Oh, regarding the mentally healthy enough thing, there's been a minor media uproar (read: consistent mention) of a recent finding that about a third of the people exercising Oregon's Death With Dignity law were diagnosibly depressed. A requirement of the law is that such folks get referred to a mental health professional. No one was referred. It is, indeed, a nasty can of worms, but my first reaction was to think that of course they're depressed--they're terminally ill and often in physical pain! Who wouldn't be depressed? That's normal! But then there are folks who might actually beat the disease, or at least live productively for years with their pain (fibromyalgia, anyone?) who choose death early. Yeah, nasty can of worms. Oh, and I learned today that there was actually a Supreme Court decision authorizing Oregon's law, against Ashcroft's objections (yes, that long ago--I remember it now, but my brain apparently didn't think it important enough to commit to long-term memory).
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In fact I think I will steal this one...
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