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Thought Police, Not Thinking Police

Isn't this just typical. When the world is trying to detect would-be bombers and potential terrorist groups what are the coppers in Queensland and the Northern Territory doing? They are chasing details on a woman who killed herself a few months ago.

Yup, the plods from the northern climes of Australia are right on the job and are determined to get all the info they can on the suicide of Gold Coast grandmother Nancy Crick.

Teams of coppers have raided buildings in Adelaide and Darwin - including the home of euthanasia campaigner Dr Phillip Nitschke - seizing computers and documents.

If you'll remember, Mrs Crick killed herself in front of 21 loved friends and relatives back in May - because she didn't want to continue living with the extreme pain she was living with.

Among the documents taken by the rozzers include a list of all members of EXIT Australia, the pro-euthanasia organisation.

Now I may be a bit old and silly, but surely if there were any suspicious goings on over the death of Nancy Crick, the 21 people watching her at the time would have noticed something. They were not allowed to assist her in any way - that being a crime - so are these police raids merely part of an organised crackdown on the freedoms of Australians?

All our lives we are ruled and regulated by society - and the long arm and big boots of the law - and most people cop that.

But when it comes to taking one's own life because of the awful pain of cancer or other diseases, or facing a horrid death like choking to death because your body's muscles no longer work, then no-one has the right to prevent us from doing so.

They are our lives and it is our choice. All we can do is hope that those opposing our right to end our own lives - die slow, horrible and extremely nasty deaths. Then maybe they'll think twice before putting their own, alleged morals, ahead of personal freedom and good sense.

If there is something that has really got up your nose, let Grumpy Old Coot know at grumpy@webwombat.com