Thursday, January 8, 2009

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The Second International Symposium on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide will be held in May in Landsdowne, Virginia.

In the aftermath of the passage of an assisted suicide constitutional amendment in Washington State, Alex Schadenberg, executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, says the meeting and discussion are especially important "to build a culture that rejects 'mercy killing.'"

"And the purpose of the symposium itself will be to bring together our leadership and other people who are interested in the issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide and to forge a stronger and forceful direction as to why euthanasia and assisted suicide should remain illegal and why it is a direct threat to our most vulnerable in society," he notes. According to Schadenberg, that includes the handicapped and the elderly.

While top experts will be there, he says it is important for the everyday citizen to join with them as well. "We should all be concerned about it, but those people who are particularly wanting to do something to stop the onward thrust of this death lobby, they need to understand the directions we need to all go," he points out.

Aside from Washington, only Oregon permits doctor-assisted suicide. The theme for the symposium is "Never Again." Schadenberg says almost every leader in combating assisted suicide and euthanasia in the United Kingdom and North America will be attending or lecturing at the symposium.

Read it here.

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