Originally Posted by Alffe

I couldn't remember if we had discussed this here yet...did a search and couldn't find anything. Those of you who know me, know that I believe our laws should be changed regarding the right to die with dignity...that I believe if we are terminally ill with no hope for recovery we should have the choice about how long we plan to suffer.

There was a small article in yesterdays' paper about a case in Rome.

An Italian judge rejected a paralyzed man's request to be removed from a respirator Saturday, ruling that the law does not permit the denial of lifesaving care and urging lawmakers to confront the issue.

Piergiorgio Welby, 60, whose body has been devastated by muscular dystrophy, had pleaded repeatedly to be allowed to die of his disease, and his case has divided politicians and doctors in Italy. The Roman Catholic Church, which wields significant moral and political influence in Italy, teaches that life should reach its "natural end."

Gradually paralyzed by the condition diagnosed when he was a teenager, Welby has been confined to bed for years and now can barely move his lips and eyebrows. He receives nourishment through a tube, breathes with a respirator and communicates through a voice synthesizer.