Sucide and the Culture of Death

Cal Thomas | Syndicated columnist | Updated: Jan 23, 2006

Sucide and the Culture of Death

January 19, 2006

The Supreme Court has upheld Oregon’s assisted suicide law – as they call it. A good sign is that the new Chief Justice, John Roberts, joined with Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia is dissent.

Thirty years ago, the late Dr. Francis Schaeffer and C. Everett Koop wrote a book and produced a film called “whatever happened to the human race?” Their work was prophetic in that they spoke of how all life is valuable, or none is. They asserted that abortion would inevitably lead to infanticide and euthanasia of the elderly and inconvenient. They were right and their book is as relevant today as when they wrote it.

Allowing doctors to take life instead of preserve it crosses another important line. The hard cases make bad law because they set precedents the courts then use to expand the right to kill. This isn’t about a right to die, but a right to kill. If people want to kill themselves, there are many avenues that do not involve doctors. 

The Oregon case sets an important precedent. Other states are sure to follow as the culture of death advances.


Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.

Sucide and the Culture of Death