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From: dragon@lll-crg.ARpA (Monica Cellio)
Newsgroups: net.suicide
Subject: Re: A modest proposal
Message-ID: <917@lll-crg.ARpA>
Date: Mon, 14-Oct-85 23:40:04 EDT
Article-I.D.: lll-crg.917
Posted: Mon Oct 14 23:40:04 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 16-Oct-85 05:17:31 EDT
References: <4426@alice.UUCP> <10644@ucbvax.ARPA>
Organization: Lawrence Livermore Labs, CRG, Livermore Ca
Lines: 15
Summary: historical basis for making suicide a capital crime

I recall reading several years ago that attempted suicide used to be a capital
crime in parts of Europe.  Back then the church didn't object to this, 
probably on the assumption that anyone who would attempt suicide was a 
heathen anyway.  I think they got rid of the law in the early 1800s, but I'm 
not sure.

I think the idea is appropriate, myself.  And it would greatly cut needless 
medical expense, if the statistics that are bounced around suicide prevention
circles are at all accurate.  (The claim is that about 80% of the people who 
attempt suicide aren't interested in dying.  I don't know what they base this
number on.)

						-Dragon
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