tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14946839606438354942024-03-18T15:04:27.102-07:00Margaret DoreWorking against assisted suicide and euthanasiaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-71720604751162648792024-03-11T23:16:00.000-07:002024-03-11T23:53:29.259-07:00My Personal Experience With Assisted Suicide<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkoh7p9AIub0m_p-tZX3UsthZT0-6nBYYSm018VpxbQvVnRJSHAewOSQlkfTogg0DGaef1WjHvPOf965kURh9a8MHYRIp4k0XG6C8-rf8MbqAXmPQsZ6ASgZ1lxhPFcVLQPuQTr_MpvM9jcLnkiwd8dyATeDaYKnqxkuts_UBhDq54qB-AO_wNytFNFb1/s500/Seward%20Park%20Playground.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkoh7p9AIub0m_p-tZX3UsthZT0-6nBYYSm018VpxbQvVnRJSHAewOSQlkfTogg0DGaef1WjHvPOf965kURh9a8MHYRIp4k0XG6C8-rf8MbqAXmPQsZ6ASgZ1lxhPFcVLQPuQTr_MpvM9jcLnkiwd8dyATeDaYKnqxkuts_UBhDq54qB-AO_wNytFNFb1/w193-h145/Seward%20Park%20Playground.jpg" width="193" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By Margaret Dore</span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In another life, I talked three young men down from suicide.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222;">What I think happened is that a final exit network type person had given them my phone number by mistake. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">This was before the age of caller ID.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I was contacted by each of the three young men over a period of time, each one wanting assistance to kill himself. </span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">I called a suicide prevention person to ask what I should do,</span><i style="font-family: inherit;"> </i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><i>i.e.</i>, with regard to the first one. The person told me to ask the suicidal person why? To engage him. <span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">So that’s what I did. I met each one at a local Seattle park, which I thought would be safe for me and asked him why, and then I tried to expand to other topics. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The last one I got him laughing. He told me that he no longer felt like killing himself.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To the best of my knowledge they all lived, but I don't know for sure.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-46015457164238742632023-06-30T10:41:00.008-07:002023-06-30T13:15:33.367-07:00Margaret Dore Files Brief Seeking to Overturn New Jersey Euthanasia Act<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4sKnDDpQPEe3Ubu0qRhGKnVRzx_LoQTubxd3LEUV0es52ZzcfhOzQdSCasRpuzQrbgl_wg7c5pVK92ISSEXLz_eaPYtua3xNplVdmf4kds0OuKLF6DmAGSEICr7ZUX_m5nKLMWA2wuwDlD_O_lmxZ-EFp3Z38Zypsne04DSgCiJ_VdMGVVnoK8cBL2L14" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="469" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4sKnDDpQPEe3Ubu0qRhGKnVRzx_LoQTubxd3LEUV0es52ZzcfhOzQdSCasRpuzQrbgl_wg7c5pVK92ISSEXLz_eaPYtua3xNplVdmf4kds0OuKLF6DmAGSEICr7ZUX_m5nKLMWA2wuwDlD_O_lmxZ-EFp3Z38Zypsne04DSgCiJ_VdMGVVnoK8cBL2L14=w156-h156" width="156" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/dore-amicus-brief-nj-supreme-court-06-06-23.pdf" target="_blank">Click this link</a> to view Margaret Dore's amicus brief as filed on June 6, 2023. The version below has been reformatted to accommodate this site.<br /></span><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">PRELIMINARY STATEMENT</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amicus Curiae Margaret Dore, who argued the cause below in <i>Petro v. Platkin, </i>472 N.J. Super. 536, 277 A.3d 480 (2022), seeks to overturn the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act as unconstitutional. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The case was initially filed as <i>Glassman v. Grewel</i>, then renamed <i>Petro v.</i> <i>Grewel</i>, and then renamed <i>Petro v. Platkin</i>. This brief is submitted in support of the petitioners: Dr. Joseph Glassman, MD; Manish Pujara, a licensed pharmacist; and Anthony Petro, a patient.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Act’s findings describe the Act as “entirely voluntary.” There is, however, no enforcement mechanism to make this so. Deaths per the Act are allowed to occur in private, without a witness or even a doctor present.... </span></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">If the patient objected or struggled against administration of the lethal dose, would anyone, other than the person who administered the lethal dose, know what happened? More to the point, the Act allows deaths to occur on both a voluntary and involuntary basis.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Motivations of assisting persons can be financial, for example, to secure an inheritance before mom or dad changes the will. Motivations can also be personal, for example, due to jealousy or to settle a score. <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Act is based on similar acts in Oregon and Washington State. All three acts apply to persons with a life expectancy of six months or less. A well-known example is Oregonian Jeanette Hall, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2000 and made a settled decision to die via Oregon’s Act. Her doctor, however, encouraged her to be treated for cancer instead. She eventually agreed, experiencing a full recovery. Hall is alive today, twenty three years later.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The New Jersey Constitution has two rules to determine the constitutionality of a legislative enactment: (1) the single subject rule; and (2) the object in title rule. In order for a legislative enactment to be constitutional, there must be compliance with both rules. Here, the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act complies with the single subject rule, but not the object in title rule. The Act is therefore unconstitutional and must be set aside. This Court must so order. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>IDENTITY AND INTEREST OF AMICUS CURIAE</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Margaret Dore is a guardianship, elder law, and adult abuse attorney, licensed to practice law in Washington State.[1] In that capacity, she has seen the terrible things that people do to each other for money, especially in the inheritance context. Her publications include: “Preventing Abuse and Exploitation: A Personal Shift in Focus (An Article about Guardianship, Elder Abuse and Assisted Suicide).”[2]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dore is also an appellate lawyer and former law clerk to the Washington State Supreme Court and the Washington State Court of Appeals.[3] She worked for a year with the United States Department of Justice and has been in private practice since 1990.[4] Dore is also president of two nonprofit corporations opposed to assisted suicide and euthanasia: Choice is an Illusion, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation; and the Foundation for Choice is an Illusion, a 501(c)(3) public charity. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dore has personally appeared and testified against the legalization of these practices in 20 U.S. legislatures and also internationally. A copy of her curriculum vitae and the Act are part of the record and also attached hereto.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>DEFINITIONS</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Act does not define physician-assisted suicide, assisted suicide, or euthanasia.[5] Per the American Medical Association, “physician-assisted suicide” occurs when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing the means or information to enable the patient to perform the life-ending act.[6] For example:</span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">[T]he physician provides sleeping pills and information about the lethal dose, while aware that the patient may commit suicide.[7]</span></blockquote><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Assisted suicide” is a general term in which the assisting person is not necessarily a physician. “Euthanasia” is the administration of a lethal agent by another person.[8] <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here, the Act allows the above practices in substance, but terms them medical aid in dying. The Act also defines euthanasia and assisted suicide out of the Act, stating:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>Nothing in [the Act] shall be construed to</i>:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">a. <i>authorize a physician or any other person to end a patient's life by</i> lethal injection, active euthanasia, or mercy killing, <i>or any act that constitutes assisted suicide </i>under any law of this State.... (Emphasis added).[9]</span></blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">QUESTIONS PRESENTED</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Whether the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act is unconstitutional due to its failure to comply with the object in title rule of the New Jersey Constitution?<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Whether the petitioners, who live in New Jersey and are therefore subject to death via the Act, have standing to overturn the Act?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Whether <i>Petro v. Platkin</i> must be overturned?</span></p><div><blockquote style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">THE PETITIONERS ARE ENTITLED TO APPEAL AS OF RIGHT</span></b></blockquote></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The petitioners are entitled to appeal as of right to the New Jersey Supreme Court, per Rule 2:2-1(a), which states:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Appeals may be taken to the Supreme Court from final judgments as of right: (1) in cases determined by the Appellate Division involving a substantial question arising under the Constitution of ... this State ....</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the case at bar, the substantial question arising under the Constitution of this State is the object in title rule. The petitioners are entitled to appeal as of right.</span></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">REASONS WHY CERTIFICATION TO THE SUPREME</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>COURT </b><b>S</b><b>HOULD BE</b><b> ALLOWED</b></span></div></b></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Rule 2:12-4 states:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">Certification will be granted ... if the decision under review is in conflict with any other decision of the same or a higher court ....</span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the case at bar, the New Jersey Supreme Court case, <i>Grover v. Trustees of Ocean Grove Camp-Meeting Association</i>, 45 N.J.L. 399, 16 Vroom 399 (1883), is in conflict with the New Jersey Appellate Division case, <i>Petro v. Platkin</i>. This is with regard to the object in title rule of the New Jersey Constitution.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In <i>Grover</i>, the New Jersey Supreme Court applied the object in title rule, to partially overturn legislation, stating:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i></i></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>We think that under the restrictive title adopted by the legislature for this act, it was not competent for that body to legislate for licensing, regulating and prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors</i>, and that those provisions of the act, however salutary they may be, must fail, because of the non-compliance with the constitutional requirement. (Emphasis added).[10]<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In <i>Petro v. Platkin</i>, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, mentions the object in title rule three times, but does not apply it, rendering the rule as of no effect.[11] <i>Grover</i>, which applied the object in title rule, and <i>Petro</i>, which failed to apply the same rule, are therefore in conflict regarding the rule. Certification must be allowed to uphold the Constitution.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">PROCEDURAL HISTORY</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">On August 9, 2019, Dr. Glassman initiated the instant action before the trial court. The Attorney General appeared to defend the Act. Multiple pleadings followed. <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">On December 19, 2019, Dore filed an amicus brief seeking to overturn the Act. On March 20, 2020, attorney for the petitioners, E. David Smith, submitted a letter brief to the trial court, clarifying the Act with regard to its title. Smith stated:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">[T]he title of the Act implies that the patient is in the process of dying when, in fact, the statute only requires a “terminal” diagnosis which means an estimation (more appropriately speculation) of six months to live based on statistical outcomes. <i>There is no medical assurance that the person is actually dying or will die. Poisoning the patient is causing the dying, not aiding the dying</i>. (Emphasis added).[12]<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></blockquote><span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre;"></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The trial court subsequently dismissed the case. Glassman and the other petitioners appealed to the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division. On June 10, 2022, the Appellate Division issued <i>Petro v. Platkin</i>, upholding the Act.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">HOW THE ACT WORKS</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">A.<span style="white-space: pre;"> <span> </span></span>Persons Subject to the Act May Have Years or Decades to Live</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As noted supra, the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act applies to persons predicted to have six months or less to live. Such persons may in fact have years or decades to live. This is true based on the Oregon and Washington experience with their similar Acts, and common knowledge that predictions of illness and death can be wrong. See for example: “12 Million Americans Misdiagnosed Each Year,” CBS News at Smith Pa304; and Nina Shapiro, “Terminal Uncertainty,” at Smith Pa305-308.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Consider also this affidavit by John Norton submitted to a legislative committee in Quebec, Canada, in 2014. Norton, then age 74, testifies: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I was eighteen years old ..., I was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)... I was told that I would get progressively worse (be paralyzed) and die in three to five years... </span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">Six years after my initial diagnosis, the disease progression stopped.... </span></blockquote><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">If assisted suicide or euthanasia had been available to me in the 1950's, I would have missed the bulk of my life and my life yet to come.[13]</span></blockquote><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>B.<span style="white-space: pre;"> <span> </span></span>Self-Administration Is Not Required</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act states: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Self-administer” means a qualified terminally ill patient’s act of physically administering, to the patient’s own self, medication that has been prescribed pursuant to [the Act].[14]</span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nothing in this definition or any other part of the Act says that self-administration is required.[15] Self-administration may also not be feasible, for example, if the patient objects to administration, or due to complications such as myocloneus (involuntary muscle contractions).[16] Self-administration is, regardless, not required.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>C.<span style="white-space: pre;"> <span> </span></span>No Required Oversight</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once the lethal dose is issued by the pharmacy, there is no required oversight.[17] As noted supra, no witness, not even a doctor, is required to be present at the death.[18] In addition, the drugs used are water or alcohol soluble, such that they can be injected into a sleeping or restrained person without consent.[19] Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director for the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, put it this way:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">With assisted suicide laws in Washington and Oregon [and with the New Jersey Act], perpetrators can ... take a “legal” route, by getting an elder to sign a lethal dose request. <i>Once the prescription is filled, there is no supervision over administration. As Ms. Dore describes, even if a patient struggled, “who would know?</i>” (Emphasis added).[20] </span></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <b>D. The Americans with Disabilities Act Would Override </b><b>Any Prohibition of Euthanasia </b></span></p><p></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b></span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a U.S. federal civil rights law “that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in every day activities, including medical services.”[21] Here, the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act repeatedly refers to the lethal dose as “medication,” thereby rendering it a medical service.[22]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Per the ADA, medical care providers are required “to make their services available in an accessible manner.”[23] This includes:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i></i></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>reasonable modifications to policies, practices, and procedures when necessary to make health care services fully available to individuals with disabilities</i>, unless the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the services .... (Emphasis added).[24]</span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here, the fundamental nature of the services provided is the provision of a lethal dose of medication to end patient lives. If, for the purpose of argument, the New Jersey Act can be read as requiring self-administration, the ADA would nonetheless require providers to make a reasonable accommodation for individuals unable to self-administer. For example, by providing the assistance of another person to administer the lethal dose. This is euthanasia as traditionally defined. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>E.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Aid in Dying” Means Euthanasia</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>The Act’s name, “Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act,” contains the phrase “aid in dying.” Aid in dying has been a euphemism for active euthanasia since at least 1989. See, for example, Craig A. Brandt, “Model Aid-in-Dying Act,” Iowa Law Review (“Subject: Active Euthanasia ....”), </span>1989-10.[25]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <b>F.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Deaths Per the Act Are Natural as a Matter of Law</b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In New Jersey, death certificates have five categories for reporting the manner of death, four of which are substantive: (1) natural; (2) accident; (3) suicide; and (4) homicide.[26] The fifth category is “undetermined.”[27]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Per the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act, a death occurring in accordance with the Act does not constitute suicide or homicide. The Act states: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Any action taken in accordance with</u> the provisions of <u>[the Act] shall not constitute</u> patient abuse or neglect, suicide, assisted suicide, mercy killing, euthanasia, or homicide <u>under any</u> <u>law of this State</u>. (Emphasis added).[28]</span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The death is also not an accident due its having been an intended event. This leaves the last substantive category: “natural.” Deaths occurring pursuant to the Act are natural as a matter of law. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>G.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Act Allows the Patient’s Heirs to Inherit From the Patient They Helped Kill </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">New Jersey’s slayer statute prevents a killer from inheriting from his or her victim. The statute states:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i></i></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><i>An individual who is responsible for the intentional killing of the decedent forfeits all benefits under this title with respect to the decedent's estate</i> .... (Emphasis added).[29]</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The rationale is that a criminal should not be allowed to benefit from his or her crime.[30] </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Per the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act, however, persons who are beneficiaries of a patient’s estate, who participate in killing that person, are allowed to inherit. This is because deaths per the Act are certified as natural. With passage of the Act, New Jersey residents with money, meaning the middle class and above, have been rendered sitting ducks to their heirs.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>H.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>No Paper Trail</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">With deaths per the Act certified as natural, there is no paper trail via death certificates as to the number of people who have died via the Act. How many have there been to date? Does anyone know?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">ARGUMENT</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>POINT I</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b></span></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b></span></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b></span></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">THE MEDICAL AID IN DYING FOR THE TERMINALLY ILL ACT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL</span></b></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b></span></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b></span></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Constitution of New Jersey is the basic governing document of the state. To date, there have been three constitutions.[31] The second and third constitutions were issued in 1844 and 1947, respectively.[32] Both constitutions set forth the object in title rule, which states:</span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">[E]very law shall embrace but one object, and that shall be expressed in the title.[33]</span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>A.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Constitution Has Made the Act’s Title the Conclusive Index to Legislative Intent</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Judge Cooley [author of “A Treatise on the Constitutional Limitations, Which Rest Upon the Legislative Power of the States of the American Union”] says:</span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">“The legislature may make the title of an act as restrictive as they please, and they may sometimes so frame it as to preclude many matters being included in the act which might, with entire propriety, have been embraced in one enactment with the matters indicated by the title, but which must now be excluded because the title has been made unnecessarily restrictive. * * * </span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">The constitution has made the title the conclusive index to the legislative intent; and it is no answer *403 to say that the title might have been made more comprehensive, if the legislature have not seen fit to make it so.” <i>Cooley on Const. Lim.</i> [149], 179. The precedents in this state are in accordance with this view. <i>Rader v. Township of Union</i>, 10 Vroom 509-512; <i>Evernham v. Hulit</i>, 45 N.J.L. 53. In each of these cases an act of the legislature which contained subjects the legislature might have embraced in one act was held to be unconstitutional as to one subject, because the title of the act was so framed as not to embrace it. (Spacing changed).[34]<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></blockquote><span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre;"></span></span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">B.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Violations of the Object in Title Rule May Lead to Partial Invalidation of an Act</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Grover</i> states: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">No particular form has been framed for the expression of the legislative purpose in the title of an act.... But the court must see that the language used in the title, on a fair construction, indicates the purpose of the legislature to legislate on the subjects contained in the body of the act, so that, making every reasonable intendment in favor of the legislative act, it may reasonably be said that the object of the law is expressed in its title. </span></blockquote><p></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thus, in <i>Town of Fishkill v. Fishkill, &c., Co</i>., 22 Barb. 634, an act of the legislature was entitled “An act to release the Fishkill and Beekman Plank Road Company from the construction of part of their road, and for other purposes.” It contained eight sections, the first of which released the company from the obligation to build and maintain a plank road any further than the portion of the road which had been inspected and certified. The other sections conferred upon the corporation additional powers with respect to the road already constructed, and discharged it from past acts and engagements.</span></blockquote><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The court held that, although all these provisions might have been included in one law, as they related to one general subject, the act was, nevertheless, unconstitutional with respect to the last seven sections, for the reason that, so far as they were concerned, the object of the act was not expressed in the title</i>. (Some emphasis added; Spacing changed).[35] </span></blockquote><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>C.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Violation of the Object in Title Rule May Be So Severe as to Invalidate an Entire Act</b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In <i>Coutieri v. Mayor of New Brunswick</i>, 15 Vroom 58, the title of the act was “An act to fix and regulate the salaries of city officers in cities of this state.” The body of the act related only to salaries of officers in the city of New Brunswick. In a general sense the subject of the act was indicated in its title. <i>But this court held the act to be unconstitutional, the Chief Justice, in delivering the opinion of the court, saying: “The title is both false and deceptive--false, as it imports a regulation of a class of cities, when, in truth, it is applicable to a single city--deceptive, because no one, on reading the act, could reasonably understand that the body of the act was to have so limited an effect</i>.” (Emphasis added, some spacing changed).[36]</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">D.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act is Unconstitutional; It Must Be Set Aside</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As previously noted by E. David Smith:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>[T]he title of the Act implies that the patient is in the process of dying when, in fact, the statute only requires a “terminal” diagnosis</i> which means an estimation (more appropriately speculation) of six months to live based on statistical outcomes. <i>There is no medical assurance that the person is actually dying or will die. Poisoning the patient is causing the dying, not aiding the dying</i>. (Emphasis added).[37]</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">More to the point, the Act allows the direct killing of non-dying persons via poison. <i>This material fact is not disclosed by the Act’s title. For this reason alone, the Act is unconstitutional and must be set aside</i>.[38] </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Act is also unconstitutional for the following reasons:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. The Act’s title, “Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act,” gives no hint as to the required falsification of death certificates, to report deaths via the Act as natural, thereby providing a legal cover up;</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. The Act’s title, “Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act,” gives no hint that the patient’s <span>h</span>eirs, who are allowed to cause patient deaths via the Act, are also allowed to inherit from the patients they helped kill, contrary to New Jersey’s preexisting slayer’s statute; and </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. The Act’s title, “Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act,” combined with the Act’s preamble, describing the Act as “entirely voluntary,” is plain out false. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">POINT II</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">COMMENT WITH RESPECT TO <i>PETRO V. PLATKIN</i></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Appellate Division’s opinion in <i>Petro v. Platkin</i> conflates the constitutional rules at issue (single object/object in title), which can be seen in the quote below:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">A. <i>Single Object Rule</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Plaintiffs contend that the Act is unconstitutional because its title is “deceptive and misleading.” Specifically, they argue that the Act's title “fails the object in title test”.... [39]</span></p></blockquote><blockquote><p></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Appellate Division’s reasoning makes no sense. The petitioners are entitled to appeal as of right to enforce the New Jersey Constitution.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>POINT III</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">THE PETITIONERS HAVE STANDING</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Appellants (Glassman, Pujara and Petro) have standing to bring this action to invalidate the Act, because as residents of New Jersey, the Act, allowing involuntary death, applies to them. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>CONCLUSION</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Act’s title, the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act, is materially misleading for the reasons set forth above. The Act is unconstitutional and must be set aside. <i>Petro v. Platkin</i> must be overruled.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Respectively submitted June 6, 2023</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Margaret K. Dore, Esq. </span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">FOOTNOTES: </span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[1]<span> </span>Dore Curriculum Vitae, Dore pages 18-21, attached at A-1 to A-4.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[2]<span> </span><span>The Voice of Experience, American Bar Association, Volume 25, No. 4, Winter 2014, available at at: </span><a href="https://qa.americanbar.org/groups/senior_lawyers/publications/voice_of_experience/2014/winter/preventing_abuse_and_exploitationa_personal_shift_focus">https://qa.americanbar.org/groups/senior_lawyers/publications/voice_of_experience/2014/winter/preventing_abuse_and_exploitationa_personal_shift_focus</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[3]<span> </span>Dore Curriculum Vitae, at note 1.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[4]<span> Id.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[5]<span><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>See the Act in its entirety, attached hereto at pages A-5 to A-20.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[6]<span> </span><span>AMA Code of Medical Ethics Opinion 5.7, Dore Page 38.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[7]<span> Id.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[8]<span> </span>AMA Code of Medical Ethics Opinion 5.8, Dore Page 39. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[9]<span> </span>N.J.S.A. 26:16-15.a, Dore pages 29-30. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[10] <span><i>Grover</i>, 45 N.J.L. at 405. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[11] <i> </i><span><i>Petro v. Platkin</i>, 472 N.J. Super. at 554 and 563.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[12] <span>Smith Pa359 (last paragraph). </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[13] Norton affidavit available at Smith Pa 309 to 311. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[14] Definition attached hereto at page A-7.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[15] See the Act in its entirety, attached hereto at pages A-5 to A-20. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[16] <span>“Myoclonus,” National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke,” further information available at </span><a href="http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/myoclonus">www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/myoclonus</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[17] <span>See the Act, attached hereto at pages A-5 to A-20. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[18] <span>Ibid. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[19] <span>The drugs used include Secobarbital, Pentobarbital and Phenobarbital, which are water and/or alcohol soluble. See also <a href="http://www.drugs.com/pr/seconal-sodium.html">http://www.drugs.com/pr/seconal-sodium.html</a>, <a href="http://www.drugs.com/pro/nembutal.html">http://www.drugs.com/pro/nembutal.html</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2977013">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2977013</a> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[20] Shadenberg, Alex, Letter to the Editor, “Elder abuse a growing problem,” <i>The Advocate</i>, Official Publication of the Idaho State Bar, October 2010.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[21] <span>U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, “Americans with Disabilities Act: Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities,” July 2010, Part I, ¶2. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[22] <span>The Act refers to the lethal dose as medication over 50 times. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[23] <span>See Note 22 supra regarding the ADA.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[24] Id.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[25] Smith Pa283</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[26] Andrew Falzon, MD & Sindy M. Paul, MD, MPH, “Death Investigation and Certification in New Jersey,” MD Advisor, Summer 2016. See upper right hand corner, “Death Certificate Terminology,” regarding the “manner of death.” Available at Smith Pa350 (upper right hand corner).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[27] Ibid.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[28] <span>The Act, 26:16-17.a.(2)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[29] The New Jersey slayer statute, N.J.S.A. 3B:7-1.1, at Smith Pa353-4. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[30] <span>Cf. Ilene S. Cooper and Jaclene D'Agostino, "Forfeiture and New York's 'Slayer Rule',” NYSBA Journal, p.30, March/April 2015, Smith Pa371.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[31] <span>New Jersey Department of State Website, at <a href="https://www.nj.gov/state/archives/docconstitution.html">https://www.nj.gov/state/archives/docconstitution.html</a> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[32] Id.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[33] <span>The above language is in both constitutions at Article IV, Section VII, ¶ 4. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[34] <span><i>Grover</i>, 45 N.J.L. 399, 402 to 403</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[35] Id. at 403-404.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[36] Id. at 404.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[37] Letter from E. David Smith to Judge Lougy, 03/20/20 (Smith Pa359).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[38] Id.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">[39] <i>Petro v. Platkin</i>, 472 N.J. Super. 536, 563, 277 A.3d 480 (2022).</span></p>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-77792893993141808672022-10-07T02:03:00.018-07:002022-10-07T02:33:56.025-07:00Join Margaret Dore and Other Featured Speakers Opposing Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia.<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #303030;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLH6SJKq0sQ07L1zyjVZT4m0_5aS30iSdQzK7EU61mLCZu8p5v8jbYQgxRcRv_WQkAthfttd9xESU9H3NGoAdT1UyXMhpON3fhzegqLutp6lYeIXqLJSLYdw87PgULQ_qdNBAyp99whUaOX68b5y1kkC9EivotVhVx5H7ZSOs0zWNYKwV2KITyG1Fiw/s213/MD%20at%20podium2%20(1).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="167" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLH6SJKq0sQ07L1zyjVZT4m0_5aS30iSdQzK7EU61mLCZu8p5v8jbYQgxRcRv_WQkAthfttd9xESU9H3NGoAdT1UyXMhpON3fhzegqLutp6lYeIXqLJSLYdw87PgULQ_qdNBAyp99whUaOX68b5y1kkC9EivotVhVx5H7ZSOs0zWNYKwV2KITyG1Fiw/s1600/MD%20at%20podium2%20(1).jpg" width="167" /></a></div><p></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 13.2px;"><div><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="color: black;">Margaret Dore: "It's been a long time since a lot of us have seen each other. Thank you to the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition and the Family Institute of Connecticut for sponsoring this event!"</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">The Event: <span style="text-align: center;">Caring About Everyone, EPC-USA Anti-Assisted Suicide Conference.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Keynote Speaker: </span><span style="color: black;">Wesley J. Smith, contributor to The Corner at National Review and a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute's Center on Human Exceptionalism. <span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><b style="text-align: center;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">When:</span><span style="text-align: center;"> Saturday, October 15, 2020, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, Eastern Time.</span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Where:<b> </b>Online or in-person attendance at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Hartford-Bradley Airport. The address is 16 Ella T. Grasso Turnpike, Windsor Locks, Connecticut, 06096-0020. To phone the hotel, dial 860-627-5171.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><div>Speakers in Alphabetical Order: <b> </b>(1) Margaret Dore (pictured above); (2) Gordon Friesen, Board Member, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition; (3) Elaine Kolb, Not Dead Yet; (4) Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition; (5) Wesley J. Smith; (6) William Toffler MD, Physicians for Compassionate Care Education Foundation; (7) Lynn Varco, The Minnesota Alliance for Ethical Healthcare; and (8) Peter Wolfgang, Family Institute of Connecticut.</div><p>After Event at the Hotel:<b> </b><span style="text-align: center;">Hosted by Margaret Dore.</span></p><p>For Questions About the Event:<b> </b>Email <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/page/edit/6843705300864147847/4414037226300117135#" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;">Lesliewolfgang@yahoo.com</a> or phone her at 860-833-4041</p></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-53097311315139003212022-03-01T18:28:00.000-08:002022-03-01T18:28:27.159-08:00Proposed Connecticut Act: "Maybe You Trust Your Kids, But What About Your Son's New Wife?"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_oyH2HsN_QzOnKFqZRwM5Xg9YFlAjVhwTlV5vXrUJKDYbg0MvFjJRh-SpEbEcglTPtS9zjppFeujhQC9IyJtO0qE85PBLTILp5QpNsvF9ZtUp-ssgPyJJQH72k63Gr8yl4o5GVw7lETrH7Io0LVW477_KbQaOEf6pnWPkzaPT_CmfdXKcuDq47Xo1Tg=s215" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="215" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_oyH2HsN_QzOnKFqZRwM5Xg9YFlAjVhwTlV5vXrUJKDYbg0MvFjJRh-SpEbEcglTPtS9zjppFeujhQC9IyJtO0qE85PBLTILp5QpNsvF9ZtUp-ssgPyJJQH72k63Gr8yl4o5GVw7lETrH7Io0LVW477_KbQaOEf6pnWPkzaPT_CmfdXKcuDq47Xo1Tg=w177-h177" width="177" /></a></div>My name is Margaret Dore. I am a licensed attorney and president of Choice is an Illusion, a nonprofit<br /> corporation opposed to assisted suicide and euthanasia. I have personally testified in 20 U.S. legislatures, including Connecticut, and also internationally. I oppose Raised Bill No. 88.<p></p><p>Yesterday, I submitted a formal legal analysis detailing problems with the proposed Act, that it is not what it's sold to be.</p><p>I also encourage you to look at my website, which has an online version of my analysis, which can be viewed <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/dore-memo-opposing-bill-88.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>The proposed Act seeks to legalize "aid in dying," which has been a euphemism for assisted suicide and euthanasia since at least 1992. I have documentation to that effect in my memo.</p><p>The Act has a six months to live criteria. In real life, however, "eligible" persons may have years or decades to live. One reason is because the six months to live is determined without treatment.</p><p>I have a friend named Jeanette Hall, who made a settled decision to use Oregon's Act. Her doctor, after several conversations, was able to talk her out of it. This was over 20 years ago. She is still alive today.</p><p>I want to talk about how the Act works.</p><p>There is an application process. Once the lethal dose is in the house, there is no oversight.</p><p>Two people are allowed to be there. One leaves alive; the other leaves dead. What happened?</p><p>If the one who leaves alive is an heir, that person is allowed to inherit. The reason is that the death certificate is required to list a natural death as a matter of law. This point is addressed in my memo as to why that's true.</p><p>So that's why a perpetrator would be allowed to inherit and not be prosecuted even if the death wasn't voluntary.</p><p>So people with money, meaning the middle class and above, will be rendered sitting ducks to their heirs and other relatives.</p><p>So, of course, that is your demographic.</p><p>Maybe you trust your kids, but what about your son's new wife?</p>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-74137589432387757682021-07-20T10:00:00.001-07:002021-07-20T10:36:19.338-07:00Constitutional Challenge Brief Filed in New Jersey Euthanasia Appeal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U7a6tg9O6q8/YPH7rsunCdI/AAAAAAAAHBg/WMBazqyjEC8jKxr8xw2y0yEAr9P0TsHVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s213/MD%2Bat%2Bpodium2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="167" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U7a6tg9O6q8/YPH7rsunCdI/AAAAAAAAHBg/WMBazqyjEC8jKxr8xw2y0yEAr9P0TsHVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w157-h200/MD%2Bat%2Bpodium2.jpg" width="157" /></a></div>Updated Tuesday July 20, 2021 <br /><br />FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE <br /><br />TRENTON, NEW
JERSEY, USA. Attorney Margaret Dore, President of Choice is an
Illusion, which has fought against assisted suicide and euthanasia
legalization throughout the United States, and internationally, has
released the following statement in connection with the filing of a
constitutional challenge amicus brief, which seeks to invalidate New
Jersey’s Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act. The case,
Petro et al v. Grewal, is pending in the Superior Court of New Jersey
Appellate Division, A-003837-19. <span><a name='more'></a></span><br />“‘Aid
in dying’ is a euphemism for physician-assisted suicide, assisted
suicide and euthanasia. The amicus brief argues that the Medical Aid in
Dying for the Terminally Ill Act is stacked against the individual, not
limited to people near death and unconstitutional due to the way it was
enacted. <br /><br />“The Act is based on similar acts in Oregon and
Washington State. Oregon’s act went into effect in 1997. Washington’s
nearly identical act went into effect in 2009. <br /><br />“All three acts
apply to persons with a six month or less life expectancy. Such persons
may in fact have years or decades to live. <br /><br />“A well known example
is Jeanette Hall. In 2000, she made a settled decision to use Oregon’s
act. Her doctor convinced her to be treated for cancer instead, such
that she is alive today, twenty-one years later. <br /><br />“The New Jersey
Constitution protects against the enactment of misleading legislation,
which is what occurred here. The Act’s title and findings are misleading
with regard to the Act's content, which renders the Act
unconstitutional. <br /><br />“The New Jersey Legislature understood that it
was enacting a strictly voluntary law limited to dying people. Per the
Act’s title, it was not clear that the Act would legalize assisted
suicide and euthanasia. <br /><br />“Per the Attorney General, the Act
applies ‘only to those individuals, both patients and providers, who
voluntarily elect to participate in the Act’s provisions.’ As for the
trial judge, he was not persuaded that the Act specifically provides for
assisted suicide and euthanasia. But the Act is not required to be
voluntary. The Act is about assisted suicide and euthanasia. <br /><br />“The Act's title also uses the phrase, ‘aid in dying,’ which means assisted suicide and euthanasia. <br /><br />“The
Act has no required oversight over administration of the lethal dose.
No doctor, not even a witness, is required to be present at the death. <br /><br />“The
drugs used are water and/or alcohol soluble, such that they can be
injected into a sleeping or restrained person without consent. Even if
the patient struggled, who would know? <br /><br />"Persons assisting a
suicide or engaging in euthanasia can have an agenda. Consider Tami
Sawyer, trustee for Thomas Middleton in Oregon where assisted suicide is
legal. Two days after his death by assisted suicide, she sold his home
and deposited the proceeds into bank accounts for her own benefit. <br /><br />“Consider
also Graham Morant, who was convicted of counseling his wife to kill
herself in Australia. His motive: to get the life insurance. <br /><br />“The
New Jersey Act has a formal application process to obtain the lethal
dose. Once the lethal dose is issued by the pharmacy, there is no
oversight. No witness, not even a doctor is required to be present at
the death. If the patient objects or even struggles, who would know? <br /><br />“Deaths
pursuant to the Act, are reported as natural on the death certificate.
With this situation, a patient’s heir, who participates in the
patient’s death, is allowed to inherit. <br /><br />“With passage of the
Act, New Jersey residents with money, meaning the middle class and
above, have been rendered sitting ducks to their heirs and other
financial predators. Passage of the Act has created a perfect crime.” <br /><br />For more detailed information, <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2021/07/amicus-brief.pdf">read Dore's brief</a>.<p></p>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-7406606911075715902020-06-26T21:00:00.002-07:002021-08-01T09:40:36.385-07:00More About Margaret Dore: "Growing Up, Other Families Went Camping"<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MxMPyurvT0Y/XvauiwgJUKI/AAAAAAAAF9Y/zo8w1usbJakFgsct0kavia5LxxvFAHoGACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/St%2BT%2BReunion%2B328%2Bx%2B241.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="328" height="146" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MxMPyurvT0Y/XvauiwgJUKI/AAAAAAAAF9Y/zo8w1usbJakFgsct0kavia5LxxvFAHoGACLcBGAsYHQ/s200/St%2BT%2BReunion%2B328%2Bx%2B241.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Grade School Reunion 2015</span></td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">
Margaret Dore is a fourth generation lawyer in Seattle Washington. Her father was a lawyer and politician who ultimately served as Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court. Her mother was a politician’s wife and a political activist in her own right, best known for her work to raise awareness about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and also to help affected families and to promote medical research. Growing up, other families went camping. Dore’s family went campaigning.<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a>Dore is an appellate lawyer. Her published cases include <i>Lawrence v. Lawrence</i>, a family law case that received national recognition. Dore’s law practice has also included guardianship, wills and probate. In that capacity, she has seen the terrible things that people do for money, especially in the inheritance context. </div>
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In 2008, Dore attended a meeting proposing assisted suicide legalization in Washington State, via a statewide initiative. Reading the text, she saw that the proposed Act was stacked against the individual and a recipe for elder abuse. It nonetheless passed.<br />
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Since then, Dore has personally appeared and argued against assisted suicide and euthanasia legalization in at least 20 states, working with the help of local allies and often successful to stop legalization. She also works internationally. In 2016, her affidavit in a South African court case was credited with preventing legalization in that country.<br />
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More recently, Dore appeared as an amicus curiae in <i>Glassman v Grewa</i>l, which seeks to overturn legal assisted suicide and euthanasia in New Jersey. The case is now on appeal. </div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-27532142671613165462020-04-24T23:17:00.000-07:002020-06-26T22:01:32.375-07:00Motion for Reconsideration in Glassman Case<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CeBNlQxUnlY/XqHV98mFsWI/AAAAAAAAFeE/OioRjFrHqswBrUVIGMjx8kJdS4kcXjPbgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Margaret%2BNY%2BDebate%2B134%2Bx%2B174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="134" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CeBNlQxUnlY/XqHV98mFsWI/AAAAAAAAFeE/OioRjFrHqswBrUVIGMjx8kJdS4kcXjPbgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Margaret%2BNY%2BDebate%2B134%2Bx%2B174.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Margaret Dore</td></tr>
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To view Dore's brief as submitted, <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>I. RELIEF REQUESTED</b><br />
<br />
Margaret Dore moves for reconsideration of the Court’s order dated April 1, 2020, which upheld the constitutionality of the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act.[1]<br />
<b><br /></b><b>II.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>THE ACT MUST BE SET ASIDE</b><br />
<b><br /></b>The Court did not reach the Act’s violation of the object in title rule, which is dispositive to set the Act aside. The Court should reach this issue now to overturn the Act.<br />
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<br />
The Court’s order states that Dore asked the Court to declare the Act unconstitutional “on grounds not asserted by plaintiffs.”[2] The plaintiffs, did, however, ask the Court to rule on the issue, stating:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Ms. Dore’s brief should be considered by the Court since if the law is unconstitutional under the single object rule, it should be the Court’s responsibility to raise that issue sua sponte even if not raised by Ms. Dore or the Plaintiffs.[3]</blockquote>
The Legislature understood that it was enacting a strictly voluntary law limited to assisted suicide for dying patients.[4] The prior judge expressed a similar view. See, for example, the transcript from the hearing on August 14, 2019 (“This case is not about euthanasia”).[5]<br />
<br />
This case, however, is about euthanasia. The Act is also not limited to dying people. Patient voluntariness is allowed, but not required. These are material facts not disclosed by the Act’s title and related findings. The Act is unconstitutional and must be set aside.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span>
<b>III.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>WHAT THE ACT DOES</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>A. The Act Allows Physician-Assisted Suicide, Which It Terms Medical Aid in Dying</b></blockquote>
Dictionary definitions of “assisted suicide,” include “suicide committed by someone with assistance from another person especially: physician-assisted suicide.”[6] Dictionary definitions of physician-assisted suicide include the following:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
[S]uicide by a patient facilitated by means (such as a drug prescription) or by information (such as an indication of a lethal dosage) provided by a physician aware of the patient's intent.<span style="white-space: pre;">[7]</span></blockquote>
Here, the Act allows this same practice, which it terms medical aid in dying. The Act, “Findings, Declarations Relative to Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill,” states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>[T]his State affirms the right of a qualified terminally ill patient</i>, protected by appropriate safeguards, to obtain medication that the patient <i>may choose to self-administer in order to bring about the patient’s humane and dignified death</i>. (Emphasis added).[8]</blockquote>
The Act also specifically describes physician involvement to write the prescription for the lethal dose.[9] The bottom line, the Act allows physician-assisted suicide as traditionally defined, which it terms medical aid in dying.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>B.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Act Legalizes Assisted Suicide as a “Right”</b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></blockquote>
Again, the Act states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>[T]his State affirms the right of a qualified terminally ill patient</i>, protected by appropriate safeguards, <i>to obtain medication that the patient may choose to self-administer </i>in order to bring about the patient’s humane and dignified death. (Emphasis added).[10]</blockquote>
If for the purpose of argument, this provision is limited to allowing voluntary assisted suicide (because it says that the patient may chose to self-administer the lethal medication), the Act will nonetheless also allow euthanasia due to assisted suicide being described as a “right.” This is true due to: (1) The New Mexico Supreme Court Decision, <i>Morris v. Brandenburg</i>, 376 P.3d 836 (2016); and (2) the Americans with Disability Act, both of which are discussed below.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Morris v. Brandenburg</b></blockquote>
The 5-0 decision states in part:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>[W]e agree with the legitimate concern that recognizing a right to physician aid in dying will lead to voluntary or involuntary euthanasia because if it is a right, it must be made available to everyone</i>, even when a duly appointed surrogate makes the decision, and even when the patient is unable to self-administer the life-ending medication. (Emphasis added).[11]</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)</b></blockquote>
The ADA is “a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in every day activities, including medical services.”[12] “Medical care providers are required to make their services available in an accessible manner.”[13]This includes:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Reasonable modifications to policies, practices, and procedures to make healthcare services fully available to individuals with disabilities</i>, unless the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the services (i.e., alter the essential nature of the services). (Emphasis added).[14]</blockquote>
Here, the Act legalized “medical aid in dying” as part of New Jersey healthcare.[15] If for the purpose of argument, the Act does in fact require self-administration, the ADA will require a reasonable accommodation for individuals unable to self-administer. This will mean administration by another person. The Act will thereby require euthanasia as traditionally defined.<br />
<br />
<b>IV.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>HOW THE ACT WORKS</b><br />
<b><br /></b>The Act has an application process to obtain the lethal dose.[16] Once the lethal dose is issued by the pharmacy, there is no oversight.[17] No witness, not even a doctor, is required to present at the death.[18]<br />
<br />
<b>V. “ELIGIBLE” PERSONS MAY HAVE YEARS TO LIVE</b><br />
<br />
The Act applies to “terminally ill” individuals. The Act states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Terminally ill” means that the patient is in the terminal stage of an irreversibly fatal illness, disease, or condition with a prognosis, based upon reasonable medical certainty, of a life expectancy of six months or less.[19]</blockquote>
Such persons may, in fact, have years or decades to live. This is true due to actual mistakes (the test results got switched), and because predicting life expectancy is not an exact science.[20] Also, sometimes doctors are wrong, as in way wrong.<br />
<br />
Consider John Norton, diagnosed with ALS at age 18.[21] He was told that he would get progressively worse (be paralyzed) and die in three to five years.[22] Instead, the disease progression stopped on its own.[23] In a 2012 affidavit, at age 74, he states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
If assisted suicide or euthanasia had been available to me in the 1950's, I would have missed the bulk of my life and my life yet to come.[24]</blockquote>
<b>VI. ELDER ABUSE </b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>A.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Elder Abuse Is a Problem in New Jersey; Perpetrators Are Often Family Members</b></blockquote>
Elder abuse is a problem in New Jersey and throughout the United States.[25] Nationwide, prominent cases include actor Mickey Rooney and New York philanthropist, Brooke Astor.[26]<br />
<br />
Perpetrators are often family members.[27] They typically start out with small crimes, such as stealing jewelry and blank checks, before moving on to larger items or to coercing victims to change their wills or to liquidate their assets.[28] Amy Mix, of the AARP Legal Counsel of the Elderly, states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
[Perpetrators] are family members, lots are friends, often people who befriend a senior through church .... We had a senior victim who had given her life savings away to some scammer who told her that she’d won the lottery and would have to pay the taxes ahead of time.... The scammer found the victim using information in her husband’s obituary.[29]</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>B.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Elder Abuse Is Rarely Reported, Victims Don’t Want to Report Their Children as Abusers</b></blockquote>
The vast majority of elder abuse cases are not reported to the authorities. Reasons include:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
[F]ear of retaliation, lack of physical and/or cognitive ability to report, or because <i>they don’t want to get the abuser (90% of whom are family members) in trouble</i>. (Emphasis added).[30]</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>C. Elder Abuse Is Sometimes Fatal</b></blockquote>
In some cases, elder abuse is fatal. More notorious cases include California’s “black widow” murders, in which two women took out life insurance policies on homeless men.[31] Their first victim was 73 year old Paul Vados, whose death was staged to look like a hit and run accident.[32] The women collected $589,124.93.[33]<br />
<br />
Consider also, <i>People v. Stuart</i> in which an adult child killed her mother with a pillow, so as to inherit. The Court observed:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Financial considerations [are] an all too common motivation for killing someone.[34]</blockquote>
<b>VII.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>PENALTIES PROVIDE A DETERRENT; NOT THE ACT</b><br />
<br />
While elder abuse is a largely uncontrolled problem, there are penalties for doing it and when perpetrators are caught, they can be punished. The California black widows and the adult child who killed her mother with a pillow, discussed above, served prison time. With a risk of punishment, there is a deterrent to protect other potential victims from harm.<br />
<br />
This is in contrast to the Act, in which purported protections are illusory, which renders potential victims sitting ducks to their adult children and other predators, without recourse. See below.<br />
<br />
<b>VIII. </b><b>THE ACT IS STACKED AGAINST THE INDIVIDUAL</b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>A. “Even If a Patient Struggled, Who Would Know?”</b></blockquote>
The Act has no oversight over administration of the lethal dose.[35] In addition, the drugs used are water and alcohol soluble, such that they can be injected into a sleeping or restrained person without consent.[36] Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director for the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, puts it this way:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
With assisted suicide laws in Washington and Oregon [and with the Act], perpetrators can . . . take a “legal” route, by getting an elder to sign a lethal dose request. <i>Once the prescription is filled, there is no supervision over administration. Even if a patient struggled, “who would know?</i>” (Emphasis added).[37]</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>B.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Someone Else Is Allowed to Communicate on the Patient’s Behalf</b></blockquote>
The Act uses the word, “capable,” which is specially defined to allow other people to communicate on the patient’s behalf, as long as they are “familiar with the patient’s manner of communicating.” The Act states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Capable” means having the capacity to make health care decisions and to communicate them to a health care provider, <i>including communication through persons familiar with the patient’s manner of communicating if those persons are available</i>. (Emphasis added).[38]</blockquote>
Being familiar with a patient’s manner of communicating is a very minimal standard. Consider, for example, a doctor’s assistant who is familiar with a patient’s “manner of communicating” in Spanish, but she herself does not understand Spanish. That, however, would be good enough for her to communicate on the patient’s behalf during the lethal dose request process. The patient would not necessarily be in control of his or her fate.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>C. Purported Protections Are Illusory</b></blockquote>
The Act says that the attending physician is to ensure that all “appropriate” steps are carried out in “accordance” with the Act as necessary. The Act states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The attending physician shall ensure that all <i>appropriate</i> steps are carried out in <i>accordance</i> with the provisions of [the Act] . . . including such actions as are necessary to: . . .</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
(6) recommend that the patient participate in a consultation concerning concurrent or additional treatment opportunities . . . [and]</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>(8) inform the patient of the patient’s opportunity to rescind the request . . . . (Emphasis added).[39]</blockquote>
The Act does not define "appropriate" or “accordance.”[40] Dictionary definitions of appropriate include "suitable or proper” in the circumstances.[41] Dictionary definitions of accordance include “in the spirit of,” meaning “in thought or intention.”[42]<br />
<br />
With these definitions, the attending physician’s view of what is "suitable or proper" is enough for compliance with patient protections. The physician's "thought or intention" is similarly sufficient. The purported protections are neutralized to whatever an attending physician happens to feel is appropriate and/or had a thought or intention to do. The “protections” are unenforceable.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>D.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Deaths in Accordance With the Act Are “Natural” as a Matter of Law</b></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Action taken in accordance with the Act is not suicide or homicid</b>e</blockquote>
The Act states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Any action taken in accordance with the</i> provisions of <i>[the Act] shall not constitute</i> patient abuse or neglect, <i>suicide</i>, assisted suicide, mercy killing, euthanasia, <i>or homicide under any law of this State</i>. (Emphasis added).[43]</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b> 2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Act requires deaths to be reported as “natural”</b></blockquote>
In New Jersey, death certificates have five categories for reporting the manner of death, four of which are substantive: (1) natural; (2) accident; (3) suicide; and (4) homicide.[44] The fifth category is “undetermined.”[45]<br />
<br />
As noted in the preceding section, a death occurring in accordance with the Act does not constitute suicide or homicide under any law of the State. The death is also not an accident due its having been an intended event. This leaves “natural.” Deaths occurring pursuant to the Act are natural as a matter of law.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>E.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Dr. Shipman and the Call for Death Certificate Reform</b></blockquote>
Per a 2005 article in the UK’s Guardian newspaper, there was a public inquiry regarding Dr. Harold Shipman, which determined that he had “killed at least 250 of his patients over 23 years.”[46] The inquiry also found:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>that by issuing death certificates stating natural causes, the serial killer [Shipman] was able to evade investigation by coroners</i>. (Emphasis added).<span style="white-space: pre;"> [47] </span></blockquote>
Per a subsequent article in 2015, proposed reforms included having a medical examiner review death certificates, so as to improve patient safety.[48] The New Jersey Act has instead moved in the opposite direction to require that deaths be reported as natural. Doctors and other perpetrators have been enabled to kill under mandatory legal cover.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>F.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Act Renders New Jersey Residents Sitting Ducks to Their Heirs and Other Predators</b></blockquote>
New Jersey’s slayer statute prevents a killer from inheriting from his or her victim. The statute states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
[A]n individual who is responsible for the intentional killing of the decedent forfeits [his or her inheritance].”[49]</blockquote>
The rational is that a criminal should not be allowed to benefit from his or her crime.[50]<br />
<br />
Under the Act, however, a person who intentionally kills another person is allowed to inherit. This is due to the deaths being certified as natural. With the passage of the Act, New Jersey residents with money, meaning the middle class and above, have been rendered sitting ducks to their heirs and other predators.<br />
<br />
<b>IX. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>A.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>My Clients Suffered Trauma in Oregon and Washington State</b></blockquote>
I have had two cases where my clients suffered trauma due to legal assisted suicide. In the first case, one side of my client’s family wanted her father to take the lethal dose, while the other side did not. The father spent the last months of his life caught in the middle and torn over whether he should kill himself. My client was severely traumatized. The father did not take the lethal dose and died a natural death.<br />
<br />
In the other case, my client’s father died via the lethal dose at a suicide party. It’s not clear, however, that administration of the lethal dose was voluntary. A man who was present told my client that his father had refused to take the lethal dose when it was delivered, stating: "You're not killing me. I'm going to bed." The man also said that my client’s father took the lethal dose the next night when he (the father) was already intoxicated on alcohol. The man who told this to my client subsequently changed his story.<br />
<br />
My client, although he was not present, was traumatized over the incident, and also by the sudden loss of his father.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>B.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Oregon, Other Suicides Have Increased with Legalization of Physician-Assisted Suicide</b></blockquote>
Government reports from Oregon show a positive correlation between the legalization of physician-assisted suicide and an increase in other (conventional) suicides. This correlation is consistent with a suicide contagion in which legalizing physician-assisted suicide encouraged other suicides.[51]<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>C.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Felony for Undue Influence Is Illusory</b></blockquote>
The Act has a felony for “undue influence,” which is not defined and has no elements of proof. The Act merely states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>A person who . . . exerts undue influence on a patient to request medication pursuant to [the Act</i>] or to destroy a rescission of a request <i>is guilty of a crime of the third degree</i>. (Emphasis added).[52]</blockquote>
The Act also specifically allows conduct normally used to prove undue influence. For example, the Act allows an infirm person with a terminal disease to request the lethal dose. Physical weakness is a factor generally used to PROVE undue influence.[53]<br />
<br />
How do you prove that undue influence occurred when the Act does not define it, and the Act also allows conduct generally used to prove it? You can’t. The felony for undue influence is illusory and unenforceable.<br />
<br />
<b>X.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>THE ACT VIOLATES THE OBJECT IN TITLE RULE</b><br />
<b><br /></b>As noted supra, the New Jersey Constitution governs permissible legislative conduct when enacting legislation. To that end, the Constitution sets forth the object in title rule, as follows:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
To avoid improper influences which may result from intermixing in one and the same act such things as have no proper relation to each other, every law shall embrace but one object, <i>and that [object] shall be expressed in the title</i>. (Emphasis added).[54]</blockquote>
The rule is designed to protect against the misleading of the people. <i>State v Guida</i>, 119 N.J.L. 464, 465-466 (1938), states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The sole requirement is that [the title] ‘shall express its object in a general way so as to be intelligible to the ordinary reader’; and it is the settled rule that a statute will not be judicially declared inoperative and unenforceable on this ground <i>unless the deficiency plainly exists</i>. (Emphasis added).</blockquote>
<span style="white-space: pre;">I</span>n the case at bar, the deficiency plainly exists. The Legislature, the Attorney General and the prior court were all mislead by the Act’s deceptive title, implying that the Act is limited to voluntary assisted suicide, when the Act also allows non-voluntary euthanasia. This Court has also been mislead. The Act must be set aside.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span>Respectfully submitted this 18th day of April 2020<br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
Margaret Dore Esq., MBA, appearing pro se<br />
Law Office of Margaret K. Dore, PS<br />
1001 4th Avenue, Suite 4400<br />
Seattle, WA 98154<br />
206 697 1217<br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><br /></span><span style="white-space: pre;"><b>Footnotes:</b></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="white-space: pre;">[1] The Act is attached in the <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" target="_blank">brief'</a>s appendix, at pages A-1 to A-15.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[2] The Order, page 35, </span><span style="white-space: pre;"> attached in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix, at page</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> A-20.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[3] Letter from E. David Smith, Esq., to Judge Lougy, dated March 20, </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">2020, </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix at page </span><span style="white-space: pre;">A-23.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[4] </span>See for example, the Order on Emergent Motion, Superior Court of New Jersey Appellate Division, August 27, 2019 (“the process is entirely voluntary on the part of all participants, including patients...”). Attached <span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix </span>at page A-63.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[5] Transcript a</span>ttached <span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix </span>at page A-62.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[6] </span>Merriam-Webster, attached <span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span> at page A-27; <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assisted%20suicide?utm_campaign=sd&utm_medium=serp&utm_source=jsonld">https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assisted%20suicide?utm_campaign=sd&utm_medium=serp&utm_source=jsonld</a><br />
<div>
<span style="white-space: pre;">[7] </span>Merriam-Webster, attached <span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span> at page A-28.</div>
<span style="white-space: pre;">[8] The Act, Section C.26:16-2, attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix </span><span style="white-space: pre;">at page A-1.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[9] </span>The Act, Section C.26:16-6,<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>states:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The attending physician shall ensure that all appropriate steps are carried out in accordance with the provisions of [the Act] before writing a prescription for medication that a qualified terminally ill patient may choose to self-administer pursuant to [the Act]. <span style="white-space: pre;">(A</span><span style="white-space: pre;">ttached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix </span><span style="white-space: pre;">at page A-4).</span></blockquote>
<span style="white-space: pre;">[10] The Act, page 1, attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at page A-1</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[11] <i>Morris v. Brandenburg</i>, 376 P.3d 836, 848 (2016).</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[12] </span>U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, “Americans with Disabilities Act: Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities,” July 2010, available at <a href="https://www.ada.gov/medcare_mobility_ta/medcare_ta.htm">https://www.ada.gov/medcare_mobility_ta/medcare_ta.htm</a><br />
[13] Id.<br />
[14] Id.<br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[15] The Act, Findings, attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix </span><span style="white-space: pre;">at page </span><span style="white-space: pre;">A-1.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[16] See the Act, attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix </span><span style="white-space: pre;">at pp. A-3 to A-7.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[17] See the Act in its entirety, </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix </span><span style="white-space: pre;">at </span><span style="white-space: pre;">pp. A-1 to A-15.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[18] Id.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[19] The Act, C.26:16-3, attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at page A-3.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[20] Cf. Jessica Firger, "12 Million Americans Misdiagnosed Each Year," </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">CBS NEWS, April 17, 2014, </span><span style="white-space: pre;">attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at page</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> A-29; </span><span style="white-space: pre;">and Nina Shapiro, "<a href="https://www.seattleweekly.com/news/terminal-uncertainty/" target="_blank">Terminal Uncertainty</a> </span><span style="white-space: pre;">— Washington's </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">New 'Death with Dignity' Law Allows Doctors to Help People Commit Suicide</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> — Once They've Determined That the Patient Has Only Six Months to </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">Live. But What If They're Wrong?,” <i>The Seattle Weekly</i>, 01/14/09, </span><span style="white-space: pre;">attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix </span><span style="white-space: pre;">at pages A-30 to A-33.</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[21] Affidavit of John Norton, attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at pages A-34 to A-36.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[22] Id., ¶ 1.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[23] Id., ¶ 4.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[24] Id., ¶ 5.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[25] See e.g., Dansky Katz Ringold York, Attorneys at Law, Marlton New </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">Jersey, “How to Spot and Prevent Elder Financial Abuse,” April 27, 2016, at</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><a href="https://njlegalhelp.com/how-to-spot-and-prevent-elder-financial-abuse">https://njlegalhelp.com/how-to-spot-and-prevent-elder-financial-abuse</a>; </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">and </span><span style="white-space: pre;">Beth Fitzgerald, “New Jersey Considers Law to Prevent ‘Granny </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">Snatching,’” New </span><span style="white-space: pre;">Jersey Spotlight, MAY 21, 2012,</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> <a href="http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/12/0520/2037">http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/12/0520/2037</a>/</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[26] Tom Cohen, “<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/03/02/rooney.elderly.abuse/index.html" target="_blank">Mickey Rooney tells [U.S.] Senate panel he was a </a></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/03/02/rooney.elderly.abuse/index.html" target="_blank">victim of </a></span><span style="white-space: pre;"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/03/02/rooney.elderly.abuse/index.html" target="_blank">elder abuse</a>,” CNN, March 2, 2011; </span><span style="white-space: pre;">Carole Fleck, “<a href="https://blog.aarp.org/2015/02/05/brooke-astors-grandson-tells-senate-panel-of-financial-abuse" target="_blank">Brooke Astor’s Grandson </a></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><a href="https://blog.aarp.org/2015/02/05/brooke-astors-grandson-tells-senate-panel-of-financial-abuse" target="_blank">Tells Senate Panel of Financial Abuse</a>,” </span><span style="white-space: pre;"><i>AARP Bulletin Today</i>, 02/05/2015 (“The grandson of socialite Brooke Astor, who </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">blew the whistle on his father for plundering millions from his grandmother’s estate,</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">told the Senate panel Wednesday that his grandmother’s greatest legacy may be </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">the national attention focused on elder financial abuse.”), </span><span style="white-space: pre;">and </span><span style="white-space: pre;">Matthew Talbot, “Issues of Prosecuting Elder Abuse: The Casey Kasem Case,” </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">Talbot Law Group, PC, January 4, 2016, available at </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/issues-prosecuting-elder-abuse-casey-kasem-case-matthew-talbot">https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/issues-prosecuting-elder-abuse-casey-kasem-case-matthew-talbot</a></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[27] Id., MetLife Mature Market Institute, “Broken Trust: Elders, Family</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">and Finances, A Study on Elder Abuse Prevention,” March 2009, at</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><a href="http://www.metlife.com/assets/cao/mmi/publications/studies/mmi-broken-trust.pdf">http://www.metlife.com/assets/cao/mmi/publications/studies/mmi-broken-trust.pdf</a></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[28] Id.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[29] Kathryn Alfisi, “<a href="https://www.blogger.com/Kathryn%20Alfisi,%20%E2%80%9CBreaking%20the%20Silence%20on%20Elder%20Abuse,%E2%80%9D%20Washington%20Lawyer,%20February%202015,%20available%20at%20https://www.dcbar.org/bar-resources/publications/washington-lawyer/articles/february-2015-elder-abuse.cfm" target="_blank">Breaking the Silence on Elder Abuse</a>,” </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><i>Washington Lawyer</i>, February 2015.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[30] “Adult Protective Services: Facts and Fiction,” Division of Aging </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">Services, NJ Department of Human Services, available at </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><a href="http://www.nj.gov/humanservices/dmahs/home/Adult_Protective_Services_Training.pdf">http://www.nj.gov/humanservices/dmahs/home/Adult_Protective_Services_Training.pdf</a></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[31] </span>See<i> People v. Rutterschmidt</i>, 55 Cal.4th 650 (2012). See also<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Widow_Murders">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Widow_Murders</a><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[32] Rutterschmidt, at 652-3.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[33] Id. at 652.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[34] 67 Cal.Rptr.3d 129, 143 (2007), available at </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><a href="https://www.leagle.com/decision/200719667calrptr3d1291182">https://www.leagle.com/decision/200719667calrptr3d1291182</a> </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[35] See the Act in its entirety, </span><span style="white-space: pre;">attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix </span><span style="white-space: pre;">at </span><span style="white-space: pre;">A-1 to A-15.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[36] The drugs used include Secobarbital, Pentobarbital and Phenobarbital, </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">which are water and/or alcohol soluble. See excerpt from Oregon’s and </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">Washington’s annual reports, attached hereto at A-41 & A-42 (listing these </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">drugs). See also <a href="http://www.drugs.com/pr/seconal-sodium.html">http://www.drugs.com/pr/seconal-sodium.html</a>, </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><a href="http://www.drugs.com/pro/nembutal.html">http://www.drugs.com/pro/nembutal.html</a> and </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2977013">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2977013</a></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[37] Alex Schadenberg, Letter to the Editor, “Elder abuse a growing problem,” </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><i>The Advocate</i>, Official Publication of the Idaho State Bar, October 2010, page </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">14.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[38] The Act, C.26:16-3, </span><span style="white-space: pre;">attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at page A-2.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[39] Attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at page A-4.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[40] See the Act in its entirety, attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at pages A-1 through A-15.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[41] Attached</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix at page A-43.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[42] </span><span style="white-space: pre;">Attached</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix at pages 44 and A-45.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[43] The Act, C.26:16-17.a.(2), attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at page A-9.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[44] Andrew L. Falzon, MD, and Sindy M. Paul, MPH, “Death Investigation and </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">Certification in New Jersey,” MD Advisor, a journal for the New Jersey medical </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">community, 2016. (Attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at page A-46).</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[45] Id.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[46] David Batty, “Q & A: Harold Shipman,” <i>The Guardian</i>, 08/25/05, at </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2005/aug/25/health.shipman">https://www.theguardian.com/society/2005/aug/25/health.shipman</a>. (Attached </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span> at pages A-47 to A-49). </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[47] Id., attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at page</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> A-49.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[48] Press Association, “Death Certificate Reform Delays ‘Incomprehensible,” </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><i>The Guardian</i>, January 21, 2015, attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at pages</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> A-50 to A-51.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[49] NJ Rev Stat § 3B:7-1.1, </span><span style="white-space: pre;">attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at pages</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> A-52 and A-53.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[50] Cf. Ilene S. Cooper and Jaclene D'Agostino, "Forfeiture and New York's </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">'Slayer Rule', <i>NYSBA Journal</i>, March/April 2015, </span><span style="white-space: pre;">attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at page</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> A-54.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[51] For a more information, see Margaret Dore, “<a href="http://www.choiceillusionsouthdakota.org/2017/06/in-oregon-other-suicides-have-increased_18.html" target="_blank">In Oregon, Other Suicides </a></span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><a href="http://www.choiceillusionsouthdakota.org/2017/06/in-oregon-other-suicides-have-increased_18.html" target="_blank">Have Increased with Legalization of Assisted Suicide</a>,” August 18, 2017, </span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"><span style="white-space: pre;">attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span> at pages A-55 to A-57. </span><span style="white-space: pre;">See also the Declaration of Williard Johnston, MD, attached </span><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> at pages</span><span style="white-space: pre;"> A-58 to A-60.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[52] A</span><span style="white-space: pre;">ttached </span><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="white-space: pre;">in the </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/motion-for-reconsideration-04-18-20.pdf" style="white-space: pre;" target="_blank">brief'</a><span style="white-space: pre;">s appendix at page A-10.</span><br />
<span style="white-space: pre;">[53] </span>Cf. <i>Neugebauer v. Neugebauer</i>, 804 N.W.2d 450, ¶17 (2011)(“physical . . . weakness is always material upon the question of undue influence”).<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-36542770668242182122020-04-04T16:35:00.011-07:002024-02-27T14:18:06.698-08:00Losing Your Freedom Is Like Losing Your Hair<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eqiI9JPGgB8/Xoj4k9qHOlI/AAAAAAAAFbc/CRZLHEQ5ozk3hna3GR0Z3O1DVA3U8JZEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Photo%2BFred%2BHarrington%2BSeatte%2BTimes.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="157" data-original-width="236" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eqiI9JPGgB8/Xoj4k9qHOlI/AAAAAAAAFbc/CRZLHEQ5ozk3hna3GR0Z3O1DVA3U8JZEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Photo%2BFred%2BHarrington%2BSeatte%2BTimes.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Fred Harrington*</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">In 1991, I was a young lawyer who attended a presentation sponsored by the Washington State Supreme Court. The featured speaker, a businessman named Fred </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Harrington</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">, </span>had recently been held hostage in Iraq<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> by Saddam Hussein. </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Harrington said</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">:</span></div>
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Losing your freedom is like losing your hair. One day you look in the mirror and it’s gone.*</span></blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Today, we </span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">find ourselves </span></span><span style="color: #222222;">in </span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">a </span>quarantine<span style="font-family: inherit;">. On the one hand , there are justifications, on the other hand, some things don't necessarily make sense. As an example, if</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> children are rarely victims, why do we cover their play areas in yellow tape, </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">to thereby work against their health, happiness and wellbeing? </span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">* <i>Seattle Times</i></span></div>
</div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-71155916427035413532020-01-07T18:35:00.000-08:002020-01-07T18:35:47.284-08:00Press Release: New Jersey Aid in Dying Act Unconstitutional<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HnXP9lk0F-c/XhUu23ut_7I/AAAAAAAAFEA/QxqskU4BBRYwP4WXTp-idjhhZsSOXZqRwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Photo%2BMargaret%2Bat%2Btable%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="428" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HnXP9lk0F-c/XhUu23ut_7I/AAAAAAAAFEA/QxqskU4BBRYwP4WXTp-idjhhZsSOXZqRwCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/Photo%2BMargaret%2Bat%2Btable%2B.jpg" width="152" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Margaret Dore, Esq.</td></tr>
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<i>Aid in Dying Means Euthanasia</i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">TRENTON, NJ, UNITED STATES, January 10, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Attorney <a href="http://www.margaretdore.org/" target="_blank">Margaret Dore</a>, president of Choice is an Illusion, a non-profit corporation opposed to assisted suicide and euthanasia, has filed a friend of the court brief in <i>Glassman v. Grewal</i>, which seeks to overturn New Jersey's Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Aid in Dying" is a <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/amicus-brandt-model-aid-act.pdf" target="_blank">euphemism for euthanasia</a>. Dore's brief argues that the Act is stacked against the individual, not limited to people near death and unconstitutional due to the way it was enacted.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Persons assisting a suicide or euthanasia can have an agenda," said Dore. "Consider Tami Sawyer, trustee for Thomas Middleton in Oregon where assisted suicide is legal. Two days after his death by assisted suicide, <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/amicus-sawyer-arraigned.pdf" target="_blank">she sold his home and deposited the proceeds into bank accounts for her own benefit</a>."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dore added, "The New Jersey Act, like Oregon's law, applies to people predicted to have less than six months to live. Such persons may, in fact, have years or decades to live."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dore elaborated, “Consider Oregon resident Jeanette Hall, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2000 and made a settled decision to use Oregon’s law. Her doctor convinced her to be treated for cancer instead. Today, <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/amicus-jeanette-07-17-19.pdf" target="_blank">nineteen years later, she is thrilled to be alive</a>.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">"The New Jersey Constitution protects against the enactment of misleading legislation, which is what occurred here," said Dore. “The Act’s title and findings are materially misleading regarding the Act's content, which renders the Act unconstitutional.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dore explained, "The New Jersey Legislature understood that it was enacting a strictly voluntary law limited to assisted suicide. Similar viewpoints have been expressed by the Attorney General (“the Act applies only to those individuals, both patients and providers, who voluntarily elect to participate in the Act’s provisions”) and the Glassman trial judge (‘<a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/amicus-transcript-a-25.pdf" target="_blank">This case is not about euthanasia</a>’)."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">"But the case is about euthanasia," said Dore. "The Act's title uses the phrase, 'aid in dying,' which means euthanasia."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dore added, "Yes, the Act talks about self-administration. But if you look closely, there is no language saying that self-administration is mandatory. Voluntary action is allowed, but not required."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dore elaborated,"The Act has no required oversight over administration of the lethal dose. No doctor, not even a witness is required to be present at the death."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">"In addition," said Dore, "the drugs used are water or alcohol soluble, such that they can be injected into a sleeping or restrained person without consent. Even if the patient struggled, who would know?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dore added, "The New Jersey Department of Health (<a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2020/01/doh-faq-7.pdf" target="_blank">FAQ # 7</a>) recommends that people 'who die following ingestion of [the lethal dose] ... record the underlying terminal disease as the cause of death and mark the manner of death as 'natural.'" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">"The significance is the creation of a legal cover up and also a legal inability to prosecute," said Dore. "The official legal cause of death is a terminal disease (not murder) as a matter of law. The Act thereby creates a perfect crime."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">For more detailed information, <a href="https://www.newjerseyagainstassistedsuicide.org/2019/12/new-jersey-aid-in-dying-act-is.html" target="_blank">read Dore's brief</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Margaret Dore</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/" target="_blank">Choice is an Illusion</a>, a nonprofit corporation</span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-18155170366566885182020-01-02T22:56:00.000-08:002020-01-15T15:33:07.508-08:00Albany New York: Margaret Dore Featured Speaker <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-luiW_y7IzO0/Xg7a8KeGRTI/AAAAAAAAFCA/DhZ_pE9eaKsq4vJYEoYnbQiDRnGhx8DMgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Photo%2BPress%2BConference%2B01%2B02%2B20.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1117" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-luiW_y7IzO0/Xg7a8KeGRTI/AAAAAAAAFCA/DhZ_pE9eaKsq4vJYEoYnbQiDRnGhx8DMgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Photo%2BPress%2BConference%2B01%2B02%2B20.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Event to be live streamed.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>To link, <a href="https://m.facebook.com/NYagainstAS/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</b></span><br />
<b style="color: #9db84e; font-family: inherit; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #9db84e; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small; text-align: right;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-align: right;"> </span></td></tr>
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Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-39252089096128872022019-11-26T14:11:00.000-08:002019-11-26T14:24:20.864-08:00Help Us Help You<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bHBvIs-VPCo/Xdm-vZB3jnI/AAAAAAAAE4c/oqY5XUK4JfQlFiZXbeSP0DH_G_DBtMvpACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Photo%2BMargaret%2B%2526%2BElaine%2B215%2Bx%2B280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="215" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bHBvIs-VPCo/Xdm-vZB3jnI/AAAAAAAAE4c/oqY5XUK4JfQlFiZXbeSP0DH_G_DBtMvpACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Photo%2BMargaret%2B%2526%2BElaine%2B215%2Bx%2B280.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Margaret Dore and Elaine Kolb,<br />
after testifying in Connecticut</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/">Choice is an Illusion</a></b> and its president, <a href="http://www.margaretdore.org/" target="_blank"><b>Margaret Dore</b></a>, work with other people and groups throughout the US and internationally, to stop and reverse the spread of legal assisted suicide and euthanasia.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">Dore is a fourth generation lawyer in Washington State USA, where her work has included guardianship and family law. <a href="https://www.margaretdore.org/p/by-margaret-k.html" target="_blank"><b>She has seen the terrible things that people do to each other for money</b></a>. This includes court-appointed guardians who steal from the very people they are charged to protect. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">In 2009, assisted suicide became legal in Washington State. In an American Bar Association publication, Dore explains:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">In my guardianship cases, people were financially abused and sometimes treated terribly, but nobody died and sometimes we were able to make their lives much better. With legal assisted suicide, the abuse is final.</span></blockquote>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">Dore has personally appeared, lobbied and/or testified against assisted suicide in more than 20 US states and the US Congress.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">In 2016, Dore's affidavit in a <a href="https://www.margaretdore.org/2016/12/please-continue-investing-in-work-of_6.html" target="_blank"><b>South African court case</b></a> was credited with the defeat of assisted suicide. In 2018, Dore's argument that legalization "is a recipe for elder abuse" <b><a href="https://www.margaretdore.org/2018/05/margaret-dore-makes-history-in-portugal.html" target="_blank">supported defeat of a bill in Portugal</a>. </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">So far in 2019, Choice is an Illusion, and its allies, have pushed back against assisted suicide and euthanasia in many states, including:<b> <a href="https://www.choiceillusionconnecticut.org/2019/04/aid-in-dying-fails-to-get-vote.html" target="_blank">Connecticut</a>, <a href="https://www.choiceillusionmaryland.org/2019/03/assisted-suicide-defeated.html" target="_blank">Maryland</a>, <a href="https://www.choiceillusionnevada.org/2019/11/sb-165-dead-for-session.html" target="_blank">Nevada</a>, <a href="https://www.choiceillusionnewmexico.org/2019/03/house-quashes-right-to-die-bill.html" target="_blank">New Mexico</a></b> and <b><a href="https://www.choiceillusionrhodeisland.org/2019/03/dore-testifies-at-hearing-on-rhode.html" target="_blank">Rhode Island</a>.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://choiceillusion.kindful.com/" target="_blank"><b>Donate now</b></a> to protect yourself and the people you care about.</span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-84574591083499509532019-11-02T23:00:00.000-07:002019-11-04T18:14:18.568-08:00Speaking in Washington State<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AJx4ySFu3Ag/XcC6Cs43BnI/AAAAAAAAEvA/C7HjmH5h23smrctPsxKq0d4POGoPaJIMQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Margaret%2BDore%2BBellevue%2B215%2Bx%2B215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="215" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AJx4ySFu3Ag/XcC6Cs43BnI/AAAAAAAAEvA/C7HjmH5h23smrctPsxKq0d4POGoPaJIMQCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/Margaret%2BDore%2BBellevue%2B215%2Bx%2B215.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Margaret Dore</td></tr>
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This evening, Margaret Dore was the featured speaker at St. Louise Parish Hall in Bellevue, Washington State.<br />
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Her main topics included problems with assisted suicide in Washington and how to win in the future against legalization. She also discussed <a href="https://www.choiceillusion.org/2016/10/montana-say-no-to-oregon-experience.html" target="_blank">suicide contagion in Oregon</a>.<br />
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To learn more about assisted suicide in Washington State, click <a href="https://www.choiceillusionwashington.org/2019/10/death-with-dignity-act-must-be.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://www.kcba.org/kcba/newsevents/barbulletin/BView.aspx?Month=05&Year=2009&AID=article5.htm" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.choiceillusionwashington.org/2016/06/washingtons-death-with-dignity-law.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Special thanks to Debby Ummel who organized the event.<br />
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<br />Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-87807341941890531372019-05-30T11:18:00.001-07:002022-03-11T21:34:03.914-08:00Dore Bio: Margaret Dore v. David Leven Debate. Rematch in New York State.<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Margaret K. Dore, Esq., MBA</b></div>
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Margaret Dore is a fourth generation lawyer in Washington State USA. Her father was a lawyer and a Democratic politician who ultimately served as Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court. Her mother was a politician’s wife and a political activist in her own right, best known for her work to raise awareness about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and also to help affected families and to promote medical research. Growing up, other families went camping. Dore’s family went campaigning.<br />
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Dore is a former Law Clerk to the Washington State Supreme Court and the Washington State Court of Appeals. She worked for a year with the United States Department of Justice and has been in private practice since 1990. Her published cases include <i>Lawrence v. Lawrence</i>, a family law case that received national recognition. Dore is also president of <a href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/" target="_blank">Choice Is an Illusion</a>, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation opposed to assisted suicide and euthanasia.<br />
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Dore’s law practice has included guardianship, wills and probate. In that capacity, she has seen the terrible things that people do for money, especially in the inheritance context. US laws allowing assisted suicide and euthanasia also allow family members to actively participate in patient deaths, which can facilitate family member inheritances. This is a major reason for Dore’s opposition to legalizing assisted suicide and euthanasia.<br />
<br />
Margaret Dore, Esq., MBA<br />
Law Offices of Margaret K Dore, PS<br />
Choice is an Illusion, a Nonprofit Corporation<br />
<a href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/">www.choiceillusion.org</a><br />
<a href="http://www.margaretdore.org/">www.margaretdore.org</a><br />
1001 4th Avenue, Suite 4400<br />
Seattle, WA 98154<br />
206 697 1217Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-73167567477235777862019-03-28T17:04:00.000-07:002024-02-27T14:14:58.328-08:00Margaret Dore Lead Witness Against Rhode Island Bill<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(157, 184, 78); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; color: #9db84e; float: right; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em; padding: 5px; position: relative; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUFNkLzRogg/XnQF4bhy4OI/AAAAAAAAAhY/hEgGKq0WhDgD068Gs1tZaL_aPV-GhLDoQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/providence-rhode-island-state-capitol-building%2B%25282%2529%2B233%2Bx%2B250.jpg" style="clear: right; color: #5b84ed; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="230" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUFNkLzRogg/XnQF4bhy4OI/AAAAAAAAAhY/hEgGKq0WhDgD068Gs1tZaL_aPV-GhLDoQCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/providence-rhode-island-state-capitol-building%2B%25282%2529%2B233%2Bx%2B250.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="184" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;">Rhode Island Capitol</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="date-posts" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div class="post-outer"><div class="post hentry" style="margin: 0px 0px 25px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-7696091343981012101" style="font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 470px;"><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.2px;">12 WPRI.COM, EYEWITNESS NEWS</span></div><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #222222;">The chief opponent of legalizing the practice of medication-assisted death in Rhode Island was not a Rhode Islander, but a lawyer from Washington state named <a href="https://www.margaretdore.org/" style="color: #5b84ed; text-decoration-line: none;">Margaret Dore</a> who runs an organization called <a href="https://www.choiceillusion.org/" style="color: #5b84ed; text-decoration-line: none;">Choice is an Illusion</a>.</span></div><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="wsc-grammar-problem" data-grammar-phrase=""" data-grammar-rule="EN_QUOTES" data-wsc-lang="en_US" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span>Don’t make our mistake,<span class="wsc-grammar-problem" data-grammar-phrase=""" data-grammar-rule="EN_QUOTES" data-wsc-lang="en_US" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span> Dore told the committee, referring to <a href="https://www.choiceillusionwashington.org/2014/07/washingtons-death-with-dignity-law.html" style="color: #5b84ed; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Washington’s Death with Dignity Act</a>.</span></div><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She argued that the six-month prognosis is subjective, and patients sometimes live beyond doctors’ expectations. She also said the bill could have unintended consequences, telling a hypothetical story of a son who encourages his terminal father to request the medication <span class="wsc-grammar-problem" data-grammar-phrase=""" data-grammar-rule="EN_QUOTES" data-wsc-lang="en_US" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span>just in case,<span class="wsc-grammar-problem" data-grammar-phrase=""" data-grammar-rule="EN_QUOTES" data-wsc-lang="en_US" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span> and then persuades or forces him into taking the drug at home</span>.</span></div><div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="wsc-grammar-problem" data-grammar-phrase=""" data-grammar-rule="EN_QUOTES" data-wsc-lang="en_US" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span>Dad dies, and the <a href="https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/422-148-DWDAInstructionsForMedicalExaminers.pdf" style="color: #5b84ed; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">death certificate will reflect a terminal disease as the cause of death</a> and the son will inherit,<span class="wsc-grammar-problem" data-grammar-phrase=""" data-grammar-rule="EN_QUOTES" data-wsc-lang="en_US" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span> she said.</span><br /><a name="more"></a><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">To view the entire post, <a href="https://www.wpri.com/health/ri-bill-would-make-death-an-option-for-terminally-ill-patients/1882130467" style="color: #5b84ed; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">click here</a>.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comRhode Island, USA41.5800945 -71.477429113.269860663821156 -106.6336791 69.89032833617884 -36.321179099999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-46638546728666660292018-12-06T19:33:00.000-08:002018-12-14T23:42:14.107-08:00Margaret Speaks at Euthanasia Coalition Symposium, Winnipeg Canada<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i9.ytimg.com/vi/NF7kyuNwoxg/default.jpg?sqp=CLjSp-AF&rs=AOn4CLAfnejwFDQIB7GBIggHC8MQxlT4yg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NF7kyuNwoxg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<b>Speech Highlights, </b><b>October 27, 2018 </b><br />
Click <a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/dore-winnepeg-transcription-10-27-18.pdf" target="_blank">here </a>to view speech PDF.<br />
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<b>Introduction:</b><br />
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<b>Washington State and Oregon</b></div>
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I am a licensed attorney, or lawyer, whatever term you want to use, in Washington state, USA, where we do have legal assisted suicide. And in the fine print, our bill, and all of the Oregon-style bills, also allow euthanasia. And that's because there’s no requirement of self-administration. Oregon's law doesn’t even use the word, "self-administer. " [The other side’s claim that it does, is] propaganda.</div>
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And Washington's law says “may” self-administer.<br />
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And then the big umbrella is, it’s [the Oregon and Washington laws are] considered part of medicine. Well, who administers medicine normally? Do some of you out there have children? Have you ever administered medicine to your child? Okay. Well, that's the normal way to administer medication, is someone else can give it to you.</div>
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So unless there's a clear prohibition from someone else giving it to you, the way I read the law, it already allows euthanasia. It's just sold as assisted suicide.</div>
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Now, Alex and I were having a little discussion, you know, well, should we be so clear about that? [that the Oregon-Washington style bills already allow euthanasia] And I think we should and let people know as they're voting for these bills, like in New Jersey or wherever is next, that this [the bill] already has euthanasia hiding in it, and don't think you're just passing a limited law that's voluntary because you're not.</div>
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So that was supposed to be my introduction line, but I started talking. But I do that; I don't stay on task very well.</div>
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<b>Choice is an Illusion</b></div>
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So I am also president of "Choice is Illusion." The reason for the name is ... whose choice</div>
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[will assisted suicide/euthanasia] be? Your choice or the choice of someone else?</div>
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Under -- with the Oregon and Washington laws, the easiest thing to see is there's no oversight required at the death. </div>
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Two people can be there. One leaves alive; one leaves dead. What happened? [We] don't know. ... and then the death certificate will say a natural death ....</div>
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Okay.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>So Choice is Illusion, the scope is international. It didn't really start out that way.... [I] have done substantial work in Canada, more so a few years ago. I was actually allowed to specially appear in the LaBlanc case .....</div>
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I have [also] worked on Carter, and I do have a few things to say about it. </div>
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I also wrote an expert witness affidavit for a South African case. The client gave my affidavit credit for their winning the case. I have appeared in, I think, 20 states, some of them repeats. I know a lot about how the [assisted suicide/euthanasia] laws work.</div>
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<b>Statutory Interpretation</b></div>
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And part of the reason we have been losing -- and I would really urge all of you, especially with organizations, we need attorneys who are highly trained in statutory interpretation.</div>
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So I personally worked for the courts, and I also worked for the U.S. Department of Justice. And I got a lot of training in how to read a statute and the different rules that apply. So even if it [a proposed bill or law] looks like it says one thing, because of something else in the bill or the type of bill it is, it will mean something else.</div>
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And so that's what's been missing. </div>
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We should have never lost Oregon. Everyone still says it requires “self-administration” in Oregon. And I would invite you to all do a word search on [the Oregon] statute. It's not there. It's propaganda.</div>
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<b>Support Organizations ....</b></div>
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I would encourage you to donate to my organization as well as to Alex's organization or anyone else that's appeared here today. We all need help.</div>
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[<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.choiceillusion.org&source=gmail&ust=1544236993250000&usg=AFQjCNHE3etqSpVkUrwJFJ0blQWn_dM71g" href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">www.choiceillusion.org</a> & <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.epcc.ca&source=gmail&ust=1544236993250000&usg=AFQjCNHJuJUs4NMkqQvXzOYujQ72mIJ8Cg" href="http://www.epcc.ca/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">www.epcc.ca</a>]</div>
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<b>Good News</b></div>
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So I have kind of prepared this as a pep talk.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span> I thought it might be appropriate because things might seem bleak....</div>
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Okay.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>So I am going to start out with some good news.</div>
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Good news. This year, Utah, the state of Utah, the U.S., passed a new law outlawing -- making -- it's a felony to assist a suicide in Utah. So that passed this year.</div>
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Last year, the state of Alabama in the U.S. passed an act banning assisted suicide.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Okay.</div>
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And two years ago, the state of New Mexico, in their court decision, overturned legal assisted suicide in New Mexico. Assisted suicide is no longer legal in New Mexico....</div>
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There's hope even in Canada.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>You just have to keep trying, okay? ....</div>
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<b>The Lawyer Situation ....</b></div>
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[People] like my father, my parents, donated to Seattle University [Law School], which is a Catholic University. Other Catholics have donated to, say, Loyola or ... some of these other [Catholic] universities so that there would be lawyers that could represent Catholic viewpoints, including opposition to things like assisted suicide and euthanasia.</div>
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Well, those schools have been taken over, Compassion and Choices’ legal director started teaching at -- what was – started teaching at Seattle University like 20, 30 years ago. Their current lobbyist teaches a course on end-of-life ethics.</div>
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And, you know, if you donate to those schools, call up whoever is in charge and say you're not going to donate anymore and tell other people not to donate until they get rid of those lobbyists, because that's part of the problem.</div>
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[At legislative hearings, t] hey come in with experts. They have been doing this for years. Their points [which are largely false] are so polished.</div>
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And then what [have we] got? I might come in. I'm a volunteer.</div>
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[Basically, we have largely volunteers against a machine]</div>
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<b>Oregon</b></div>
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It's -- you know, there's a reason we're kind of losing. I mean, we lost in Oregon.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>We should never have lost in Oregon. </div>
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There was no self-administration [in the bill’s language], and that was [the other side’s] big talking point [that the bill was safe due to self-administration being required and the term wasn’t even in the bill. </div>
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And we didn’t call them on it. Where were the lawyers? I mean gee whiz it wasn’t even in the fricken bill and we missed it.</div>
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To the best of my knowledge, I was the first person on our side to notice that Oregon’s law doesn’t even use the term, like 10 years after the law was passed. We need lawyers like yesterday] ....</div>
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<b>The Power of One</b></div>
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So I also wanted to talk about – part of my pep talk is "The Power of One," and I was going</div>
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to use the example of my parents, or my mom.</div>
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So when I was four years old, my sister died of what we now know is SIDS. [Sudden Infant Death Syndrome]</div>
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People didn't know what it was. Crib death or whatever you want to call it. And so she wanted to know why her baby died.</div>
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And so back then, you could look up -- in the newspaper you could find out actually people's addresses. So every day she would look at the obits, and if there was a baby that had died that was under six months old, she would call the person [parent] right up.</div>
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So she kind of -- after a little while she had a little parent group. She had this little constituency.</div>
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And then my father was a legislator.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>So that was one person. That was her. Okay? And then my father happened to be a state legislator, so he proposed a bill to have a controlled study, like an autopsy of every baby that fit a certain profile that was under six months [old] ....</div>
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And he thought he had the votes. Then he learned he was one short, this guy who he had thought would vote with him.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>And so he went to see him, and it turned out it was a person whose baby had also died.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>And so the guy didn't want his little girl cut up. </div>
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And so the two men cried, and my father got his vote. And the study went through. And through that, they still don't know what causes SIDS, but the incidence is way down.</div>
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They have a sleep-on-your-back campaign. I don't know if you have heard about that. That all arises out of Mary Dore [my mother] being upset and wanting to make a difference.</div>
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And so all of you, if you can just hang on, you know, it looks bad right now, but especially if you can get lawyers who really know statutory interpretation [we can win].</div>
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<b>Selfish Arguments</b></div>
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And, also, what I try to do is use selfish arguments. </div>
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Okay.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>So if I am in front of a legislature, these are typically people who are middle class and above, or they couldn't have gotten elected.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>They wouldn't have time [or money] to be in the legislature. So they're at least the middle class and above. </div>
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They probably [have] a house, a car, a little money in the bank. And they're often 50, 60, 70 years old. And so I don't talk to them about vulnerable people because that's asking them to be altruistic. </div>
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I start talking to them about themselves.</div>
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So I am an elder abuse attorney. I have seen the terrible things people do at the end of life or ending lives to get the money. Getting the wills changed. I have done guardianship. I have seen it all, okay?</div>
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And so I start talking to them, like, how much do you trust your relatives? How much do you trust your kids? </div>
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If this goes through, I mean, the way the bill works, the Washington and Oregon style bill works, you know, someone – the people that I have talked to, they sign up just in case [they want to use the lethal dose]. They are not necessarily intending to use it. It gives them comfort [to have it in the house]. That's one of Compassion & Choices’ few true talking points.</div>
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So once it's in the house -- so, say, you know, Dad has got the bad news. Son suggested he gets the drugs. And so they're in the house and the son is back in his life or whatever. </div>
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And, you know, he goes -- so Dad goes to the doctor and is kind is surprised. His test results are</div>
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better. </div>
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And so he comes back and tells his son, and his son is like, "Oh, Dad, oh, that's great. ...”<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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Because he's already been thinking about the remodel, you know, when his dad is gone. "So let's drink to that."</div>
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Drink No. 1, 2, 3, 4. We're pretty happy now. And now a special drink. Bottoms up, and Dad is dead. The death certificate will say whatever the illness was.</div>
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Good sister comes back, "I can't believe he died. I thought he got that great test result.” Son responds, "Here's the death certificate, the cause of death was cancer." .... </div>
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The perfect crime. These bills allow legal murder. They allow the perfect crime.</div>
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And so all these decision makers like the justices [of ] the Canadian Supreme Court, the voters [of Oregon and Washington State] have naively voted this in thinking it's voluntary, thinking that</div>
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they're helping people. ...</div>
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<b>The Carter Case<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></b></div>
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Let's talk about Carter real fast. And I have a handout that says Carter on it that was in the pile. Well, anyway, the thing is, Carter is based --</div>
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Ten minutes?</div>
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Carter is based on the right to life. All right? You already heard that? So what they [the Canadian Supreme Court Justices ] did was they said that [we] have to allow euthanasia because if somebody wants to do suicide, they would have to do it when they're still able to -- healthy enough to kill themselves [which would make them have to kill themselves early when they still have good life left. So euthanasia must be allowed so that people are not forced to kill themselves early, if they’re disabled, someone else can do it for them] </div>
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Okay.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>But that presumes that suicide is a right. There's no right. It's been decriminalized in</div>
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Canada, but it's not -- I mean, if one of you right now would get out a gun and point it at your head, you know, the cops would come and take you in .... </div>
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So anyway, [Carter] it's based on a nonexistent right to suicide. That's the fatal flaw of the decision. It's the linchpin to the whole decision and it's B.S. So it just seems that that would be a simple little lawsuit. And if you got a little PR going and had your stories lined up, you know, or you never know, somebody else could come into power. You never know.</div>
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Like my dad when he was a politician, he lost -- he had a bad streak. He lost like [four or] five elections in a row. Attorney General he lost, Mayor of Seattle he lost. He lost his Senate seat. He lost -- there was one other one, I don't remember.</div>
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Anyway, then his friend got elected Governor and appointed him to a lower court. That kick-started his career again, and he ended up being the Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court. </div>
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So right now you're down, but it's not over, okay? ....</div>
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<b>How to Argue to Win</b></div>
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So I want to talk about how to argue to win.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>The first thing people have to know is we're not talking about people that are necessarily dying anytime soon.</div>
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So the easy way I do that is I hold up [a photo of ] Jeannette, my friend: “This is my friend, Jeannette Hall [who got talked] out -- assisted suicide in Oregon 18 years go.” </div>
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That gets their attention, okay? ....</div>
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I want to be talking about alive people. I do not talk about hospice. I do not talk about palliative care because that gives the image of someone [dying] in bed, and nobody wants to vote for that, okay?<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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So I'm saying something different than other people, and this is my experience. I have been in 20 states. I have been successful....</div>
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Why did we lose in Washington State?</div>
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Because we said, “Well, there's palliative care, so everybody [the voters] is envisioning sick people in bed. And we [the campaign] had pictures of kind [people looking down at sick or old people in bed or in a wheelchair.]</div>
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I mean, everyone tried. I'm not blaming anybody. [But, we did it and we lost and people on our side are still doing it and then we lose. What is the definition of insanity?]</div>
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<b>Colors</b></div>
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I also tend to use green as a color. It's life. People can look at it.</div>
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It's kind of hard on legislators -- or if you have ever been a judge or something, when you have got a whole room full of people with red stickers, I mean, after a while it just puts everybody on edge.</div>
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<b>Choice</b></div>
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Okay.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>So the next thing they [decision makers ] need to know is that it won't necessarily be their choice, which I guess I have already talked about. And they need to know that the bill [or law] </div>
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is stacked against them. [Legal assisted suicide and/or euthanasia are] a recipe for abuse.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>[They’re] a recipe for a lot of things.</div>
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<b>The US Palliative Care Bill (S.693, H.R. 1676 ) ....</b></div>
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A little background on it. About -- I think it was in 2012, I read an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, and it was a doctor writing that, you know, doctors didn't want to have to kill their patients. And so she suggested that there be something like a killing “center” [so that doctors wouldn’t have to do it]</div>
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Okay. So this new hospice bill allows palliative care centers -- centers.</div>
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And Compassion and Choices has started a new PR campaign saying that “aid in dying,” which is a euphemism for euthanasia, is “palliative” [so that the proposed centers will thereby allow euthanasia] ....</div>
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It was a unanimous vote coming out of the U.S. [House of Representatives. Both versions of the bill are now in a US Senate Committee, the HELP Committee (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions)] ....</div>
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<b>History Repeating Itself</b></div>
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Also, I am one of those people that used to read a lot of war stuff.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>So I read The Nazi Doctors by Robert J. Lifton, if any of you have read that. And in there, there's a very helpful couple of pages talking about how they [the German government] convinced the German population to accept euthanasia.</div>
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And I think it's very instructive so that we learn from that and we don't make those mistakes. They [the German government] kept it “medicalized,” always had a doctor present.</div>
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So we don't – if we can help it, we shouldn't talk about [assisted suicide/euthanasia] as a medical</div>
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treatment unless we have to.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Okay?</div>
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They also talked about how expensive some people were, and they talked about people being burdens. So we don't want to use the “B” word and say that people are burdens or that someone called me a burden. </div>
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And I know I'm going against what some of you have said today, but if you do that all you're doing is helping the other side, okay? </div>
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Because you want to get the conversation really narrow, focus on your 60-plus decisionmaker that this could be you, you know? ...</div>
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I stopped this bill in Connecticut just by saying something similar to that and pointing out how the death certificate would make it as a matter of law.</div>
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And I saw the sponsor put his hand on his head as the bill was going down. I mean, it just was that fast [five minutes? as I was speaking] ....</div>
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<b>Don’t Concede People Are Choosing</b></div>
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Okay.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Oh, don't concede people are choosing. Like Brittany Maynard. That's how her husband pronounces it....</div>
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Did she choose assisted suicide? Two days ahead of time she's crying and ambivalent, right, if you watched the video.</div>
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And then after the fact we find out that her husband and her mother are fighting over the movie rights.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Oh, looks just like a normal inheritance contest to me.</div>
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<b>“Ending Lives”</b></div>
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Okay.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Other things.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Like instead of saying "end of life" care, "ending lives.” ...</div>
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<b>Have Your Own Theme of the Case</b></div>
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The other thing is like -- okay, so my dad was a trial lawyer, and you want to have your own theme of the case, okay? </div>
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So if it's a murder trial, you know, the prosecutor might say: “This was a murder, a heinous crime of jealousy and rage, he was already convicted once of assaulting her, you know, a big black eye or whatever, it was terrible, and this time he murdered her.</div>
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So if you're the defense, you want to have an actual defense that doesn't ring the bell of any of those horrible things.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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So you might say something like, "This is a case of mistaken identity. And we're going to be -- in our case today, we're going to show he was in Canada that day. We have credit card receipts, and we have eyewitness testimony putting him in Vancouver. So he wasn't in Colorado -- or wherever the crime occurred. -- It wasn't him." ....<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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So just because the other side talks about pain and suffering, we don't have to do that, and shouldn't, because, you know, unless we're forced to. Because that's their case; their case is suffering. </div>
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[And their claim about suffering is also not supported by the Oregon statistics, which they produce. So, another fake claim on their part] ....</div>
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<b>Don’t Take on a Burden That You Don’t Need to Prove; Control the Argument</b></div>
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So you only have to prove it's a bad bill [to defeat it]. And most of these cases it's a bill situation. You don't have to prove that all these other societal things need to be addressed or anything else. You just want to focus on your narrow thing....</div>
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In Washington state, one of the reasons we lost is we didn't handle the Catholic argument very well. [“Catholics want to impose their values on everyone else and/or make people suffer”]</div>
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And so it was used on me in Minnesota, I was in a debate, you know, held in the basement of a church. And so I got up, and I just did my two points:</div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>We're talking about people who have years, decades to live, and it won't necessarily be your choice.</div>
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That was it. Your turn. </div>
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And then she says like:</div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>Well, you know, there's something that hasn't been said here, the role of the church</div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>and blah, blah, blah. And Catholics want people to suffer, whatever.</div>
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So I just said back:</div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>You know, there's a lot of Catholics here. There might even be some cafeteria Catholics, different kinds of Catholics. You know, but no matter who they are or how many there are or what kind they are, the bill is still going to say and do the same thing, so let's just get back to the bill.</div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
Anyway, I won that debate because I didn't take on a burden I didn't need to prove. I didn't need to justify Catholic beliefs. I didn't need to do any of that. [I just needed to show that the bill we were talking about was a bad bill. By doing so, I controlled the argument and prevailed]</div>
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<b>Catholic Churches Forcing Speakers to Take on a Burden that Gets the Speaker into Trouble (and Hurts the Church)</b></div>
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Now, what's been also a problem for me is sometimes, you <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>know, I have been -- so in this particular debate, we made a deal with the Catholic priest that we would have a prayer at the beginning [of the debate] but that [he] would not give the Catholic position because that would bring in -- because that would put a burden on me.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>I would then have to defend the church, and everything the church has ever done wrong would all of a sudden come back to me.</div>
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But some of the other churches, when I have wanted to speak, they said, "Well, you have to talk about the Catholic position at the beginning of your [talk]” <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>And I said, "I can't do that because . ... that's going to make us lose." And it's been very difficult. So I don't know what the solution to that is.</div>
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MALE SPEAKER: “You're doing it. You're keeping it legal.”</div>
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MARGARET DORE: I mean, you just want to win, you know. And then once you win, then you can take care of these other things. Let's see.</div>
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MALE SPEAKER:<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>We're down to two minutes (inaudible).</div>
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MARGARET DORE: ... I guess I did it all:<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.choiceillusion.org&source=gmail&ust=1544236993250000&usg=AFQjCNHE3etqSpVkUrwJFJ0blQWn_dM71g" href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">www.choiceillusion.org</a> Thank you very much.</div>
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(Conclusion of presentation)</div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-81663454737142908192018-11-04T16:22:00.001-08:002018-11-04T16:26:39.095-08:00Margaret Dore and Dawn Eskew Take the Lead Against Flawed Hospice Act<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P1zcbzUg6Vk/W94hQN9JRuI/AAAAAAAADPg/Wd5_8lzmeyoTMyAczuzn4YFmYndxrwcZACLcBGAs/s1600/Photo%2BDawn%2B%2526%2BMargaret%2BUS%2BCap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P1zcbzUg6Vk/W94hQN9JRuI/AAAAAAAADPg/Wd5_8lzmeyoTMyAczuzn4YFmYndxrwcZACLcBGAs/s200/Photo%2BDawn%2B%2526%2BMargaret%2BUS%2BCap.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Margaret Dore with<br />
Dawn Eskew</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;">The "Palliative Care and Hospi</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">ce Education and Training Act," bills H.R. 1676 and S. 693, </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">were proposed in 2017 and viewed as noncontroversial. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">In </span></span><span style="background-color: white;">July 2018, </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">H.R. 1676 passed the House. The bill was then </span>received<span style="font-family: inherit;"> in the Senate and transferred to the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">, which was also considering S. 693.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">A week later, the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (OIG) issued a </span><a href="https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-02-16-00570.pdf" style="background-color: white; color: #5b84ed; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">portfolio</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> highly critical of the Medicare hospice benefit. This alerted Dore to some of the bills' problems.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Dore </span><span style="background-color: white;">also learned of a Texas case, in which<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">a hospice </span>owner had <span style="background-color: white;">allegedly ordered staff to administer Schedule II drugs to patients, regardless of need. His alleged reason was to justify higher patient billings, meaning more money for him. The reported result included <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndtx/pr/sixteen-individuals-charged-60-million-medicare-fraud-scheme" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">serious bodily injury and death to the patients involved</span></a>. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Problems with the bills include:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
• They do not require patients to be “terminally ill,” which is an eligibility requirement for hospice under Medicare. If the bills are enacted, this omission will create confusion in the law and/or undermine laws designed to prevent patient harm and fraud in the Medicare program.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
• The bills describe hospice and palliative care as a benefit for patients and their families, who can have divergent interests. Patients may want to get well, while their families may want inheritances. This is a fundamental problem with the bills, that as written, they serve two masters. </blockquote>
In early October 2018, Dore, assisted by Dawn Eskew of New York Against Assisted Suicide, <span style="background-color: white;">went to the US Capitol with a formal analysis of the bills' problems. </span><span style="background-color: white;">The staff person at their first appointment told them that no other visitor had expressed opposition to the bills. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Dore's analysis can be viewed at the bottom of this </span><a href="http://www.margaretdore.org/p/press.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">press release</span></a><span style="background-color: white;">, titled: "Proposed Federal Hospice Act Must be Defeated to 'Stop the Waste, Bleeding and Heartache."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">As of </span><span style="background-color: white;">November 4, 2018, both bills are still in the </span><span style="background-color: white;">Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (</span><span style="background-color: white;">HELP).</span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-58583963081135785912018-05-30T14:00:00.000-07:002018-07-11T23:03:24.500-07:00Margaret Dore Makes a Difference in Portugal<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GGim8b9CL80/Ww73My_nDtI/AAAAAAAACg8/YxSyo5s1EzY7vrZn6LIHEJhieLmoV9PQwCLcBGAs/s1600/Nancy-Elliott-2015-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="200" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GGim8b9CL80/Ww73My_nDtI/AAAAAAAACg8/YxSyo5s1EzY7vrZn6LIHEJhieLmoV9PQwCLcBGAs/s200/Nancy-Elliott-2015-300x225.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nancy Elliott</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">On May 29, 2018, </span></span><span style="background-color: white;">Portugal’s parliament rejected a bill that would have legalized euthanasia. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Prior to the vote, hundreds of people protested in front of the parliament building, carrying placards, including "Euthanasia is a recipe for elder abuse."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This prompted Nancy Elliott, Chair of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, to make the following statement:</span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The argument that legal assisted suicide and euthanasia "is a recipe for elder abuse," was first made by Margaret Dore.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She was also the first person who came t<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">o me (I was a New Hampshire legislator at the time) with the argument of elder abuse. T</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">he argument hit home with the legislators: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">You or your loved one could be abused to death. </span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For more information about the Portugal vote, click </span><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-portugal-euthanasia/portugal-parliament-rejects-euthanasia-legalization-idUSKCN1IU2DJ" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-49916689074908528342018-05-03T17:41:00.000-07:002018-12-06T17:52:24.319-08:00Margaret Dore Testifies Against New York Bill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yloBE9y3HKo&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="1600" height="177" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9NmiwanSIl4/WvOVQtpScWI/AAAAAAAACWc/6ZPKhfR1XRMmEGIa4KKxRI5aVr5LDSoqACLcBGAs/s320/Margaret%2BDore%2B604.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Margaret Dore, testifying against Bill A.2383-A, seeking to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia in New York State. Click photo to view video.Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-29570817028823119102018-01-28T21:45:00.000-08:002018-04-07T16:55:48.772-07:00This Saturday, Register Now, Seating Is Limited!<br />
<img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="455" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYWaJuauI8E/WmuaruJGfmI/AAAAAAAACY0/g_DWvPr3ydscashhuD2TUXXphbvbNE0PACLcBGAs/s1600/Debate-small-Ad.jpg" /><br />
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<a name='more'></a><b><br /></b><b>Saturday March 3rd, 2018</b></div>
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Doors Open 12:00pm | Event 12:30pm</div>
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One hour debate followed by 15 minute Q&A</div>
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Complimentary Refreshments<br />
<br />
Tickets are $10<br />
<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/euthanasia-or-aid-in-dying-you-decide-tickets-41520189003">https://www.eventbrite.com/e/euthanasia-or-aid-in-dying-you-decide-tickets-41520189003</a><br />
<br />
Hofstra University Club, 225 Hofstra Blvd, Hempstead, NY 11550<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">To print an event flyer </span><a href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/debate-ad2.jpg" style="text-align: start;">Click Here</a><br />
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For more information: 631-487-7578</div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-54002512272801486222017-10-30T19:24:00.001-07:002017-10-30T19:25:44.989-07:00Margaret Dore Featured by Hope Australia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Margaret Dore, an experienced attorney specialising in elder law in Washington State, where assisted suicide is legal, has urged Victorian MPs <em>“to reject the proposed bill seeking to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.”</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Her analysis of the purported "Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2017," which would legalise euthanasia as well as assisted suicide, can be read in full <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.noeuthanasia.org.au/r?u%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.choiceillusion.org%252F2017%252F10%252Fmargaret-dore-analysis-opposing.html%2523more%26e%3Dc4bd7d9428904fadcd9b375cce149285%26utm_source%3Dhopeaustralia%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3D171031_havmp2%26n%3D2&source=gmail&ust=1509502125298000&usg=AFQjCNHp7nmSjhjtpxunW74Imhzepm4Tzg" href="http://www.noeuthanasia.org.au/r?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.choiceillusion.org%2F2017%2F10%2Fmargaret-dore-analysis-opposing.html%23more&e=c4bd7d9428904fadcd9b375cce149285&utm_source=hopeaustralia&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=171031_havmp2&n=2" style="color: #17b890;" target="_blank"><span class="m_-3548545263445923134m_-3085652301531229092m_8851705460795303076underline;">here</span></a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dore points out that in </span><em style="font-family: inherit;">“Oregon and Washington State, most people who die under their [assisted suicide] laws are elders, aged 65 or older. This demographic is already an especially at risk group for abuse and financial exploitation. This is true in both the US and Australia.</em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elder abuse and exploitation perpetrators are often family members. They typically start out with small crimes, such as stealing jewelry and blank checks, before moving on to larger items or to coercing victims to sign over deeds to their homes, to change their wills or to liquidate their assets. Amy Mix, an elder law attorney in the US, explains why older people are especially vulnerable:</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: inherit;">The elderly are at an at-risk group for a lot of reasons, including, but not limited to diminished capacity, isolation from family and other caregivers, lack of sophistication when it comes to purchasing property, financing, or using computers. Defendants are family members, lots are friends, often people who befriend a senior through church.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>In some cases, elder abuse and financial exploitation are fatal. Consider People v. Stuart in which an adult child killed her mother with a pillow, allowing the child to inherit. The Court observed: </em><em>Financial considerations [are] an all too common motivation for killing someone.”</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Minister for Health claims that the Bill is safe because two doctors have to certify that they are satisfied that the person requesting assisted suicide or euthanasia is acting voluntarily and without coercion. Dore rightly observes that this is not a real safeguard because: <em>In both Australia and the US, victims do not report abuse. <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.noeuthanasia.org.au/r?u%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ohchr.org%252FDocuments%252FIssues%252FOlderPersons%252FSubmissions%252FElderAbusePreventionAssociation.pdf%26e%3Dc4bd7d9428904fadcd9b375cce149285%26utm_source%3Dhopeaustralia%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3D171031_havmp2%26n%3D3&source=gmail&ust=1509502125298000&usg=AFQjCNGcywj-3gqZJLcg0xwJvow8ZgBRCQ" href="http://www.noeuthanasia.org.au/r?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ohchr.org%2FDocuments%2FIssues%2FOlderPersons%2FSubmissions%2FElderAbusePreventionAssociation.pdf&e=c4bd7d9428904fadcd9b375cce149285&utm_source=hopeaustralia&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=171031_havmp2&n=3" style="color: #17b890;" target="_blank"><span class="m_-3548545263445923134m_-3085652301531229092m_8851705460795303076underline;">For example, in Victoria, it is estimated that there are more than 20,000 unreported cases of abuse, neglect and exploitation each year and approximately 100,000 in Australia nationwide.</span></a> Meanwhile, in the US, it’s estimated that only 1 in 14 cases ever comes to the attention of the authorities. Reasons for the lack of reporting include:</em></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: inherit;">Many who suffer from abuse . . . don’t want to report their own child as an abuser.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dore notes that as with the assisted suicide laws in Oregon and Washington State:</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: inherit;">The bill allows a patient to administer the lethal dose in private, without a witness or doctor present. In addition, the drugs typically used are water and alcohol soluble, such that they can be injected into a sleeping or restrained person without consent. Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director for the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, puts it this way:</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: inherit;">With assisted suicide laws in Washington and Oregon [and with the proposed bill], perpetrators can . . . take a “legal” route, by getting an elder to sign a lethal dose request. Once the prescription is filled, there is no supervision over administration. <strong>Even if a patient struggled, who would know?</strong>”</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I encourage you to read Margaret Dore’s <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.noeuthanasia.org.au/r?u%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.choiceillusion.org%252F2017%252F10%252Fmargaret-dore-analysis-opposing.html%2523more%26e%3Dc4bd7d9428904fadcd9b375cce149285%26utm_source%3Dhopeaustralia%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3D171031_havmp2%26n%3D4&source=gmail&ust=1509502125298000&usg=AFQjCNEmcRO54U127XxFz5g1kLOVJ1PxvQ" href="http://www.noeuthanasia.org.au/r?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.choiceillusion.org%2F2017%2F10%2Fmargaret-dore-analysis-opposing.html%23more&e=c4bd7d9428904fadcd9b375cce149285&utm_source=hopeaustralia&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=171031_havmp2&n=4" style="color: #17b890;" target="_blank"><span class="m_-3548545263445923134m_-3085652301531229092m_8851705460795303076underline;">full analysis</span></a> and consider it carefully. She approaches the Bill with the eye of a lawyer who is experienced in helping elderly people who are being abused by family or financial predators. She demonstrates that the alleged safeguards in the Bill are illusory and the choice the Bill purports to give people is an illusion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Elderly Victorians deserve a better deal than this assisted suicide and euthanasia Bill offers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kind regards,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Paul Russell" class="m_-3548545263445923134m_-3085652301531229092m_8851705460795303076signature-image CToWUd" src="https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/jQ5J_m1am2vQW3uk17gvrKv00cXRxZMMvS6I5jQoqztV6xs9mQyMoX1ss1UaDm-qSP6Ipw7--R4p6Kex9MbnsrU514bVIXH0EpASJSy_x_ErwTQrUiJhRSBdkcJVPvw5jFvP=s0-d-e1-ft#http://assets.noeuthanasia.org.au/email/template/graphics/paul-russell-bw.jpg" style="color: #222222; font-size: 14px; height: 100px; max-width: 80px; width: 80px;" width="80" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14px;"></span></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Paul Russell</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Founder & Director</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">HOPE: <em>Preventing Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide</em></span><br />
<a href="mailto:PaulRussell@noeuthanasia.org.au" style="color: #17b890;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">PaulRussell@noeuthanasia.org.a<wbr></wbr>u</span></a></div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-86644529443591032662017-10-09T18:48:00.000-07:002020-03-30T15:43:50.320-07:00Margaret Dore on Russian English Language Radio<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5fFFpPBDwb4/WdwpbRNoRNI/AAAAAAAABKU/XxpvayZ9ObMuzbLD4mKTeZ-Jat6LBJj7gCLcBGAs/s1600/Sputnik%2Bnews%2Blogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5fFFpPBDwb4/WdwpbRNoRNI/AAAAAAAABKU/XxpvayZ9ObMuzbLD4mKTeZ-Jat6LBJj7gCLcBGAs/s1600/Sputnik%2Bnews%2Blogo.jpg" /></a>Early this morning, Margaret Dore, President of Choice is an Illusion, a nonprofit corporation opposed to assisted suicide and euthanasia, spoke with Sputnik News Radio (Russian govt. owned) about Canada's new euthanasia law, as well as the current situation in the US.<br />
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To hear the interview, <a href="https://soundcloud.com/radiosputnik/with-euthanasia-you-can-manipulate-death-margaret-dore" target="_blank">click here</a><br />
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This is according to an interim report released by Health Canada on Friday. The report suggests that doctor-assisted death now accounts for one per cent of all deaths in the country. Cancer has become one of the driving factors prompting terminally-ill patients to put an end to their lives with medical help, accounting to sixty percent of all cases. Other diseases including neuro-degenerative disorders, respiratory and circulatory system failures were also the major reasons for choosing euthanasia. Canada adopted the controversial law permitting medically assisted suicide last June. Apart from Canada, euthanasia is legal in Netherlands, Belgium, Colombia and Luxembourg.</div>
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We discussed the report with Margaret Dore, an attorney and a president of Choice is an Illusion, an organization fighting assisted suicide and euthanasia legalization efforts throughout the United States [and internationally].</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">To view a related article, c</span><a href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/2017/10/how-legalization-of-doctor-assisted.html" target="_blank">lick here</a></span></span></div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-63238999610933320302017-07-18T20:58:00.000-07:002018-11-05T15:10:51.095-08:00Hawaii: Thank You Representative Oshiro!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawaii Representative Marcus Oshiro (in green)</td></tr>
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This is a belated thank you to Representative Marcus Oshiro, one of the many people instrumental to the defeat of SB 1129, which had sought to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia in Hawaii.<br />
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Representative Oshiro took the lead to make stopping the bill one of his main goals for the legislative session. From my viewpoint, he was a major reason we won in what was also a great team effort. Choice is an Illusion got him a plaque in appreciation.<br />
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Representative Oshiro and many other people worked together to overcome a 22 to 3 defeat on the Senate floor. We won 7-0 to delay the bill in a House Committee, which killed the bill.</div>
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Thank you again to everyone who made this possible.</div>
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Margaret Dore, President </div>
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<a href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/" target="_blank">Choice is an Illusion</a>, a nonprofit corporation.</div>
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Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-90032703909481320312017-06-01T19:47:00.000-07:002018-08-25T14:50:33.928-07:00Minnesota: An Open Letter to Mitchell Hamline School of Law: "Losing Your Freedom Is Like Losing Your Hair"<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-7796109249676130245" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 470px;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Mitchell Hamline Panel, 04 27 17</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In April, I was honored to be one of four speakers at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law. The event was a panel discussion regarding legislation seeking to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia in Minnesota. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I arrived at the event with a legal analysis and other materials addressing problems with the legislation. For example and contrary to backers’ claims, patient voluntariness is not assured. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I started to hand out my materials. Proponents of the legislation, however, objected and a law student organizer backed them up to prevent distribution. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The event went forward and I was able to get my points out, albeit without written backup. I had been the sole opposition speaker. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In another life, I was a young lawyer who attended a presentation sponsored by the Washington State Supreme Court. The speaker, a businessman named Fred <span class="il">Harrington</span>, had been held hostage in Iraq by Saddam Hussein. <span class="il">Harrington</span>, whose head featured a bald pate, described what it was like to lose his freedom:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Losing your freedom is like losing your hair. One day you look in the mirror and it’s gone.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today, we live in a free country. But if we don’t stand up for the right to speak and have open public discourse, our right to do so, like Mr. <span class="il">Harrington</span>’s hair will suddenly be gone.I hope that Mitchell Hamline will clarify its policies to embrace free speech and open public discourse. Before it’s too late.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Margaret Dore, Esq., MBA</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Below find links to the documents that I was not allowed to distribute: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Legal Analysis of Minneota Bills,HF 1885 & SF 1572: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/mn-2017-bills-legal-analysis.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1496408986325000&usg=AFQjCNHKc_GBys_nx8QyxyChzExSxjbuNA" href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/mn-2017-bills-legal-analysis.pdf" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://choiceisanillusion.<wbr></wbr>files.wordpress.com/2017/05/<wbr></wbr>mn-2017-bills-legal-analysis.<wbr></wbr>pdf</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Jeanette Hall “It’s Great to Be Alive” flyer (front and back, shown here as a single page): <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/jeanette-single-page-flyer.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1496408986325000&usg=AFQjCNHWlQ3jnkQUJBKH92DfR_J8i3Qmng" href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/jeanette-single-page-flyer.pdf" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://choiceisanillusion.fi<wbr></wbr>les.wordpress.com/2017/05/jean<wbr></wbr>ette-single-page-flyer.pdf</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. One page event handout: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/event-handout.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1496408986325000&usg=AFQjCNE2RfasgsJspOiFLQjHXq4VKduqRw" href="https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/event-handout.pdf" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://choiceisanill<wbr></wbr>usion.files.wordpress.com/<wbr></wbr>2017/04/event-handout.pdf</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">Fred Harrington in 2012</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">The Seattle Times. </span></i></div>
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Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-6917519750144817322017-04-28T22:09:00.017-07:002022-03-11T21:32:48.486-08:00Minnesota: Margaret Dore Beats the Odds<h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;">
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Dore at left<br />
Click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHt95LRt5S0&t=459s" target="_blank">here </a>to watch video</td></tr>
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<span face=""verdana" , "arial" , "geneva" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.8px;">With the odds stack against her, Margaret Dore, Esq., MBA did an admirable job educating attendee's at an "End of Life Options Discussion Panel" sponsored by Hamline Mitchell Law School's Health Law Society in Saint Paul, Minnesota on Thursday evening. [4/27/17]</span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , "arial" , "geneva" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The panel was comprised of three supporters of the Minnesota End of Life Options Act, including Thaddeus Pope, and Ms. Dore, who alone stood to expose the language of the bill and the reality of what that language has allowed in Washington State, where Ms. Dore is an attorney and president of <a href="http://www.margaretdore.com/" style="color: #66b4fa; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Choice is an Illusion</a>. Not only was she outnumbered 3 to one on the panel, but pro-assisted death representatives had a fit when Ms. Dore attempted to share documentation for her talk and blocked her from handing it out.</span><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br style="font-family: verdana, arial, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />
<span face=""verdana" , "arial" , "geneva" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Ms. Dore hammered home points that are often glossed over. When panel members insisted that this bill pertained to "terminal patients with less than 6 months to live," Ms. Dore shared a real encounter she had. "Doctors can be wrong about life expectancy, sometimes way wrong," said Dore. "This is due to actual mistakes and the fact that predicting life expectancy is not an exact science. A few years ago, I was met at the airport by a man who at age 18 had been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and given 3 to 5 years to live, at which time he was to die by paralysis. His diagnosis had been confirmed by the Mayo Clinic. When he met me at the airport, he was 74 years old. The disease progression had stopped on its own."</span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , "arial" , "geneva" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.8px;">She also shared, "The Act is stacked against the patient and a recipe for elder abuse." Dore elaborated, "The patient's heir, who will financially benefit from the patient's death, is allowed to actively participate in requesting the lethal dose. After that, no doctor, not even a witness, is required to be present at the death. Even if the patient struggled, who would know?"</span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , "arial" , "geneva" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.8px;">"But, it gets worse," said Dore, "the death certificate is required to list a medical condition as the cause of death, which prevents prosecution." Dore explained, "The official cause of death is a medical condition (not murder) as a matter of law. For perpetrators, the death certificate is a 'stay out of jail free card.'"</span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , "arial" , "geneva" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Thank you to Ms. Dore for her tireless fight to stop assisted suicide.</span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , "arial" , "geneva" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span><span face=""verdana" , "arial" , "geneva" , sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Ann Olson</span></span></div>
Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13314132820263802243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494683960643835494.post-82028479148073030902016-12-06T12:34:00.000-08:002017-07-04T13:13:12.133-07:00South Africa: Dore Evidence Prevails<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dear supporters of Margaret Dore and <a href="http://www.choiceillusion.org/" target="_blank">Choice is an Illusion</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today 6 December 2016, the South African Supreme Court of Appeal has overturned the lower courts authorisatin of euthanasia decision. The euthanasia side filed an affidavit from an Oregon pro-assisted suicide doctor activist arguing how well assisted suicide was being implemented in Oregon. Margaret Dore filed an <a href="http://www.margaretdore.org/p/south-africa-dore-expert-witness.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange;">affidavit</span></a> rebutting these claims.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ultimately the court ruled that faced with complex conflicting claims about the situation in foreign juristictions, it could not decide on the question of whether assisted suicide/euthanasia was being implemented well or not overeas - but left the matter in substantial doubt and affirmed that given our socio-economic context the probably of problems in South Africa was greater than overseas. The point is though that I think Margaret Dore's evidence at minimum neutralised the opposing argument and evidence - causing the court to refuse to admit the evidence of the assisted suicide lobby and categorise it as a mixture of facts, claims and hearsay which they could not sift through. At best it forms the basis for their finding that the risk of abuses & problems would be greater in South Africa and thus a hasty pro-euthanasia decision of the lower court could not be supported. . . .</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Please continue investing in the work of Margaret Dore, which is having an impact beyond your borders. It likely South Africa may have another court case next year or in future and the input of Margaret Dore may be helpful again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yours sincerely,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Philip Rosenthal</span><br />
<a href="http://euthanasiaexposed.co.za/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange; font-family: inherit;">Euthanasia Exposed</span></a><br />
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