An Open letter
to Obergruppenführer Detterling...
Yes, Obergruppenführer Detterling since you support the evil Nazi policy of euthanasia. Despicable.
I am now going to say a name that will have you going weak at the knees: SWASHBUCKLING MULLIGAN.
Swashbuckling Mulligan who wrote that brilliant satire that reduced you to jelly. You'll be hearing from Swashbuckling.
GENE
Canadian group that led
push to legalize euthanasia warns of abuse of system
CNA Staff, Dec 27, 2024 / 12:10 pm
The activist group that led the push to legalize
medical aid in dying (MAID) in Canada is now warning that additional government
safeguards are needed to combat reports of abuse of the program.
Liz Hughes, executive director of the
British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA), told the National Post that
the organization has become “aware of concerning reports of people being offered
MAID in circumstances that may not legally qualify as well as people accessing
MAID as a result of intolerable social circumstances.”
The BCCLA was a key figure in Canada’s legalization
of euthanasia, having filed the suit Carter v. Canada that led to the Supreme
Court of Canada’s striking down the government ban on the procedure.
In the roughly nine years since
euthanasia became legal in Canada in 2016, the practice has become increasingly
popular. The latest government figures,
released this month, showed another double-digit year-over-year increase in the
procedure, with 15,343 Canadian citizens euthanized by medical officials in
2023, accounting for 1 in 20 deaths there.
Yet a bombshell report in November revealed
that out of hundreds of violations of the country’s controversial euthanasia
law over the course of several years, none of them have been reported to law
enforcement, with whistleblowers warning of numerous “issues with compliance”
in reportage.
Hughes told the National Post that the country’s
federal and provincial governments “must put in place, actively review, and
enforce appropriate safeguards to ensure that people are making this decision
freely.”
The civil rights organization “will continue to
hold the government accountable” for its policing of the euthanasia program,
she said.
At its launch, the country’s euthanasia regime was
billed as a last-resort choice for terminally ill adults undergoing terrible
suffering. In the years since, however, activists have called for its expansion
to include much broader categories of applicants.
An activist group sued the federal government
earlier this month, calling for an immediate expansion of the
country’s euthanasia program to allow physician-assisted suicide for those
suffering from mental illness.
The federal government had earlier
been set to expand the program to those with mental illnesses; that measure
was delayed early this year and
is now projected to take effect in 2027.
The provincial government of Quebec
last month began allowing assisted suicide for individuals
who cannot consent at the time of the procedure, permitting
“advance requests” by those who have “been diagnosed with a serious and
incurable illness leading to incapacity” such as Alzheimer’s disease.
The federal government, meanwhile, is
actively soliciting citizen input for a proposal to legalize “advance requests” at
the national level.
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Listen: The Pope says "hope and kindness" leads to a more beautiful world
The Pope has called for "hope and kindness" in a message for Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Pope Francis emphasised the importance of humility in the recording broadcast on Saturday.
"A world full of hope and kindness is a more beautiful world. A society that looks to the future with confidence and treats people with respect and empathy is more humane," he said.
He also quoted British writer GK Chesterton, whom the pontiff says invites us to "take the elements of life with gratitude and not for granted".
The message - recorded in Italian and translated into English - marks the Catholic Church's Jubilee year, which began on 24 December.
A jubilee is a Church tradition which takes place only once every 25 years in which Catholics re-establish their relationship with God. This jubilee is also dedicated to the theme of hope and will involve special celebrations, including tens of millions of pilgrims travelling to Rome.
On Thursday, Pope Francis visited a prison in Rome where he opened a "Holy Door", part of a prison chapel, which is one of a number of doors only opened during Jubilee years.
In his message he said: "Even if we do not know what tomorrow may hold for us, we should not look to the future with pessimism and resignation.
"War, social injustices and the many forms of violence we are exposed to everyday should not dishearten us nor draw us towards scepticism and discouragement."
He added that kindness is not a "diplomatic strategy", or a "set of rules to ensure social harmony or to obtain other advantages."
The pontiff ended the Thought with his "wish for hope".
"I hope that during this jubilee we can practice kindness as a form of love to connect with others. May the new year bring us peace, fellowship and gratitude."
Pope Francis has appeared on Thought for the Day once before, in 2021, ahead of the COP26 climate summit.
He used that message to appeal for the world to take "an urgent change of direction" to preserve the planet for future generations.
His predecessor Pope Benedict XVI was the first to appear on Thought for the Day, broadcasting a pre-recorded message on Christmas Eve in 2010.
NOW LET'S GET THIS CLEAR FOR ONCE AND FOR ALL...
Firstly I have had a lot of Chianti and a lot of beer today and I am aware that one should not mix grape and grain. There may be typos and errors in what I write and I may not be expressing myself with my usual Churchillian clarity. But here goes.
Detterling you have persistently accused me of groping young female teaching colleagues. This never happened.
Yes, with my searing honesty, I have admitted that back in my teaching days I was wont to give a pat on the backside to shapely young female colleagues. But there was never any groping.
As any red-blooded man will admit a shapely derriere, particularly clad in figure-hugging slacks or leggings is extremely sexually provocative. And yes, I did take sexual pleasure from those avuncular-seeming pats on the backside. But the young ladies never knew this. As far as they were concerned this was just a middle-aged man being friendly. So no offence or misdemeanor took place.
There was no groping. Got that?
GENE
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METHINKS THIS LADY DOST PROTEST TOO MUCH?
The Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley was the most senior member of the clergy to suggest Justin Welby step down, which he did last month
The Bishop of Newcastle has criticised the Archbishop of York's Christmas sermon, just weeks before he takes over as leader of the Church of England.
Stephen Cottrell's remarks capped off a turbulent end to the year for the Church, following the release of a report which accused it of covering up sexual abuse.
That prompted the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby after he was criticised for not doing enough to stop a prolific abuser.
With Mr Welby opting to break with years of tradition and miss this year's Christmas services at Canterbury Cathedral, Mr Cottrell's remarks were closely watched.
Helen-Ann Hartley, who as Bishop of Newcastle has been a vocal critic of Mr Cottrell, described his sermon as "empty words. I have no words more than that to describe their meaning."
She has previously said he should resign as archbishop.
At York Minster on Christmas morning, the archbishop appeared to address criticism of the church directly.
He spoke of the need not just to talk about justice and love but to "walk the talk". Mr Cottrell also spoke of "the inadequacies of those who talk a good game, but whose words are never embodied in action".
"This Christmas, God's Church itself needs to come again to the manger and strip off her finery and kneel in penitence and adoration. And be changed," he said.
Stephen Cottrell has been the Archbishop of York since 2020
Other bishops have confronted the Church crisis head on in their Christmas messages.
The Bishop of Oxford, Steven Croft, who has faced his own calls to resign, spoke of "a crisis in confidence in many of our institutions, including in our own Church".
He said Christmas was a time to pause and take stock.
Mr Cottrell, who is set to take over many of the Church's leadership duties on 6 January when Mr Welby leaves his position, has faced calls to step down.
He has been under scrutiny over his handling of a priest in his charge, David Tudor, who had been barred by the Church from being alone with children but who for years remained in his post.
In November, the Archbishop of Canterbury resigned following a report that criticised his handling of John Smyth who abused more than 120 boys and young men.
The Church said Mr Welby would be spending "private time with his family" this Christmas.
The Archbishop of York declined to respond to the Bishop of Newcastle's comments when contacted by the BBC.
