By Steve Jalsevac
April 17, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Second International Symposium on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, the premier annual international event on these issues, which is scheduled for May 29-30 in Washington, D.C., may have to be cancelled because of poor response to date, says main organizer Alex Schadenberg. Schadenberg, however, says that organizers are still hopeful that they can obtain enough new confirmations by early next week to prevent them from having to pull the plug on the critical event.
Schadenberg, the Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, says the economic crisis and a lack of commitment to fighting the scourge of assisted suicide, may be reasons for the low registration numbers so far. He also said that many people who plan to attend conferences tend to wait until the last minute to confirm their attendance. However, he said that organizers cannot wait beyond a few more days because of the large financial and other commitments related to this major event.
Schadenberg says he does not want to cancel the conference, especially at a time when there is such a great need for it. He states, “It must not happen (cancellation). We require registrations for the Second-International Symposium from concerned groups and individuals immediately.”
He asks leaders and others to consider the context: “Assisted suicide has been promoted by the euthanasia lobby for many years. The pressure to legalize assisted suicide throughout America and the world has never been greater than now.”
“Last November, Washington State legalized assisted suicide through a referendum vote, making it the second state, after Oregon, to legalize assisted suicide. In December a Judge in Montana imposed assisted suicide upon that state by judicial fiat. That decision is being appealed, but Montana is technically the third state to allow the direct and intentional killing of its citizens.”
Schadenberg continued, “Last year Luxembourg legalized euthanasia in their small country.”
“This Spring, the euthanasia lobby introduced legislation to legalize assisted suicide in Hawaii, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Mexico, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. The legislative attempts remain alive in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire.”
The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition International chairman said, “The time is now to turn back this tide. To turn back the tide we need the support of groups and individuals, who will join in a unified and strategic opposition to assisted suicide.”
Every group in the US, Canada, and the UK that specifically focuses on the issue of euthanasia is co-sponsoring the Second-International Symposium. https://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/2ndIntlSymposium/index.html
The Second-International Symposium offers the highest number of leading speakers ever assembled on the topic. https://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/2ndIntlSymposium/Symposium.htm
The Symposium will also offer the most up-to-date information on assisted suicide. It will provide a strategic focus to guide all members of the movement in a unified direction. https://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/2ndIntlSymposium/ProposedSchedule.pdf
Schadenberg asked groups or individuals planning to register for the Second-International Symposium and have not yet done so, to contact organizers at: [email protected]
The response over the next few days, he says, will help them to determine if they can proceed with the event.