The death of Alfie Evans

June 7, 2018
Donald J. Farber
San Rafael
 
In his defense of socialized medicine and yes, health care rationing and death squads, Father Gerald Coleman (“The Death of Alfie Evans,” May 24), pins what he thinks was moral justification – even moral mandamus under Catholic teaching – to have disconnected Baby Alfie’s ventilator. Father Coleman appears not to understand that the core of the controversy was never about medical facts or the catechism, but who decides such issues. His venture into “Evengelium Vitae” and the catechism to justify in substance the outcome and the U.K. government’s decision to pull the plug was a disingenuous diversion from that key issue. Father Coleman’s defense of the outcome, his pillorying of those who disagreed, and his diversion from the real controversy demonstrated he’s fine with the power of the state to dictate life and death. What Father Coleman and like advocates cannot do by pulling out “Evengelium Vitae” and the catechism in the debate is substitute the state as the rightful executive agent to balance these cherished church teachings. But that doesn’t stop them from slipping in socialized medicine to the mix and implying the two are one – and that all is well. One can bet Father Coleman’s poorly disguised partisanship supports single payer and all that stands for – and if so, he should be honest enough to proclaim the state, not the individual, is best suited morally to make life and death decisions.
 

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