A great word from Jack Havill

In today's Herald, an excellent article from former End-of Life Choice President Jack Havill refutes opposition arguments in economical and very readable prose.

He has more patience than I have with people who choose to make absolutely ridiculous claims about issues which they have evidently never critically examined and then proceed to shoot down their own scarecrows.

Just two days ago a friend said to me, "But what about this awful provision for an 18 yr old to ask for assisted death?" He didn't know about all the required conditions... Just saying I don't want to live isn't in them.  I emailed him the relevant text of the Bill today.

This debate will need patience and a dedicated passion for truth and justice. We have to get past the technique of distorting what the other side says and then cleverly shooting down our own distortion. Havill's article provides significant illustrations of this style of argument. It has a sense of grace which I covert for the submission which I have to make in the next couple of weeks.