This article was published by National Review online on August 9, 2023.
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| Wesley Smith |
The pattern never changes. Euthanasia is legalized under the promise of “strict guidelines” preventing abuse. As time goes on, the strict guidelines are loosened, and then loosened again. Sometimes the process is slow and sometimes fast. But the direction is all one way.
In addition to that, doctors may assist the suicides or lethally inject patients who do not technically qualify for hastened death. Little, if anything, is done about it.
In the Netherlands, such cases have never resulted in meaningful punishment. Ever. Rather, they have been winked at by the authorities, or if prosecuted (rarely), the courts never punished the offender meaningfully.
After that, the “violation” may become the impetus for further loosening the “strict guidelines” — as in the Dutch doctor who put down her struggling dementia patient fighting to stay alive by having her family hold her while administering the lethal jab. The doctor was found not guilty in court, complimented by the judge for her good intentions, and the law was then changed to allow doctors to decide when to kill in such cases.
Now, add this to the mix: If authorities — ever so gently — try to enforce the rules, euthanasia advocates and medical associations warn that it will chill doctors from dispatching patients. We’ve seen that pattern followed repeatedly in Netherlands — and now in Quebec, where authorities asked doctors to please, please, please, stay within the law, which is very loose already. From the CBC story:
The memo reminds doctors of several guidelines, including that requests due to old age do not meet provincial criteria for the procedure, and an independent opinion from a second doctor isn’t a formality — it’s a requirement. Bureau said any deviation from the rules can be a slippery slope, especially as the commission is seeing an increasing number of requests for MAID.
It’s just too ridiculous. The slippery slope is already slip-sliding away. This is precisely how it works.
Even that gentle reminder was too much for death doctor activists:
However, Georges L’Espérance, a neurosurgeon and the president of the Quebec Association for the Right to Die in Dignity, says the numbers are going up because of the increased understanding that MAID is an option.So predictable. Some doctors won’t stay within the law. They are rarely caught and will not face discipline or meaningful punishment if they are. And the law will be further loosened as time goes on. Repeat, and repeat again.Similar article:
He criticizes the memo, saying it might stigmatize the procedure or even dissuade some doctors from providing it.
“The problem is that many doctors will be intimidated by that kind of memo,” he said. “They will say that they don’t want to [administer] any MAID because they have fear.”
This is getting ridiculous. So a person still wanted to live, but was still euthanized because the family wants it. I have a feeling the families who allowed this will suffer the same fate in the hands of their children. It is called comeuppance or karma to some. The person who was euthanized seems very aware of what’s going to happened to them. That person must be feeling so scared and betrayed.
ReplyDeleteAren’t families supposed to stick together in health and sickness, good or bad?
In short, the family of that person doesn’t want to shoulder any responsibility. And the law, allowed the doctor free? Let me guess, the government doesn’t want any responsibility too so to save money on old age benefits payment.
This looks like a scam. And still murder to me. What if the family is after inheritance or something. What if the doctor is a psycho? What if the doctor is in connivance with some bad people who is after body parts? How will the government know that the doctor has not falsified any documents?
That doesn’t sound like part of the doctor’s oath.
I really think that euthanasia law is subject to abuse.
What did the law makers do? They just think of a law, but never provide information on how to go about it so it is not subject to abuse?
Usually I don't publish Anonymous comments but I needed to respond to this one. The article doesn't suggest that people are killed because the family wanted it, it is stating that the rules are not being followed.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the Quebec letter to euthanasia doctors it seems to be saying that not having a second doctor approve has to stop and approving people who are elderly but not otherwise dying needs to stop, among other violations.
Dying With Dignity will NOT respond for one simple reason ..they know they are wrong. One good way to know someone is wrong is that they are unwilling to support their position. I have made numerous challenges to politicians and advocates of MAID and Legalizing and NOT ONE ever responded. They slandered me in the press and on websites. But ignored every opportunity to legitimately present, even when I offered to pick up the coffee. Apparently they do not even believe in what they support that they will not res discuss or dialogue.
ReplyDeleteDeacon William Orazio Gallerizzo