Death With Dignity (11/11/04)

AS PRINTED IN THE L.A. TIMES ON 11/14/04

ASHCROFT RESISTS THE `RIGHT TO DIE'
Re: "Ashcroft Wants Oregon Suicide Law Blocked," Nov 10:
President Bush and the religious conservatives should leave the "death with dignity" debate alone. After being diagnosed with terminal cancer three years ago, my mother rapidly declined from an active 58-year-old businesswoman to a helpless victim of paralysis as the cancer spread to her brain.

Confined to a bed without control of her arms, legs, bladder or bowels, she cried out every day for us or her nurses to put an end to her misery. With no hope for recovery, she simply wanted to end the horror and die with dignity. Because of current laws outside of Oregon, she instead had to suffer like this for weeks. Most of the 170 people who have legally been assisted with death in Oregon have been cancer victims. The religious zealots fighting the right to die need to learn the reality of the situation and stop encroaching on the rights of those who don't share their views.