A friend of mine once ARRESTED A WOMAN in her hospital bed for TRYING TO KILL HERSELF. He was a cop at the time and it was illegal to attempt suicide.

Ever wonder where the government gets off telling people they can't off themselves?

Turns out, there has been a long history of pontificating know-it-alls telling us what we can and can't do with our bodies from the early Greeks to latest TV evangelists. Of course they may be right.

So, if the long Portland winter has you down and you're considering jumping off the Burnside Bridge, consider this:

Plato said suicide was wrong but allowed four exceptions. Those exceptions included every possible reason anyone could ever have.

Jesus clearly committed suicide by cop using the Roman judicial system.

Saint Thomas Acquinas said it was a sin, Saint Thomas More recommended it.

Sartre said it was the only rational thing to do in the face of the absurdity of life.

I really don't know myself, all I know is that I learned a lot from reading and will learn much more
from discussing it.

So, please skim over http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/suicide/ and join us for a good exploratory discussion.

We will be at the Hollywood Fred Meyers Deli at 6 PM on Sunday afternoon. It's located at 3030 Northeast Weidler Street very near the Hollywood exit off I-84 from either direction. A google map is viewable at
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Hollywood+Fred+Meyers,+Portland,+Oregon&sll=45.528313,-122.657182&sspn=0.006547,0.021372&g=800+N.+Oregon,++Portland,+Oregon&ie=UTF8&hq=Hollywood+Fred+Meyers,&hnear=Portland,+OR&ll=45.531891,-122.637506&spn=0.012701,0.042744&z=16

Call me at[masked] for further details. Call 9-1-1 if your feeling suicidal.

Richard