Pro-Kevorkian

[Plasmaball]

Entirely untrue.

Infants and toddlers are innately selfish. They display selfish and harsh behavior regardless of who brings them up or where. Don't believe me? Take away a toddler's toy - any toddler. See how long it takes before you get a full-fledged tantrum.

I am resistant to changing what actually works.

The principle is not outdated. Again, we have millenia of history to use as our guide here. When we keep a very high regard for life as a supporting pillar of our society, our society is stronger. You'll have to show me where a society that embraced death continued to survive for very long.

I'm not saying that we can't apply leniency in specific cases. We do that with the law all the time. We do not necessarily judge a man harshly who steals to feed his family because we understand exigent circumstances. That does not mean, however, that we entirely change how we think about stealing. We allow that a law, or a principle, must have some room for flexibility but that doesn't mean we throw it out entirely because we find a few stories that prick our hearts.

how many kids you got?

 

[olivefun]

She would definately choose to die than live this way.
She will live with Alzheimer's for the next 10-15 years.
Those of us that love her will live with this for the next 10-15 years too.
Turns out the drugs she's taking for the alzheimer's is weakening her kidney, and the doctor is trying to get us to agree to reduce the medication so she can live longer and not die of kidney failure.

Hard choices.
If there was a legal way to assist her suicide, I am sure none of her loved ones would be against this.
.

She has stopped enriching her own life.
I still get a lot out of visiting her sometimes. I take her for a walk and admire gardens. I am very social and often arrange to meet an old friend of mine at her nursing home. She was a big part of my life and most of my friends know her.
We get a coffee or something and catch up at her place. Our chattering amuses my mother. She laughs when we do somehow thinking she's conversant. It works. This is a nice friendly place to be.
Luckily her nursing home is fantastic, with a lot of light and kids (there is a daycare centre attached). The residents take care of pets and the food is good.
It is good, but it is not the same as living a life and contributing to the lives of your children, grand kids and dear friends.

 

[msde83]

Yeah, i am incredibly Pro-Kevorkian and support the right to die movement... Personally, I think my beliefs stem from not really being very religious... I have seen many members of my family in years and years of pain and agony and my grandfather took his own life because he was tired... tired of the pain, and he felt that he was a burden on the family (though none of us felt this), and because he was a smart man and knew that almost all of their financial assets had been liquidated... To me, since I don't really know what to expect in the afterlife (and the simplest answer is usually correct), then I would rather leave my family with only good memories and a negligible medical debt versus years and years of pain and hospital rooms and costly procedures etc. At first it would be tough to get over, but the people who love you would understand why you did it.

 

[mcopado]

I get a lot of email from pro assisted suicide groups....I got this in my email today. It's part of a nationwide letter writing campaign...

http://www.commulinks.com/images/finalexitlogo.jpg​

Welcome Back Dr. Kevorkian!
June 6, 2007


Author's Note:
Today, Final Exit Network issued the following Letter to the Editor in response to Dr. Jack Kevorkian's release from prison and media commentary about Dr. Kevorkian.

While we are pleased to see Dr. Kevorkian set free, we also recognize that the struggle for The Last Human Right © continues.

We encourage all readers to submit a similar letter to the editor of their local papers. This effort will be most effective if you submit your letter on your own stationery over your own signature. You can copy/paste the letter into your word processor or into on-line forms. Edit as you wish. Generally, letters to the editor are limited to about 200 to 250 words. This one is a bit long at about 225 words.

Please submit Final Exit Network's information on a separate sheet enclosed with the letter.

Thank you for your help and support!

Ted Goodwin
President

Sample Letter to the Editor
To the Editor:
In a June 1st MSNBC editorial, Arthur Caplan, a bioethicist at the University of Pennsylvania, called Dr. Jack Kevorkian a "dangerous killer." Melody Youk, wife of Thomas Youk, whose Kevorkian-assisted suicide was broadcast on "60 Minutes," said, "I don't consider it murder. I consider it humane." Youk's mother and brothers agree.

Many call Dr. Kevorkian a "fanatic." While we don't employ or agree with his methods, every successful human rights movement has been built on the dedication and sacrifices of brave individuals such as Jack Kevorkian. Rosa Parks didn't help launch the Civil Rights movement by obeying unjust laws.

Dr. Kevorkian took selfless risks that made Americans aware of needless suffering at the end of life. His zeal captured attention that made it possible for more moderate voices to achieve limited successes. More humane palliative care, widespread support for advance directives and the Oregon Physician Assisted Suicide law grew from the seeds of his advocacy.

Lest we forget, the right to a peaceful, dignified death has far to go. Today, even in Oregon, Youk would be forced to suffer on, because his ALS, while terrifying, disabling and robbing him of all quality of life, wasn't "terminal."

Caplan and iron-fisted judge Cooper call it murder. We believe Jack Kevorkian engaged in courageous acts of civil disobedience to help secure the last human right.

Welcome back Dr. Kevorkian.


Special Letter to MSNBC
Arthur Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, posted a blistering editorial about Dr. Kevorkian on MSNBC.

Click here to read it.

We responded directly to MSNBC with the letter below. It is only slightly different than the general letter above, but we thought you would like to see it.
TO MSNBC:

Arthur Caplan called Dr. Jack Kevorkian a "dangerous killer" in his June 1 MSNBC editorial, "Assisted suicide debate has passed Dr. Death by." Melody Youk, wife of Thomas Youk, whose Kevorkian-assisted suicide was broadcast on "60 Minutes," said, "I don't consider it murder. I consider it humane." Youk's mother and brothers agree.

Caplan calls Dr. Kevorkian a "fanatic." While we don't employ or agree with his methods, every successful human rights movement has been built on the dedication and sacrifices of brave individuals such as Jack Kevorkian. Rosa Parks didn't help launch the Civil Rights movement by obeying unjust laws.

Dr. Kevorkian took selfless risks that made Americans aware of needless suffering at the end of life. His zeal captured attention that made it possible for more moderate voices to achieve limited successes. More humane palliative care, widespread support for advance directives and the Oregon Physician Assisted Suicide law grew from the seeds of his advocacy.

Caplan forgets that the right to a peaceful, dignified death has far to go. Today, even in Oregon, Youk would be forced to suffer on, because his ALS, while terrifying, disabling and robbing him of all quality of life, wasn't "terminal."

Caplan and iron-fisted judge Cooper call it murder. We believe Jack Kevorkian engaged in courageous acts of civil disobedience to help secure the last human right.

Welcome back Dr. Kevorkian.

Ted Goodwin
President
Final Exit Network

Visit Our Website
Ted Goodwin - President
Final Exit Network
www.finalexitnetwork.org


E-mail: info@finalexitnetwork.org
Media Direct Line: (720) 312-6340
Main Number: (800) 524-3948
Website: http://www.finalexitnetwork.org[url][/quote]

 

[Image]

Thanks for sharing that mcopado...

On Saturday I'll be attending a (pagan style) requiem for a very good friend who was killed last Saturday. While this is a bit off the subject since it was an accident and not a suicide it still is worth noting...

We will miss him terribly of course as everyone misses their loved ones. But the point is we will send him off joyfully and accept and embrace the passing as another phase of a continuous life. I'm certain there will be tears but they are tears for ourselves who still wish he was here making us laugh, not our brother...