Tuesday, March 19, AD 2024 3:22am

Obama Administration to Severely Wounded Vets: Suicide is Painless!

As the Wall Street Journal reports here, the Veteran’s Administration is providing seriously wounded veterans with a pamphlet entitled “Your Life, Your Choices“, which encourages veterans to refuse treatment and die.

 

“Who is the primary author of this workbook? Dr. Robert Pearlman, chief of ethics evaluation for the center, a man who in 1996 advocated for physician-assisted suicide in Vacco v. Quill before the U.S. Supreme Court and is known for his support of health-care rationing.

“Your Life, Your Choices” presents end-of-life choices in a way aimed at steering users toward predetermined conclusions, much like a political “push poll.” For example, a worksheet on page 21 lists various scenarios and asks users to then decide whether their own life would be “not worth living.”

The circumstances listed include ones common among the elderly and disabled: living in a nursing home, being in a wheelchair and not being able to “shake the blues.” There is a section which provocatively asks, “Have you ever heard anyone say, ‘If I’m a vegetable, pull the plug’?” There also are guilt-inducing scenarios such as “I can no longer contribute to my family’s well being,” “I am a severe financial burden on my family” and that the vet’s situation “causes severe emotional burden for my family.”

When the government can steer vulnerable individuals to conclude for themselves that life is not worth living, who needs a death panel?”

This pamphlet was devised in the Clinton Administration.  The Bush administration stopped it from being used.  The Obama administration reinstated its use last month.  Vets interested in advanced directives are given one resource to contact in the pamphlet:  Compassion and Choices, better known under their prior, and more accurate, name The Hemlock Society.   I trust that there is a very warm place indeed in the next life for those who would attempt to convince someone who is severely injured protecting me and mine that their life is not worth living and that they are merely a burden on society.

Yeah, I really want these caring compassionate people in charge of my health care.

A very worthy cause I contribute to each year is Paralyzed Veterans of America .  Those who gave their all for us deserve the best that we can give them.

Update I:  Chris Wallace today, August 23, 2009, grills Assistant Secretary for Veteran’s Affair Tammy Duckworth, a veteran who lost her legs in Iraq, on the pamphlet.

Duckworth’s position seems to be that there is nothing wrong with the pamphlet and the VA is not using it, both of which are factually challenged statements.

Here is the interview Chris Wallace also conducted with James Towey who authored the Wall Street Journal piece.

Update II:  Ed Morrissey is on the story here at Hot Air.

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jh
jh
Friday, August 21, AD 2009 12:01pm

It looks like this will get some major exposure this SUnday

http://fns.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/08/20/this-week-on-fox-news-sunday-82309/

trackback
Friday, August 21, AD 2009 2:07pm

[…] Veterans of America . Those who gave their all for us deserve the best that we can give them. https://the-american-catholic.com/2009/08/21/obama-administration-to-severely-wounded-vets-suicide-is… __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or […]

Gabriel Austin
Gabriel Austin
Friday, August 21, AD 2009 3:27pm

Is it a co-incidence that neither Mr. Clinton nor Mr. Obama served in the armed forces?

priscilla ward
priscilla ward
Friday, August 21, AD 2009 5:04pm

What makes the Clintons and Obamas think their contribution to society is better than a helpless person who needs care? Their culture of death brings a sorrow to society greater than the unselfish loving care for others making a suffering life as good as possible, Some day they will value life when they find themselves useless ,or will they choose suicide? Would they talk their own parents or children into suicide if they thought their life not worth living? Their actions are not compassion. They are coldly eliminating undesirables.

Holly
Holly
Friday, August 21, AD 2009 6:20pm

Did you read this pamphlet? It is not about committing suicide. Where is “Compassion and Choices” listed as a resource? The resource mentions Choice in Dying which is a link to a website about advance directives. Here is the link to the actual pamphlet.
http://www.rihlp.org/pubs/Your_life_your_choices.pdf

Cminor
Saturday, August 22, AD 2009 1:54pm

I wonder if Holly read the pamphlet. The case studies were pieces of work. Note how in several the “unknown” wish of the patient is for non-treatment–how convenient!

I’m horrified that wounded kids and elderly veterans are being issued this disaster of a handbook. It’s tough enough to deal with the life changes that a serious injury or illness can present without having people with no personal stake in your survival trying to steer your thinking in the directions it promotes.

Even if the brochure were a completely innocuous education campaign, when soldiers (sailors, airmen) are sick and hurting is the worst possible time to bring up the advanced directive question. If the VA thinks having an advanced directive is that critical, they should be promoting it to active duty members of the military, not wounded warriors.

trackback
Saturday, August 22, AD 2009 4:23pm

[…] Die in honor of the policy of the Obama administration policy towards severely wounded veterans as described in my earlier post on the subject.  Read their parody […]

Cminor
Sunday, August 23, AD 2009 9:54am

Donald, I think the money quote in the CID description you cite is about 5 paragraphs down in the History section:

“Choice in Dying officially became an organization in 1991 with the merger of Concern for Dying and the Society for the Right to Die.”

If I recall correctly, Concern for Dying used to be known as the Hemlock Society.

What is really disturbing about the VA booklet is the fact that many troops disabled in Iraq/Afghanistan suffer from traumatic brain injuries. Depression is a known side effect And the VA is handing them booklets in which they’re encouraged to reflect on whether “not being able to shake the blues” may constitute a “life not worth living.” They need treatment, not a push off the cliff.

Dominic Marcello
Dominic Marcello
Sunday, August 23, AD 2009 10:31am

Can’t find in the article where the obama admin said “Suicide is Painless!”, can someone help me out?

Phillip
Phillip
Monday, August 24, AD 2009 8:20am

From the words to the theme song of MASH:

Through early morning fog I see
visions of the things to be
the pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see…

[chorus]:

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.

I try to find a way to make
all our little joys relate
without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it’s too late, and…

[Chorus]

The game of life is hard to play
I’m gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I’ll someday lay
so this is all I have to say.

[Chorus]

The only way to win is cheat
And lay it down before I’m beat
and to another give my seat
for that’s the only painless feat.

[Chorus]

The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn’t hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger…watch it grin, but…

[Chorus]

A brave man once requested me
to answer questions that are key
‘is it to be or not to be’
and I replied ‘oh why ask me?’

‘Cause suicide is painless
it brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.
…and you can do the same thing if you choose.

larbear476
larbear476
Tuesday, August 25, AD 2009 8:59pm

Just what I would expect from Obama & Liberals.

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