I finally got around to reading an excellent article that appeared some time ago in the New York Times Magazine . In “Death in the Family,” Daniel Berger writes of the former governor of Washington State, Booth Gardner, who now has Parkinson’s and wants the right to end his life. He knows, however, that euthanasia for those who are not terminally ill will not pass public muster, so he is working on an incremental strategy, beginning with the legalization of assisted suicide for the terminally ill. The article talks of his campaign, but talks just as much, if not more, about the efforts against assisted suicide. First there is Gardner’s own son, who is an evangelical and against assisted suicide. Then there is a feminist, a Latino politician, and a disability-rights activist (himself a quadriplegic), all of whom worry about the impact that such a law would have on society’s ability to dispose of those it does not want. Despite a conclusion that seems tacked on by another hand, the article insightfully explores the debate surrounding assisted suicide and provides ample testimony of those who support the culture of life for reasons other than those of religion. Those interested in learning more about the debate over the right to life and the right to die will benefit from giving “Death in the Family” a read.
