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Sorry, but I am getting really tired of this form of discourse. A million interests prevent you from doing a million things every day, but apparently it's only

Sorry, but I am getting really tired of this form of discourse. A million interests prevent you from doing a million things every day, but apparently it's only objectionable and worth remarking about when it's the government. And it's not even like I disagree with him -- yes we should allow assisted suicide. But boy oh boy is it hard not to notice that he wastes no time thinking about why things are this way, or which interests specifically may be preventing things from changing. Nope, it's just THE GOVERNMENT. Short circuit, do not pass go, no further critical thinking necessary. "The Nanny State Didn't Show Up, You Hired It" http://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2012/09/the_nanny_state_didnt_show_up.html http://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2012/09/the_nanny_state_didnt...

mturmon 13y ago
I agree with you. The post highlights a problem, but tantrum-like blaming of "the government" is counterproductive. There are a lot of interests (some legitimate, some not) and gotcha's (it's no accident that "they killed her for the inheritance" is a staple), and inertia (people don't seem to like to rally around assisted suicide as a cause).
rodgerd 13y ago
If he wants to blames someone, he'd to better to blame usually religious-based lobby groups. But that wouldn't fit into his usual narratives, so I guess the government it is.
- burntsushi 13y ago
  Religious based lobby groups don't force politicians to create and enforce particular laws. Politicians do it voluntarily.
  - kabdib 13y ago
    They do it for votes and contributions. They do it for hire. I guess that it is also voluntary, but only in the sense that if they don't do it, they don't paid. [I know, politicians are salaried, too. Let's make a distinction...]
    - aidenn0 13y ago
      Adams equally condemned all involved. If someone tortured your father in the traditional sense, it would not get them off to say "I was doing it for hire" nor would the hands be clean of those who paid the torturer. I see nothing inconsistent about holding all parties involved responsible.
burntsushi 13y ago
If there wasn't a law against doctor assisted suicide, he'd be able to let his father die as he chooses. The only entity that can make and enforce laws is government. This makes government distinct from all other entities. Therefore, the government deserves the blame.
- bowlofpetunias 13y ago
  And yet, I live under a government, one that like the US government has been democratically elected, which does allow assisted suicide. So maybe "government" isn't the problem. The people are. But of course it is way scarier to imagine that it's not the government that is making your father suffer, but your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers. Because that would really be too uncomfortable.
  - burntsushi 13y ago
    I'm not sure what inconsistency you're trying to point out. Not all governments are equal. Perhaps it wasn't clear from my comment; the US government is to blame. Moreover, government is not the only perpetrator of evil things. It's certainly by far the biggest (read: wars), but there are plenty of other evil people and organizations out there. Is that supposed to make me uncomfortable? I'm just calling it like I see it.
    - deleted 13y ago
      [deleted]
- gfodor 13y ago
  This is incredibly shallow thinking. The government in the U.S. is an elected body. Elections have consequences. This is one of them. You can blame the individual politicians and want to see them die a painful death since it might be emotionally satisfying for you, but the reason the politicians are there in the first place and the reason they pull the lever the way they do has a little to do with their own personal viewpoints and more to do with the people who put them there.
fragsworth 13y ago
If he points out specifically the groups who are against doctor-assisted suicide, then he'll alienate them - members of a group will easily revert to the way their groups think if you remind them about the connection between the issue and their group. Instead he is talking about the issue alone, and I believe all he's really trying to convince everyone that doctor-assisted suicide is an O.K. thing. He's going about it the right way. His anger is justified and he's appealing to the right emotions.

mturmon 13y ago

I agree with you. The post highlights a problem, but tantrum-like blaming of "the government" is counterproductive. There are a lot of interests (some legitimate, some not) and gotcha's (it's no accident that "they killed her for the inheritance" is a staple), and inertia (people don't seem to like to rally around assisted suicide as a cause).

rodgerd 13y ago

If he wants to blames someone, he'd to better to blame usually religious-based lobby groups. But that wouldn't fit into his usual narratives, so I guess the government it is.

burntsushi 13y ago
Religious based lobby groups don't force politicians to create and enforce particular laws. Politicians do it voluntarily.
- kabdib 13y ago
  They do it for votes and contributions. They do it for hire. I guess that it is also voluntary, but only in the sense that if they don't do it, they don't paid. [I know, politicians are salaried, too. Let's make a distinction...]
  - aidenn0 13y ago
    Adams equally condemned all involved. If someone tortured your father in the traditional sense, it would not get them off to say "I was doing it for hire" nor would the hands be clean of those who paid the torturer. I see nothing inconsistent about holding all parties involved responsible.

burntsushi 13y ago

If there wasn't a law against doctor assisted suicide, he'd be able to let his father die as he chooses. The only entity that can make and enforce laws is government. This makes government distinct from all other entities. Therefore, the government deserves the blame.

bowlofpetunias 13y ago
And yet, I live under a government, one that like the US government has been democratically elected, which does allow assisted suicide. So maybe "government" isn't the problem. The people are. But of course it is way scarier to imagine that it's not the government that is making your father suffer, but your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers. Because that would really be too uncomfortable.
- burntsushi 13y ago
  I'm not sure what inconsistency you're trying to point out. Not all governments are equal. Perhaps it wasn't clear from my comment; the US government is to blame. Moreover, government is not the only perpetrator of evil things. It's certainly by far the biggest (read: wars), but there are plenty of other evil people and organizations out there. Is that supposed to make me uncomfortable? I'm just calling it like I see it.
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
gfodor 13y ago
This is incredibly shallow thinking. The government in the U.S. is an elected body. Elections have consequences. This is one of them. You can blame the individual politicians and want to see them die a painful death since it might be emotionally satisfying for you, but the reason the politicians are there in the first place and the reason they pull the lever the way they do has a little to do with their own personal viewpoints and more to do with the people who put them there.

fragsworth 13y ago

If he points out specifically the groups who are against doctor-assisted suicide, then he'll alienate them - members of a group will easily revert to the way their groups think if you remind them about the connection between the issue and their group. Instead he is talking about the issue alone, and I believe all he's really trying to convince everyone that doctor-assisted suicide is an O.K. thing. He's going about it the right way. His anger is justified and he's appealing to the right emotions.