On Feb 28, 2005, at 1:39 PM, Marta Russell wrote:
>>
>> I've missed the euthanasia moment. I've seen a long and painful
>> process that ended with an assisted suicide. Maybe we've seen two
>> different movies.
>>
>> ciao,
>> alessandro
>>
>
> You must not understand the law.
which one? To my knowledge there is only a PAS law in Oregon (under future scrutiny of the SC: Oregon vs Ashcroft). Linguistically, euthanasia, if not preceded by the adjective "voluntary" excludes the participation of the person who will die (by, from the greek, a "sweet death"). "Voluntary euthanasia" is assisted suicide, since implies the incapacity of the person who intends to die to perform the deed him/herself. Anyhow, the fact that the/one law defines ( Oregon's Death with Dignity Law, among the others worldwide) assisted suicide only the prescription of a lethal drug and the mere guidance of the procedure by a physician does not make Maggie's death "euthanasia", which is an act of pity, at its best. Frankie is the hand that Maggie lacks. The rest is technicality. If I had to "understand" what the "law" says, I would consider the death penalty an act of justice, but I still like to call it homicide.
ciao, alessandro