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The way to change the culture of death to one that embraces life is to love one another. The Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, Alex Schadenberg believes that caring for one another and journeying with those in pain are what will make all the difference toward building a culture of life. Schadenberg was the guest speaker at a meeting October 16 in Niagara-on-the-Lake, sponsored by the St. Vincent de Paul Holy Name Society and Catholic Women's League. Schadenberg became involved in the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition in London, Ontario in 1999 because of growing threats around the world to legalize euthanasia. He was concerned that society was growing cold to the needs of people who are vulnerable and who would be most at risk if euthanasia became legal. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are currently against the law in Canada. "That's as it should be," said Schadenberg. "Euthanasia and assisted suicide are a threat to the weak and defenseless in our society…the mentally and physically challenged, the elderly and chronically ill. The law is about protection for vulnerable people." Schadenberg fears that if euthanasia and assisted suicide ever became legal for certain reasons such as terminal illness, it wouldn't be long before these acts would be allowed for any and all reasons. Recently Schadenberg attended the World Federation of Right to Die Societies Conference in Toronto to learn first hand the strategies being employed by those advocating death. "We have to understand what the culture is about, and where the seeds of this are coming from. They come from attitudes which have dehumanized certain conditions." Schadenberg described a number of the presentations that were given at the conference. There were seminars about training volunteers to assist suicides, convincing politicians that the Right to Die position is positive, and how to ensure that you can be dehydrated to death even if you experience dementia. Schadenberg says the best defense against strategies that choose death, is to be more caring and loving. Loneliness and depression, along with fear and deep distress in their life are what drive people to consider euthanasia and assisted suicide. Schadenberg says "We need to get behind palliative care to deal with the physical pain people experience. With the emotional pain, how can we help? By journeying with people in that pain." Basically, it boils down to love, the way Christ taught us, genuine and caring. This is the witness that will move us toward a culture of life. |
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