The following are excerpts from an excellent piece by columnist Dominic Lawson. He arranged to visit SCOPE, the UK disability charity that published the results of a survey earlier this year, finding that 70% of disabled respondents expressed concerns about their own safety if assisted suicide was legalized in the UK. Lawson was allowed to … Continue reading UK – Dominic Lawson: Why the disabled fear assisted suicide
Our disabled allies in the UK are currently experiencing – and fighting against – a potentially deadly assault on their lives and freedom. The UK Government proposes to severely cut the many parts of the social safety net that disabled people of all ages depend on to live – and many just barely managing on … Continue reading Disability Activists in the UK Push Back Against BBC and Terry Pratchett Promotion of Assisted Suicide
Scope is a charity (or what we would call “non-profit” in the US) that provides services for people with disabilities, and also engages in advocacy – the organization’s primary focus in on people with cerebral palsy. (This is what I was able to gather from the website – if I’ve gotten it wrong, please write … Continue reading UK: Poll shows disabled people’s fear over assisted suicide
Just a few years ago, this story could have appeared (with a few tweaks) as a satire in The Onion, or as a skit on Saturday Night Live – or the many British comedy shows that exist. But no, a British pro-euthanasia group has created a partner organization — which will challenge satire writers, since … Continue reading UK: Pro-Euthanasia Group To Set Up Suicide Assistance “Help Line”
Well, last week’s “inspirational crip story” in the UK was about Richard Rudd, who was saved from being disconnected from life-sustaining treatment by being able to blink on request and to communicate his wish to live – contrary to his advance directive and prior statements to family. I guess that a story built on the … Continue reading UK: Disabled Man Wants Promise that Wife Won’t be Prosecuted for Outright Killing Him
