Friday, 11 November 2011

SPUC Pro-Life is speaking out against Dr Philip Nitschke, suicide promoter

Starting tomorrow, Dr Philip Nitschke, president of Exit International, is touring the UK. He will lead public meetings and seminars, focused on advising people how they can commit suicide using a wide range of methods. Our colleague Dr Peter Saunders of the Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) has an informative blog-post today all about Dr Nitschke.

SPUC Pro-Life has contacted the venues where Dr Nitschke is due to appear to urge them to cancel his appearances. SPUC Pro-Life is also emailing other users of the venues, local MPs, local councillors and local religious leaders, urging them also to contact the venues to complain. Below is a sample of SPUC Pro-Life's email letter. Readers of this blog may also like to email the venues to complain:
Letter from SPUC Pro-Life:
"We are writing to you in your capacity as [relationship to venue]. We are very disturbed to learn that [venue] will be hosting [date] a public meeting and seminar about suicide methods. The advertisements for the seminars explain that they provide “practical information” about ending life with barbiturates, gases, poisons and other prescription and non-prescription drugs.

These public meetings and seminars are being presented by Dr Philip Nitschke, director and founder of Exit International. He is on record as saying he believes that suicide pills should be sold in supermarkets and should be available practically on demand to even “the depressed, the elderly bereaved, the troubled teen”. I enclose Exit International’s most recent newsletter, which is an explicit guide to suicide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.

As an organisation which represents vulnerable people – including suicide survivors among disabled people – we hope you will share our disgust at Dr Nitschke being given a public platform for his sinister activities. A number of venues have in the past cancelled his speaking appearance, due to the deeply disturbing nature of his talks and the distress they cause to vulnerable citizens (whether or not they attend the events).

We therefore urge you to contact [the venue] to let them know that you object to its decision to host Dr Nitschke.

Yours sincerely, etc."
Comments on this blog? Email them to johnsmeaton@spuc.org.uk
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