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Strong Euthanasia Warning from Holland
By Bert P. Dorenbos, President Schreeuw om Leven (Cry for Life) Hilversum, Holland
Florida's Terri Case Opens the Door for Euthanasia in the USA
Florida's 6th Circuit Court Judge George Greer has ordered that Mrs. Terri Schindler-Schiavo's feeding tube be removed as of Wednesday October 15th at 2 P.M. That tube provides her with essential nutrition and hydration.
The request for this decision came from Mrs. Schiavo's husband Michael. Medical evidence and information given by Mrs. Schiavo's parents and other visitors prove that ending her life is a violation of Mrs. Schiavo's human rights.
The decision of the 6th Circuit Court of Florida is more important than the Supreme Court Decision to ban euthanasia in the United States of America. This Florida Court decision opens the (flood)gate of subjective decision making in cases of life and death.
At the moment that, in the Dutch debate on euthanasia, a court ruled that withholding food and fluid is a permissible medical treatment the road was paved for the Euthanasia Law that is in force in Holland now. It was in the case of Mrs. Ineke Stinissen, who had been in coma for several years that a Dutch court ruled in 1990 that food and fluid could be withheld from her. As is the case of Mrs. Schiavo, this was at the request of her husband. Mrs. Stinissen died shortly afterwards from starvation.
Since then the discussion about the termination of life has no longer been based on objective facts on the terminal illness in the life of a patient, but more and more on a subjective approach to the quality of that patient's life and the subjective view of professional and non professional persons about the right to life or death.
National Constitutions, the International Declaration on Human Rights, the recent United Nations Declarations are all based on the universal protection of the life of a person whatever his circumstances are and without any form of discrimination. In medical circles it is still accepted that, based on the historical Hippocratic Oath, a medical doctor will never apply his skill to kill a person.
It is not without reason that the United Nations Human Rights Commission has questioned the Dutch Government expressing its members' concern on the subjective regulations in the Dutch Euthanasia law which allows a doctor to kill a patient. These questions are still not answered. In Holland the debate has not stopped with the introduction of the euthanasia law but is is even increasing because doctors are still not willing to report their euthanasia cases. Patients are not sure if the doctor helps to kill or to cure. The Dutch Euthanasia Law is a very dangerous example to follow.
It is extremely important that those organizations who support the Supreme Court decision to ban Euthanasia take action against this Florida Court Decision. An appeal should be made.
We are available to help to answer your questions and to testify in this case.
Reprinted with permission of Bert P. Dorenbos, President Schreeuw om Leven (Cry for Life) Hilversum, Holland
Ph. +31 35 6244352, e-mail web site: www.schreeuwomleven.nl/english.htm
Related Statement
Taking a stand against causing death, March 2,2005
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