…g a state program to sanction suicide, which sounds OK in some “fairy tale world,” but not in the one he lives in which involves discrimination and pressures toward feeling a burden and a distrust of professionals shared by many people with disabilities. Just for those who like to do some fact-checking, here are a couple of helpful links: This link is to a pdf version of the 2012 Oregon “Death With Dignity” report, which includes a summary of data…
…nough to be justified in their confidence that the patient in this case will not be coerced into assisted suicide, will not be denied care that she wants, will not be treated like an unwanted burden on those around her, and is not at risk of being administered the lethal drugs without her consent. It would be nice if everyone with a difficult illness could have the same confidence. But in the real world, where elder abuse is on the rise, C&C’s pla…
World-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, who has lived with ALS, a progressive neuromotor condition, has endorsed assisted suicide in a recent BBC interview. His comments below reveal that being a genius in a given field doesn’t guarantee brilliance or even a lack of stupidity outside of that field. His remarks show a lack of any kind of depth, insight or real thought about the subject. Here’s a bit from the BBC interview: UK cosmologist Prof St…
…affect only a small number of people. It will affect all of us! I need to trust my doctor, to trust in the relationship and know that they’ll provide care, not assist in killing me! In a profit-driven, broken and overwhelmed system, already rife with health disparities and biases, we don’t need more mistrust by adding lethal drugs as a medical treatment. We need to ensure health equity, improving care for patients throughout life and at the end of…
The online version of The Pilot – “the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston” – published an article focusing on ‘Second Thoughts‘ and featuring a long interview with the organization’s director, John Kelly. Disabilities group has ‘Second Thoughts’ on assisted suicide By Christopher S. Pineo BOSTON — A group of Massachusetts residents with disabilities opposing legalized assisted suicide are asking Massachusetts voters to have “second…
