Dear Young Dan, you are assuming that we are all in a physical capacity to enable us to be independent of government and the health system. Unfortunately this is not always the case.

Whether you want to vote or not is entirely your own decision but we are talking about, and for those, not able to represent themselves due to severe medical trauma.

Taking oneself off the roll doesn't help an over 70, who is not compelled to vote anyhow. And they can't physically help themselves to die so require legislation to enable others to assist them, having made their individual choice.

Petitions may be seen as a "waste of time" but regardless of the public face the Government puts on, I believe they do secretly "get the message" and I name the David Hicks scenario as an example. It was only by ongoing and incessant nagging by their constituents the politicians actually sat up and took note. For five years they had left him in Guantanamo Bay to be encarated without trial. Quick trial - and bingo with an election foreshadowed, he is believed to have landed secretly in Adelaide today.

This was achieved by the roots moving the branches above them until the branches were compelled to heed the roots...We are the roots of society and the branches cannot survive indefinitely without us, regardless of how long they ignore our movement....we will make a difference. We may be unseen from above but we are there nonetheless.

Mary Walsh
www.yourchoiceindying.com