It has come to this

If we are so ambivalent about end of life issues at this point, where are we headed?

A new Environics poll has found that Canadians are split on the question of palliative care versus euthanasia. When asked if they would choose palliative care over euthanasia at the end of their lives, 44% of Canadians polled said they would choose palliative care with an equal number choosing euthanasia.

Do people even know what they’re talking about? How many of us understand palliative care? The right-to-die movement has done their PR work. Which works better on younger, healthier people.

“It is note worthy that older Canadians polled were more likely to choose palliative care,” reported Dr. Delores Doherty, president of LifeCanada, the group that commissioned the poll. Among those over 60 years old, 51% of respondents would choose palliative care and 36% would choose euthanasia. “This suggests that those closer to the end of their lives have a different perspective on illness and dying.”

And on the business of “choice”.

Our modern culture is so deceived by words. When the ‘Hemlock Society’ becomes ‘Compassion and Choices’, and people buy the argument that ending human life is a right, we have lost our sanity.

“We find the poll support for euthanasia alarming and wonder if those polled realize that this is the deliberate ending of their lives. The conflict evident in the results reflects the fear people have of dying in misery.

All of our guests on ‘America’s Lifeline’ discuss this crisis. Rita Marker was on last week to help people sort through end of life issues that shouldn’t be so complicated….but are. Wesley J. Smith is coming back next Saturday, to challenge assumptions like the above. We’ve made a radio spot out of a clip from one of his visits…”Do we give a damn about each other anymore or not?”