Compassion...

I read this today.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070613/ap_on_re_us/whale_shark_dies

I know, good for me...I can read. Seriously though, why is euthanasia even an issue for any of God's creatures, including humans? Sure, we've been given dominion over the animals (if you read your bible word-for-word literally...I don't, and I'm willing to bet that you don't either, even if you think you do...but that's for another post), so it seems simple enough for us to make life or death choices for this helpless whale shark; that race horse, Barbaro; or our beloved family pet. But, then we get all up in arms when it comes to making the same decisions for humans. Why?

This quote is from the article:

"after every option had been exhausted to improve Norton's health, the team made the decision to humanely euthanize him," the aquarium said.

Did you read that? "...humanely euthanize..." "HUMANE"???? What's that? How can that be? How can we treat animals humanely, but not humans?

Here's the definition from our good friends at Dictionary.com:

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source
hu·mane /hyuˈmeɪn or, often, yu-/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[hyoo-meyn or, often, yoo-] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–adjective
1. characterized by tenderness, compassion, and sympathy for people and animals, esp. for the suffering or distressed: humane treatment of horses.
2. of or pertaining to humanistic studies.


So, there you have it. Humane treatment is, and should be, for both animals AND humans and we should all just back off and let people do as they want and call it good.

Here in the great state of Oregon, we have a great death with dignity law, which apparently has been used by nearly 300 people since enacted in 1994 (I think). Here's the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Ballot_Measure_16_%281994%29. Our law has held up against a repeal effort, an action by the Bush admistration to stop it, and a visit to the Supreme Court. Face it...it's the right thing.

Apparently California's legislature is nearing approval of a similar measure, so keep your fingers crossed.

What's that you say? You don't want to be euthanized. Fine, then don't. As for me, sign me up. That is, sign me up when/if I'm terminally ill or lying in some hospital bed hooked up to a bunch of machines to keep me alive. I also don't want anybody to fight over me like they did to that poor Schiavo woman.

I should point out that I'm pretty sure God didn't want us to be hooked up to machines either. Besides, how is it that all these fundamental Christians who can't wait for the Apocalypse to arrive so they can meet their maker all want to keep everything alive (but the planet, immigrants, non-whites, the poor and liberals)? Apparently they don't want to miss out on the Savior's return.