Category Archives: Our News & Commentary Blog

On December 2, the Missoulian published a letter from Diane Coleman – President and CEO of Not Dead Yet. The title the paper gave the letter was: “National disability rights group concerned Montana could legalize assisted suicide” – the title might surprise you, since a lot of sloppy reporters and spin-doctoring reps of assisted suicide … Continue reading Montana: Diane Coleman Letter on Elder Abuse and Assisted Suicide Published in Missoulian →

Why I Support the CRPD

November 30, 2012abuse, access to health care, civil rights, CRPD - Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities, death by starvation and dehydration, death through denial, diane coleman, futility, homicide, human rights, medical discrimination, national disability rights network, NDRN, Our News & Commentary Blog, Surrogate Decisions & Guardianship, treatment withdrawal, treatment withholding, united nationsDiane Coleman

This past week, the U.S. Senate voted to proceed with consideration of U.S.ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). With a two-thirds majority required to move to the next step, the cloture vote was 61 to 36, with 3 not voting. Not Dead Yet has not yet formally … Continue reading Why I Support the CRPD →

NDY Activists Leaflet Justice Action Center (NY Law School) Featuring Opponents Discussing “Disability Concerns” Without Including Disability Rights Activists to Speak for Ourselves

November 19, 2012alicia ouellette, Ann Neumann, civil rights, Compassion & Choices, disability activists, disability rights, disability rights advocates, Justice Action Center, Our News & Commentary Blog, symposiumStephen Drake

Last Friday, three disability activists in New York City went to the Justice Action Center at the NY Law School to distribute flyers protesting the way in which a symposium on “Freedom of Choice at the End of Life” handled “issues of concern” that people with disabilities have with proponents of assisted suicide (and other … Continue reading NDY Activists Leaflet Justice Action Center (NY Law School) Featuring Opponents Discussing “Disability Concerns” Without Including Disability Rights Activists to Speak for Ourselves →

Blast From the Past – 2009 Musings on Final Exit Network, Zealotry and Groupthink

November 15, 2012assisted suicide, final exit network, Frontline, Georgia, groupthink, homicide, murder, Our News & Commentary BlogStephen Drake

Editor’s note: This is a post I wrote about the Final Exit Network in March of 2009. It’s very relevant today, given the revelations discussed in yesterday’s post about the Frontline documentary that included a detailed look at the Final Exit Network. Even back in 2009, I wondered – if the allegations about restraining peoples … Continue reading Blast From the Past – 2009 Musings on Final Exit Network, Zealotry and Groupthink →

PBS Airs Frontline “The Suicide Plan” – Video Tape Exposes Final Exit Network’s Big Lie

November 14, 2012assisted suicide, final exit network, Frontline, Georgia, murder, Our News & Commentary Blog, zealotryStephen Drake

Well, I spent a significant amount of time today going through the video and painstakingly transcribing key quotes, only to find out a little bit later that the Frontline site has posted a transcript. If you heard a heavy sigh late this afternoon, that was me – I was too tired for the more usual … Continue reading PBS Airs Frontline “The Suicide Plan” – Video Tape Exposes Final Exit Network’s Big Lie →