Charges
Filed
in Georgia Assisted-Suicide Death
Four members of the assisted-suicide network, Final Exit, were charged
on Tuesday with helping a 58-year-old Georgia man kill himself.
A grand jury indicted Thomas Goodwin and three others with assisting in
the death of John Celmer, after notes were found suggesting Celmer had
sought help from Final Exit. Celmer was diagnosed with mouth and
throat cancer, but reports indicate he was in remission at the time of
his death.
Wesley Smith, senior fellow in human rights and bioethics at the
Discovery Institute, said terminal illness is often used as a reason
for assisted suicide, but it's not the ultimate goal.
"The ultimate goal, it seems to me," he said, "is a radical
individualism that says people have the right to die at the time and in
the manner of their choosing, and the place of their choosing.
But
this is a very insidious movement that dulls people's understanding of
the importance and sanctity of human life."
He said the indictments will be used by assisted-suicide groups to
distance themselves from "radicals" and to promote state legislation
they say would prevent future abuses.
"The only problem is, state guidelines don't protect against abuses,"
he said, "and the very people they claim are radicals are their
colleagues in the World Federation of Right to Die Societies."
Contact: Kim Trobee
Source:
CitizenLink
Publish
Date:
March
10,
2010
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coordinating body for local pro-life chapters representing thousands of
Illinois citizens working to restore respect for all human life in our
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persuasions, various faiths and diverse economic, social and ethnic
backgrounds. Since 1973 the Illinois Federation for Right to Life has
been working to end abortion and restore legal protection to those members of the
human family who are threatened by abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. Diverse though we are, we hold one common belief - that
every human being has an inalienable right to life that is precious and must be protected. IFRL is
dedicated to restoring the right to life to the unborn, and protection
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