Timothy Egan’s article about Gov. John Kitzhaber and his family is touching and well written. The article intertwines two narratives, death with dignity, and universal healthcare. The implication is that the two are somehow linked, but are they really?
Can’t we have dignified death without state control of healthcare? Gov. Kitzhaber and his family were able to make their own choices regarding his parents end of life decisions. Isn’t that freedom part of the sanctity of life? Britian’s experience is that state control diminishes individual freedom, with horrifying consequences at end of life.
