, I can say that the state, church and courts have no say in how I, or my family should live or die. It’s none of their business. It’s between, me and my God. And if I shall falter, my spouse will speak for me.
And if any FReeper, or Jessie Jackson, attempts to speak for me or my family, a pox on you.
It certainly seems that a large portion of society is.
Got it, you’re a libertarian who happens to support the war.
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