Death with Dignity

The town where we dwell has a high proportion of oldsters, as a youngster at our local fellowship describes them. As the nation's Congress goes red this year and more and more social programs are aborted, life is becoming increasingly difficult and painful for such oldsters. But this "Christian" nation has grown so horrified at the idea of death (gasp) that the oldsters are required to clutch with their last fingernail at the metaphorical windowsill of life. Any younger relatives within range must put their own lives on hold in support of the weakening elders. That's the American dream. When ISIL casually murders five hundred people at a go--innocent people in every age group--how can human beings still claim that we honor life? Jack Kevorkian paid the price for being outspoken and for promoting the idea of death with dignity. In too many cases, people who have debilitating illnesses and/or endless unremitting pain to live on through the horrors of dependence and illness, especially when they have to eat cat food or dog food to make their budget work. Some states, Oregon and others, are now allowing what is called assisted suicide. Why not move toward a federal law that allows it? After all, as in so many cases (reflect on abortion, same-sex marriage ... you can probably think of others) optional is not mandatory. If you find my thinking is beyond the pale, refrain from subscribing to it. Is that concept beyond your grasp? In other words, you run yours and I'll run mine. That is called adult behavior. Blessed be. Yvonne