[B Knotts]

It seems that some people think that the Germans of the early twentieth century were in some way qualitatively different from us. It's as if they think they were a different species of human or something.

The average German of that time wasn't some Snidely Whiplash-type character, rolling the tip of his handlebar mustache between his fingers.

People forget how close we always are to slipping over the shallow edge that separates a humane culture from one like Nazi Germany.

The Germans that started executing the disabled, first with the consent of the families, later without, had convinced themselves that they were doing the right thing. They thought it was a merciful, good act.

This goes along with the Pope's characterization of a "disordered sense of compassion." We must always examine our motivations carefully, and maintain respect for life in all cases.

[tomahawk]

Exactly. There is a similarity in the arguments being offered to justify killing Terri (who is not terminally ill) as were used to kill the disabled in Germany.