Opinion - Letters to the Editor

POSTED: Friday, Nov. 28, 2008

Says hospital right to oppose suicide

The author of the Nov. 16 letter headlined "Unhappy with suicide stand of hospital" complains that St. Joseph Hospital's refusal to allow its facilities to be used for assisted suicide is an unfair interference with intimate decisions. The letter even goes so far as to insinuate that this stand is motivated by greed.

First of all, St. Joseph Hospital, founded and sustained through the heroic efforts of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, is not-for-profit. Implying that its motives are financial rather than, say, emanating from its Catholic mission, is patently ridiculous.

Moreover, the letter's argument displays the contradiction that lies that base of the idea of "choice" by which we rationalize our laws allowing abortion and assisted suicide.

Human beings, far from being morally autonomous, make their decisions in a web of interrelations, responsibilities and dependencies. The only way the state can guarantee choice in a morally contentious issue is by running roughshod over the consciences and freedoms of those who dissent, buying personal freedom at the cost of a stifling public conformity.

In other words, we start by talking about "freedom," but we end up by forcing nuns to do our dirty work.

Louis St.Hilaire

Bellingham