John Kelly and Ruthie Poole Quoted On Disability Opposition To Assisted Suicide Bill

December 23, 2021"death with dignity", "end of life", aid in dying, assisted suicide, end-of-life options bills, john kelly, Massachusetts, media coverage, mental health, Our News & Commentary Blog, Second Thoughts, suicideaid in dying, assisted suicide, end of life options, John Kelly, media coverageDiane Coleman

…e choice to end one’s life, while marketed as an individual one, is never truly individual, as people can experience pressures from friends and family. People who seek to end their life, said Kelly, do so because they fear being a burden or because they are upset about losing “dignity and social status.” Ruthie Poole, president of M-POWER, a statewide organization made up of people with “lived experience of mental health diagnosis, trauma, and add…

John Kelly Reports on Monday’s New Jersey Senate Committee Hearing

December 16, 2014assisted suicide, new jersey, Our News & Commentary Blogassisted suicide, New JerseyDiane Coleman

…ainst Republican Gov. Chris Christie, who has pledged to veto it. The good news for the people in the crosshairs is that great disability rights activists showed up to testify against the bill, including reportedly a dozen in wheelchairs. From Philadelphia ADAPT and Not Dead Yet came German Parodi and Alan Holdsworth. German said that when he was unconscious after his spinal cord injury 21 years ago, doctors urged his grandmother to “put him down….

Canada: Woman Goes on Hunger Strike After Being Denied Basic Care – Help Needed

January 22, 2009action alert, advocacy, als, aspergers, blog recommendations, bloggers, Canada, neglect, Our News & Commentary Blog, palliative careStephen Drake

…Strike–Call to Action for an ALS Patient Denied Care” to learn the latest news on what is happening with Minna’s case and what people are doing to help. If you are not already a member of Facebook, it only takes a few minutes to sign up for a free account. 7. Please circulate this text further via your network of contacts in the disability and human rights communities, Facebook page, blog site, etc. Thank you for taking action. Finally, if you wo…

John Kelly: Disability Rights Organizations Oppose Assisted Suicide

August 28, 2014ADAPT, assisted suicide, Bob Kafka, Connecticut, new jersey, Our News & Commentary BlogADAPT, assisted suicide, Connecticut, New JerseyDiane Coleman

…il on Developmental Disability to stop the bills. Hugh McQuaid wrote in CT News Junkie that “Both this year and last year, people with disabilities and their advocates have been among the bill’s most outspoken opponents. Many testified against the bill during its public hearing.” Lastly, the authors cited New Jersey, where disability opposition was just credited with stalling an assisted suicide bill. Susan Livio of NJ.com wrote “Disability advoca…

Sunday Night Oscar Protests Against Humanitarian Award for Jerry Lewis

February 23, 2009Our News & Commentary Blog, pity, protests, stereotypes, telethonStephen Drake

…be given a “special” Oscar – to honor his humanitarian efforts – meaning, of course, the MDA telethon. For anyone interested in the broader construction of people with disabilities as objects of pity, please check out the following links for information on the long struggle with Lewis and the telethon – and last night’s protests: The Trouble With Jerry gives background and links to news coverage of the backstory and last weekend’s protests. NDY fo…