Poobah I will say a prayer for you and John, so that the both of you may see there is no diginity in suicide, and that life should be cherished not discarded or meaningless. Bless you both.

joker, I didn't spin your words. You specifically said, "the needless (dignity) of death." Those are your words and if they don't suggest you think dignity of death is needless, I don't know what it does suggest.

joker asked, "Care to explain the santity of life. I guess not."

I think that first I need to explain to you the meaning of the word sanctity: a saintliness, holiness or godliness. I'm a pragmatic agnostic and prefer to not waste my time debating the existence of imaginary sky gods.

Poo suicide is needless yes glad to see you agree. congrats you may have saved a life today. See I can spin your words also. Care to explain the santity of life. I guess not. That explains all we need to know about you.

joker, your last comment that dignity is needless tells us everything we need to know about your position.

poobah perhaps you would rather explain the sanctity of life versus the needless (dignity) of death.

joker, perhaps your time would be better spent explaining why you feel Death With Dignity laws are "plain wrong" instead of characterizing John's situation with his Mom with little more than a paragraph or two of information on which to base your characterization.

no Poobaah there is no shame here. This is ethically and morally wrong. She is not in pain (his words not mine) she has short term memory loss (big deal). He put this out there not me. This does not sound like a reason for assisted suicide (murder). I would never want to have someone teach or preach to me that this is acceptable. It is plain WRONG

joker, many people who are terminally ill would make the choice to end their life if that option were available. For a person to deny that option to people, particularly to their loved ones, is often nothing more than selfishness. Expecting an ill person to suffer through months or years of pain and medical treatments with a compromised quality of life and no hope of recovery so they can have them in their life a little longer is a terribly selfish thing to do.

Every person should have the option available to them to make their own end of life decisions -- even if a family member would advise them to suffer through their illness because the family member doesn't want to lose their loved one.

You should be ashamed of yourself for thinking you understand enough about John's situation with his Mom to characterize it in the manner you have.

His mother has dementia in excellent physical health. She enjoyed the valentines. This does not sound like someone whose mind is essentially dead. This is a man who does not want to be burdened with taking care of a loved one. Family is above all the most important thing in life. Unfortunaltely some people only care about themselves.

joker: No one is throwing anyone under the bus as you put it! No one wants to live in pain all of the time, or lay in bed like a vegetable unable to fend for themselves. I sure the heck don't!!! I have seen too many friends and relatives suffer with terminal illness in my short lifetime to know that I don't to suffer that way! Just for an example I just had an aunt pass away last month that could not do anything on her own due to a stroke that she had over 5 years ago. She was still of sound mind and she told me several times that she wished her life would end because she could no longer do anything on her own and she was in constant pain. It's people like you who want people to suffer like that with your "it's all about me and how I feel" complex that make me sick! While JE and I hardly ever agree on anything I do have to give him kudos on this subject.

Death With Dignity laws such as the one in Oregon have stringent requirements to ensure the decision to end ones life is being made by the person whose life is ending. Only that person can ultimately make that choice.

How wrong this is. My mother had a terminal illness which took her a little over a year ago. The family watched her live her life backwards. We also learned alot about her and what made her the best mother anyone could ask for. Loving kind tolerant strick (when needed). She raised 6 kids while my father was fighting in Korea and Nam. then many other deployments overseas. If I would even consider this without giving her my undivided attention in her time of need would have been unthinkable. She was there for my and mine and by GOD I was there for her. Noone deserves to be thrown under a rug or told you have lived a full life. You people make me sick.

virginia_badger, John's mother would no longer be able to comply with the stringent requirements of Oregon's Death with Dignity law. Additionally, many people have a strong desire to be at home when they die. Traveling over a thousand miles from home, in such a fragile state, to die in an unknown place would be something many people would reject out of hand.

John, having recently been the primary caregiver for my Mom during her terminal illness, my understanding of what you and your family are going through is more than empathetic. Death with Dignity is something I feel should be an option available to persons everywhere.

People who have doubts about Death With Dignity laws being a slippery slope should look at the compliance and surveillance requirements of the Oregon law. The requirements are substantial and involve several reviews and surveillance by medical professionals. There is the Attending Physician Form, a Consulting Physician Form, a Psychiatrist/Psychologist Form, a Pharmacy Dispensing Record, an Attending Physician Follow-up Form and finally, a Chronology and Death Certificate Extract Form.

My best regards to you and your family, John.

Death with dignity laws.... Drone attacks on anyone 'deemed' a terrorist.
Hate to be paranoid but I sense a slippery slope.
I was called paranoid in the 70's for calling liberals that backed Senator McGovern and President Carter "socialists" and we see how that turned out. Now it's a badge of honor.

Death with dignity is the only thing that you have written about that I agree with you about so far. People should have the choice whether or not to live in pain.

JE
Be happy that your mother is not in pain.

virginia - I concur and he should take himself also.

John, why don't you move your mother to Oregon ?

Get out & Vote