A fierce battle is erupting following Attorney General John Ashcroft’s November 6, 2001 letter to the DEA which effectively reversed the 1998 decision by Janet Reno allowing drugs controlled under federal law to be used in doctor assisted suicide. While Ashcroft’s decision is being appealed in federal court, Oregon law legalizing assisted suicide remains in effect. Advocates for assisted suicide, in the meantime, are busy promoting their cause as the loving way to end a life. When Oregon’s assisted suicide law was first being proposed, the reason most commonly given was the need for avoiding unbearable pain. For the most recent year’s record’s available, however, none of those receiving lethal prescriptions in Oregon listed pain as their reason for choosing suicide. Instead, for the latest three years available, “being a burden” has been listed as a reason by 12% in 1998, 26% in 1999 and by 63% in the year 2000.
Assisted suicide cannot be considered “compassionate” when it is offered to the old, the poor and the weak as a means of “getting out of the way”. Those caring for our health need to be trusted, not suspected of trying to kill us as is the case in Holland for some patients today. We should be wary of the propaganda coming from groups such as the misnamed “Compassion in Dying” promoting autonomy in choosing how we die. Lets leave that up to God.
You can express your opinion on all legislations by contacting the following U.S. Senators and Congressman:
| Senator John Breaux | Senator Mary Landrieu | Congressman Billy Tauzin | |
| Senate Office Building | Senate Office Building | House Office Building | |
| Washington, DC 20510 | Washington, DC 20510 | Washington, DC 20510 | |
| (202)224-3121(Switchboard) | (202)224-3121(Switchboard) | (202)225-3121(Switchboard) | |
| (202)224-4623(Direct) | (202)224-5824(Direct) | (202)225-4031(Direct) | |
| Website:www.senator.gov/~breaux | Website:www.senator.gov/senate/landrieu | Website:www.house.gov/tauzin |
| District No. | ||
| Hunt Downer, PO Box 7015, Houma, LA 70361-7015 | (985) 876-0870 | |
| Damon Baldone, 162 New Orleans Boulevard, Houma, LA 70364 | (985) 868-3427 | |
| District No. | ||
| Reggie Dupre, PO Box 3893, Houma, LA 70361 | (985) 876-9902 | |
| John Siracusa, 8905 US 90 East, Morgan City 70380 | (985) 384-0703 |
National Right To Life News, Suite 500, 419 7th St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004, Phone (202) 626-8800
Terrebonne-Lafourche Right To Life, P. O. Box 6041, Houma, LA 70361
(504)851-BABY
