James Thornton

James Thornton is a Roman Catholic priest and a contributor to the New American, a magazine published by the constitutionalist organization the John Birch Society. In the following viewpoint, he argues that if physician-assisted suicide becomes legal, it will inevitably be used by the government to eliminate individuals whose lives society deems burdensome or without value. Thornton describes Nazi Germany and the Netherlands as examples of places where euthanasia has been abused. He warns that the United Sates is on a similar track, citing the acceptance of abortion as evidence that Americans are already willing to destroy life when it becomes inconvenient to others.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. Why was a euthanasia program initially begun in Nazi Germany, according to Thornton?
2. In the author’s view, when did the...