by Joshua Mercer, republished from Lifenews.com
A 76-year-old woman from Bridgeport, Connecticut, passed away in Vermont Thursday, Jan. 4 after legally giving herself a lethal dose of drugs.
Cancer patient Lynda Bluestein became the first person from out of state to die via “assisted suicide” in Vermont after she reached a legal settlement with the deep-blue state in March of last year.
Connecticut is one of the 80% of states where the deeply controversial practice is illegal. In fact, it is illegal in several other reliably Democratic states such as Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York.
Per the Associated Press (AP), Bluestein sued Vermont in 2022 “claiming its residency requirement” for “assisted suicide” violated “the Constitution’s commerce, equal protection, and privileges and immunities clauses.”
The AP noted that before her settlement, Bluestein “didn’t know if she’d be able to choose how or when and whether her family, friends and dog would be with her when the time comes.”
Less than two months after Bluestein settled her case, Republican Vermont Gov. Phil Scott signed a law expanding the practice to non-residents. The move made Vermont just the second state, following Oregon, to allow out-of-staters the ability to die there via “assisted suicide.”
The Daily Wire reported, “Since its legalization in 2013, 200 individuals have died using Vermont’s medically assisted suicide.”
“Over 150 of those cases sought suicide due to cancer, including Bluestein, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer,” The Daily Wire continued. “Only those with a terminal illness given six months or less to live qualify for medically assisted suicide, and the individual must self-administer the medication.”
In addition to Vermont and Oregon, eight other states and the District of Columbia have legalized the practice, but only for in-state residents. These states are California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Washington.
Montana is unique among the ten states with legal “assisted suicide” in that it allows the practice not because of any state-level law, but due to a 2009 state Supreme Court ruling.
“Assisted suicide” is illegal throughout the vast majority of the world. Only 14 countries allow it in some capacity.
In addition to the aforementioned 10 US states and DC, the practice is legal in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland.
“Assisted suicide” deaths are particularly on the rise in America’s northern neighbor, where the practice has been legal since 2016.
In an interview with CatholicVote two months ago, Dr. Tim Millea said that “assisted suicide” is now “accounting for more than four percent of deaths in Canada.”
“So that’s one out of every 20 people that died,” continued Millea, the chair of the Catholic Medical Association’s Health Care Policy Committee. “[I]f you look at the obituaries in a newspaper, one out of 20 deceased was killed by a doctor.”
LifeNews Note: Joshua mercer writes for CatholicVote, where this column originally appeared.
Categories: Life&Death
“In an interview with CatholicVote two months ago, Dr. Tim Millea said that “assisted suicide” is now “accounting for more than four percent of deaths in Canada.”
Do people understand that people have access to easily verified facts today? You want me to believe that 1 out of every 20 people in Canada died from assisted suicide when the actual number in 2022 was 13,241?
As a former Catholic, I’ve never understood the absolute fetishization of pain and suffering. Perhaps after every tragedy I’ve experienced in my life from my best friend’s suicide to miscarriages to my parents dying with, “it’s all part of God’s plan” half the state wouldn’t be atheist.
As a Vermonter, personally I am glad that we were able to help this poor woman’s suffering as opposed to prolonging her agony until god decides, “times up.”
People aren’t religious because the State is the new religion. The State is God.
In my opinion, if we couldn’t handle the pain and suffering it wouldn’t exist. The role of doctors is to try and help people live. What are the numbers of people given “6 months to live”, who have had full recoveries? How many tests are mixed up or incorrect? A society that promotes self-execution as a form of medicine isn’t a society that values life. With socialized and computer controlled medical systems, this behavior, if heavily adopted, is going to eventually escalate into mass genocide, and there will be triage killing when resources are scarce. It’s a slippery slope.
Most importantly, there are different opinions in society and people have a right to not support something. Government shouldn’t steal wealth from everyone to enforce what they think is right. This practice shouldn’t be subsidized by taxpayers in any way, and all these medical systems are subsidized so they must remain neutral. If they are going to do it, it needs to be in a private practice with private money.
72-hr waiting period for guns because you might kill yourself – Yet our bloated “health insurance” will pay for your death?
I’m not religious because the priest a town over molested two of my friends. What was Gods plan for that?
Pain and suffering are evolutionary responses to your body signaling something is wrong, but you probably have to believe in evolution to get that.
I urge you to actually read this law which requires a doctor to certify that you are terminal instead of creating a strawman to fit your narrative that eventually we’ll all be thrown in death camps by AOC and Soros.
Chris,
“If there is a meaning in life at all, then there must be a meaning in suffering. Suffering is an ineradicable part of life, even as fate and death. Without suffering and death human life cannot be complete.
“The way in which a person accepts their fate and all the suffering it entails, the way in which one takes up their cross, gives them ample opportunity – even under the most difficult circumstances – to add a deeper meaning to their life.
“Dostoevsky said once, ‘There is only one thing that I dread: not to be worthy of my sufferings.’”
Chris, I encourage you to read this book as it will give you a very different perspective on suffering that you now can’t even envision.
– Man’s Search for Meaning, Victor E. Frankl (Holocaust concentration camp survivor)
I did a deeper dive into this, some years ago, and in Europe, it shows that one country that first adopted this, rescinded the law/reg. A documentary was filmed oh, about 7 years ago and showed a person administering a lethal injection via intravenous fluids. She was depressed and had tried “everything”. I believe, but I could be incorrect, that two or three physicians had to certify that this was legit before she could apply for the program. Another person fought for years to be able to do this “legally” (she could have done it illegally any time she wanted) but as soon as she received permission, her feelings changed and she didn’t end up doing it. She just wanted “permission”. And she states she wasn’t aware of this until it happened.
And if you know anything about how hospice in the US works… you would understand the things that cannot be said. I cannot say as I still hold a license in this state.
I feel terribly sad for those who believe this is a good thing (along with abortion) especially when they then turn around and claim the death penalty is barbaric. I just don’t understand their disconnect.
And before anyone goes off on me, I have been with a LOT of dying people over the course of my 40 years in health care. Both in intensive care where I started my career and in home care where I spent the majority of my career. Going into someone’s home and providing care, meeting their family, seeing them as a whole person, is so vastly different than seeing someone in a hospital bed at the end of a tragic illness or injury. But regardless, dying is an inevitable part of life and being in pain is horrific to be sure, but sometimes it is inevitable. I also spent four years working in psychiatric nursing. Folks suffering from mental illness have excruciating mental/emotional pain that nothing we can give them helps them, regardless of what you hear. That is, in my humble opinion, more heart wrenching than dying of cancer or ALS. For them their illness doesn’t end in death unless they take it themselves. And most are young, under 50. For them, living in their “hell” for the remainder of their lives (because that is what this looks like to them) is incomprehensible. Yet some think it is okay for them to check out.
I don’t believe in assisted suicide. But I understand why some folks want it. I just think it’s not a good idea. I wish I could articulate it better than that.
I used to think differently, when I was young and inexperienced. I used to think people had a right to do what they wanted. I don’t think that anymore. But then again, I’m older and wiser and certainly more experienced than my younger self.
Just my humble opine.
Vermont, a State where death is promoted and merchandised. In other words, harvesting souls for profit with impunity and callousness. God will be the judge and those involved in this, on all levels, will be judged and condemned accordingly. Declared and decreed.
population control moving ahead at high speed///
Freedom of choice.
Actually she demanded assistance from the State of Vermont. So there’s that.
Freedom of choice – Includes the public’s choice to not engage in material support for things they don’t agree with. Keep it in a specialized private practice, with private money. Don’t make it part of the standard treatment options. I have 3 friends who were given the terminally ill diagnoses from a doctor who all recovered, and at least one of them told me that if they were offered death, they would have taken that offer. This is abysmal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esiagRgpJg0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up5k2Lx5SPI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2CQdJ6jtqo
In that case, why ask the government to terminate you? Many do it without any assistance or approval from the government? Somehow asking for assistance makes it less self-inflicted, less messy, or legit? There are several options that don’t require permission or assistance. Another spellbinding delusional action instigated by and controlled by the Masters.
Imagine the depravity of someone so intent on killing themselves “legally” that she sues a State where she doesn’t even reside in order to travel there and take advantage of its “services.”
Imagine also the line of shyster attorneys lining up to take that one on.
Lastly, imagine the glee and satisfaction of Vermont’s Progressive lawmakers when she finally used Vermont’s oh-so-delightfully-Progressive laws to end her life.
This would make a great movie, but you’d never believe the plot.
🙄
“I do hereby affirm my loyalty to the profession I am about to enter. I will be mindful always of my great responsibility to preserve the health and the life of my patients, to retain their confidence and respect both as a physician and a friend who will guard their secrets with scrupulous honor and fidelity, to perform faithfully my professional duties, to employ only those recognized methods of treatment consistent with good judgment and with my skill and ability, keeping in mind always nature’s laws and the body’s inherent capacity for recovery.
I will be ever vigilant in aiding in the general welfare of the community, sustaining its laws and institutions, not engaging in those practices which will in any way bring shame or discredit upon myself or my profession. ************** I will give no drugs for deadly purposes to any person, though it be asked of me.***************
I will endeavor to work in accord with my colleagues in a spirit of progressive cooperation and never by word or by act cast imputations upon them or their rightful practices.
I will look with respect and esteem upon all those who have taught me my art. To my college I will be loyal and strive always for its best interests and for the interests of the students who will come after me. I will be ever alert to further the application of basic biologic truths to the healing arts and to develop the principles of osteopathy which were first enunciated by Andrew Taylor Still.”
There doesn’t seem to be any moderation with Democrats any longer.
Not content with just decriminalizing illegal drug use, they now provide state-sponsored shoot-up centers…. you know… to make it safer.
Not content with letting people kill themselves using any standard time-tested method, they now provide state-sanctioned assisted suicide that explicitly gives doctors criminal, civil and professional immunity from violating their Hippocratic oaths (yep, that’s what they’re doing.)
Ask yourselves — who really benefits from these “protections?” Hint: it’s not the individual.
And when are the state-sponsored brothels coming? I mean, that’s the next individual freedom we need help with, right?