----Original Message-----
From: Kenneth Wolman <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, March 25, 2005 2:53 AM
Subject: Re: A Rose for Emily & the Schindler Family
>The breaking point was in reading of a Dutch law which, I believe,
allows severely damaged babies to be put to death. Oh, we can say
'starved' or something like that, but one human being is making the
choice to execute another who is defenseless.
"put to death" is a loaded word. "execute" is a loaded word. It means a specific thing; and I am not sure that you are justified in bringing in all the connotations which it carries to an entirely different situation. It carries inapplicable connotations and you have not demonstrated their applicability.
It is rare if at all for one person to make such a decision in Holland. Lonely decisions like that have been forced on the doctors because there is no law - please note. There is now a move to make such a law and the proposals are that the decision will be shared by the doctors involved, an outside doctor, a state legal person and the parents - please note.
This law will apply to relatively few babies, babies born with such terrible malformations they are in constant pain, who often cannot be touched without injuring them, for whom pain killers don't work or exacerbate the situation.
We could say it is making provision to relieve a human being of unspeakable suffering when that human being is unable to ask for or effect any relief
Also, your terms are generally applicable to those who have somehow infringed. The few children we are talking about are not old enough and will not live long enough to commit any crime. So the link you propose later with actual executions and your reference to forgiveness and mercy don't refer - except that mercy would seem to be in the hands of the doctors ending unviable lives
Contraception is fine. Let's encourage it. But what has that to do with people being born malformed? Contraception is indiscriminate.
>.So this selfish bastard--yes, for what is suicide but a "fuck you"
gesture to people who love and care for you?
It is a lot of things else, Ken; and I doubt anyone who has ever been near to suicide would say what you have said - as with your use of "execute" earlier you are asserting assumptions as unproblematic facts
L
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