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The Making of an Amoral Society:
The New Mexico Supreme Court and Physician Assisted Suicide
Introduction:
The issue before the New Mexico Supreme Court yesterday, October 26, 2015, should have been “Should New Mexico become the killing field for the terminally ill? Instead, the question appeared to be “How can New Mexico become that killing field?”
The ACLU and the Disabled Rights Legal Center have asked the New Mexico Supreme Court to hold harmless any physician who makes available a lethal dose of medication to a mentally competent, terminally ill patient who is physically able to administer the death inducing potion themselves. That is Physician Assisted Suicide.
Never considered by the court was the concept of a natural death. A God-centered concept of life as a gift from God was not considered.
Background:
The New Mexico Supreme Court accepted the case of an Albuquerque cancer patient, Aja Riggs, who appeared healthy and invigorated at the hearing. She is seeking the right to prematurely end her life with the help of her physician should her cancer, now in remission, return.
In January 2014, Albuquerque Judge Nan Nash sided with Riggs, writing, “This Court cannot envision a right more fundamental, more private or more integral to the liberty, safety and happiness of a New Mexican than the right of a competent, terminally ill patient to choose aid in dying.” In other words, “make yourself happy, kill yourself.”
Judge Nash’s decision was successfully challenged by then-Attorney General Gary King. Heard by the State Court of Appeals, that court found that the ruling “Violates the doctrine of separation of powers by legalizing conduct that is designated to be a crime by the legislature.”
The Hearing:
The State’s lawyer, attorney Scott Fuqua, early relinquished any argument for life, stating that “Keeping the terminally ill alive is not in the interest of the state.” Mr. Fuqua drew a laugh from the court when he admitted that he was there only as the result of his “former employment” with then Attorney General Gary King. His only argument in opposition to the Court’s action was a reiteration of the lower court’s argument that the issue should be legislated by the New Mexico State Legislature and not by the high court. What followed was a discussion of “how to” as delineated in the states of Oregon and Montana, which have legislated and ruled in favor of physician assisted suicide respectively.
Comparisons were made to abortion and the States disregard for fetal life. The State cares nothing for life in the womb, why should it care about the terminally ill? The argument is that the State has proven disinterested in life at conception, why should it be concerned about life at its end?
The court room was packed with “right to die” advocates; outside experts came from out-of-state to help with the court presentation; the Justices appeared compliant; and the ACLU lawyer was animated and prepared but the State’s lawyer appeared lackadaisical, disinterested and unprepared.
Will we have suicide providers as we now have abortion providers?
Once again New Mexico is on the precipice of allowing death to define our state.
Prayer:
Please pray that the New Mexico Supreme Court Justices will us give us a godly decision regarding Physician Assisted Suicide.
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