3 ms·

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 gove

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.
- burntsushi 13y ago
  Elections vote on who to put in an office. They don't (typically) vote on which laws to pass and enforce. Only the person in office does. More to the point, elections are a function of government. Who makes the laws that govern elections? Who enforces them? Government.

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.

burntsushi 13y ago
Elections vote on who to put in an office. They don't (typically) vote on which laws to pass and enforce. Only the person in office does. More to the point, elections are a function of government. Who makes the laws that govern elections? Who enforces them? Government.