Every year for at least the past decade, about 100 Oregonians aged 65 and older have killed themselves — enough to place the state well above the nation’s elder suicide rate and fourth among states, all in the West, with the highest rates.
In Oregon and across the nation, suicide rates are highest among older adults — especially older men — and escalate sharply after age 65. But Oregon, for reasons that are not altogether clear, follows only Nevada, Wyoming and Alaska in 2003 for having high concentrations of suicide among its most senior citizens. The suicide in question is not the doctor-assisted variety.
Oregon officials, anticipating the wave of baby boomers approaching their vulnerable years, on Monday responded with an effort to hold down the suicide rate. Their plan, two years in the making, outlines ways groups can work together to promote awareness of suicide’s danger to older citizens.
So if the state does it then it is okay, but I guess they want to crack down on the do-it-yourself-ers. And of course the Oregonian never mentions the state-assisted suicide law in the article as it tries to analyze the reasons for the increase.
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I assume that the doctors get paid when they “assist” offing someone so maybe the liberal powers in the state government see the do-it-yourslefers as infringing on some union.
“The tide of boomers brings an urgency to the problem of suicide.”
What exactly does the State of Oregon think the “problem” is? Hasn’t the State committed itself to the belief that offing oneself is the best thing that one could do, in circumstances just like these? How can exercising one’s sacred right to do whatever one wishes to one’s own body be a “problem” for Oregon, rather than a “celebration” of individual liberty?
“It is simply because that according to some doctor, or because of the decision of some committee, they have no longer a right to live because they are �unproductive citizens�. The opinion is that since they can no longer make money, they are obsolete machines, comparable with some old cow that can no longer give milk or some horse that has gone lame….They may be legitimately done away with when they can no longer fulfil their function. Here we are dealing with human beings, with our neighbours, brothers and sisters, the poor and invalids . . . unproductive�perhaps! But have they, therefore, lost the right to live? Have you or I the right to exist only because we are �productive�?
SERMON DELIVERED BY BISHOP CLEMENS AUGUST COUNT OF GALEN ON AUGUST 3, 1941 ATTACKING THE NAZI PRACTICE OF EUTHANASIA.
Instead of Doctors, wouldn’t it be more time and cost efficent to send around squads of the police or army and just shoot them? Or maybe we could just renovate old folk’s homes into gas chambers.
But if there are no doctors to offer suicide, won’t we just go back to the dark ages with back-alley suicides and deaths by coat hangers? Keep your rosaries of my, err, death wishes.
They want to make suicide legal, rare, and… er… safe.
Yes, we don’t want any dangerous suicides. Hordes of aging boomers trying to DYI their own death may botch it up and end up living.
Oh the humanity!
The do-it-yourselfers will taint the soylent green!
It’s much more pure, happy, clean, antiseptic and regulated in the parlors.
Four out of five dieticians surveyed say the fresh soylent green from the professional parlors is much tastier, and higher in vitamins and minerals!
“Their plan, two years in the making, outlines ways groups can work together to promote awareness of suicide’s danger to older citizens.”
What? How do they go about that? “In case you didn’t know, folks, suicide can kill you.”
What would the public service announcements look like?
(Scene of running car in closed garage)
ANNOUNCER’S VOICE: Accidents are just waiting to happen. In your own car…
(Scene of a bathtub with a plugged-in radio on the brink)
ANNOUNCER: In your own bath…
(Scene of a necktie dangling from a rafter)
ANNOUNCER: In your own attic or unfinished basement…
(Scene of several smiling people of all races and genders, wearing white.)
ANNOUNCER: Don’t risk a botched suicide at home. Call in a pro. We’re here to help.