To: Electronic Telegraph <et.letters@telegraph.co.uk>

Re: The ugly face of conservatism

Date: Tue, 10 April 2001

 

 

 

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Dear Sir/Madam,

 

Today’s commentary on the coming into force in Holland of recently enacted euthanasia laws is interesting for its inhumanity and perversion of reason (Comment and Opinion, The Death of Reason, 10, April 2001).

 

It may just be an opinion, but it expresses an attitude that has been enforced for hundreds of years and caused untold misery. It is based, I suspect, on the Christian doctrine that man is basically evil – having had the audacity to disobey God - and is here to suffer – and woe betide anyone who attempts to reduce that suffering by giving to women the choice of terminating an unwanted pregnancy, for example, or to terminally ill patients the choice of assisted death.

 

It is an attitude that would force certain people’s interpretation of God’s will on us all, and - you can be fairly sure - also advocates the death penalty and a man’s right to bear arms.

 

It is what might be called the “ugly face of conservatism”.

 

I thank God (mine, not your commentator’s!) that many people, on both sides of the Atlantic, are slowly becoming more humane, democratic and civilised.