Pubdate: Sat, 08 Dec 2001
Source: Kansas City Star (MO)
Copyright: 2001 The Kansas City Star
Contact:  http://www.kcstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/221
Author: William J Cameron MD

ASSISTED SUICIDE

My admiration for Dr. Eugene Pearce as a physician and skilled debater 
knows no bounds. In his recent letter regarding Oregon's "death with 
dignity" law, however, he misses the mark on several points:

1) Nobody said John Ashcroft is a "right-wing wacko." That he is a 
religious extremist who has no hesitancy about imposing his beliefs on 
others is indisputable.

2) In writing a prescription for an ill patient, a doctor is breaking no 
federal law, no matter what the patient does with the medicine. Yet 
Ashcroft would summarily remove the doctor's license to practice medicine 
without due process. Why his involvement?

3) No one said anything about killing. Oregon's law (passed twice by 
voters) allows "death with dignity." Nobody gets "killed." Contrary to Dr. 
Pearce's statement, death is the ultimate cure for one who is dying slowly, 
while suffering terribly.

4) This is a matter of state's rights. As such, Attorney General Ashcroft 
should butt out.

William J. Cameron, M.D.

Stilwell
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MAP posted-by: Beth