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What Can I Do to Build a Culture of Life?
EUTHANASIA AND ASSISTED SUICIDE
"The temptation toward euthanasia appears as one of the most alarming symptoms of the culture of death...the secular mentality which has no respect of life, especially when it is weak."
-- Pope John Paul II
Instead of pursuing “mercy killing” or the “right to die”, let us strive to create an environment --- a culture of life --- in which no person feels compelled to seek the “quick fix” of death. Where no one is seen as a “burden”. The value of a human life is not determined by one's usefulness to others!
Many people with disabilities have opposed the assisted-suicide and euthanasia movement. Though often described as compassionate, legalized medical killing is really about a deadly double standard for people with severe disabilities, including both conditions that are labeled terminal and those that are not.
The notion of absolute autonomy, that is, an unfettered right to decide all things for oneself, is a radical departure from the traditional moral order. The “right” to kill oneself had been denied in Western culture for a good reason. Suicide is unnatural; it contradicts the natural inclination of self-preservation. There is such a desire for autonomy that the value of life is being obscured.
Life is a more important legal right than autonomy.
Without life, all other rights are meaningless.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ARE NOT BEING PROTECTEDThe Americans with Disabilities Act provides that necessary and appropriate rehabilitation services and physical-motor skill therapy may not be denied a substantially disabled patient in the United States of America. Subpart B, Section 35.130 states:
“Nothing in the Act or this part authorizes the representative or guardian of an individual with a disability to decline food, water, medical treatment, or medical services for that individual."Fla. Statute 825.102(3) (a) defines neglect as:
“A caregiver’s failure or omission to provide and elderly person or disabled adult with the care, supervision, and services necessary tomaintain the elderly person’s or disabled adult’s physical and mental health, included but not limited to, food, nutrition, clothing, shelter, supervision, medicine, and medical service that a prudent person would consider essential for the well-being of the elderly person or disabled adult.”Human Life Alliance: www.HumanLife.org
Pro-Life Disabled Persons: www.notdeadyet.org
Fighting for Florida’s own: www.TerrisFight.org
"I fear the power of choice over life or death at human hands. I see no human being whom I could ever trust with such power--not myself nor any other. Human wisdom and human integrity are not great enough."
-- Pearl S. Buck
LIVING WILLS
The care and treatment of dying patients, living wills, and advance directives concern all of us. The Florida Catholic Conference offers a Catholic "Declaration on Life and Death" deemed acceptable for Catholics and also conforms to Florida law. Copies are available at www.dosp.org.