I wonder how the forum civil rights sits with the end of life choices that just passed in the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court sent this subject back to the individual states for the voters to decide just as they did 3 times in the State of Oregon.

I'm on the Board of Directors of the N.W. Phoenix Arizona group and our time is very busy trying to make all Arizonans aware of their choices when they find themselves with a painful terminal disease.

There is a lot of paperwork with multiple doctors and attorneys before any patient can ask for help with their death. A psychological evaluation is also made to rule out a simple depression.

There are a long list of diseases that bring about terrible pain and loss of dignity and I personally feel it is just another item that must be kept out of the authority of the Federal Government and the Attorney General's office.

During the Terri Shiavo mess, lthe people of America made it clear to their Representatives to stay out of the case and any other case that might be brought to the White House, Senate or House, that involves personal choices.

Any comments on this, please.

i'm all for people being able to make the decision on weather they want to die when placed in the situation of being in a terminal, or debilitating illness. honestly, if my quality of life was reduced to the point in which i cannot even breathe nor eat without asistance from machines i would rather die; so i have a living will for that situation. I would probably feel the same if i get an incurable illness / cancer

i think the psychiatric evaluation is a good idea as well, to keep people who are simply depressed and treatable from making a rash decision when there are many other alternatives to cure their illness.

It does sound like a humane thing, as well as a fairly clear case of personal freedom.

However, the same reasoning behind being against the death penalty applies here. All it takes is one case where the person is clinically depressed or lying about their pain or whatever, and the whole thing gets thrown into a tizzy.

Albeit the chances being very remotely small, they still exist. An innocent person could die. Many feel Terry Schiavo was an innocent. Death is a very permanent solution and as humans, we are fallible. The debate is whether that fallibility is worth it. Are the collective agonoizing pains of millions worth the life of that one that gets through the system?

Of course, on the other hand, nobody lives forever.