Guest Blog: “On Trees and Travel and the Value of Life” by Audrey Cole

May 13, 2013assisted suicide, Audrey Cole, Canada, guest blog, suicideStephen Drake

…s and Travel and the Value of Life Two pieces of writing, appearing on the world wide web on two consecutive days in April, described two disturbingly different views of the respective values, hopes and human obligations of two very fragile Canadian lives! In the first piece, I read a thoughtful, wise and beautiful story ostensibly about making and carrying out a decision to lop off a significant upper portion of a magnificent white spruce, the ag…

John Kelly’s DE Testimony Deconstructs the Ableism of Assisted Suicide Proponents

May 19, 2023"death with dignity", ableism, aid in dying, assisted suicide, better dead than disabled, end-of-life options bills, euthanasia, MAID, medical discrimination, Our News & Commentary Blog, Testimonyableism, aid in dying, assisted suicide, better dead than disabled, John Kelly, TestimonyDiane Coleman

…Ezekiel Emanuel on the social factors that motivate usage of the suicide drugs. “The dominant reasons for wanting euthanasia or assisted suicide are psychological and involve control factors,” said Ezekiel Emanuel, chair of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania’s medical school. He noted that most of those who have used aid-in-dying laws are white, well insured and college-educated. “These are people who are used to c…

Not Dead Yet UK: “Real Disability Activists and Masquerades” by Dr. Kevin Fitzpatrick OBE

October 28, 2013assisted suicide, disability rights, disability rights advocates, Our News & Commentary Blog, United Kingdomassisted suicide, disability rights, Kevin Fitzpatrick, NDY UK, United KingdomStephen Drake

…epresenting large numbers of disabled people’s rights through democratic structures and processes. In the world of legitimate disability activism one thing is clear: we are required to seek the views of large numbers of disabled people in order to speak on their behalf – it is called democracy! That’s what we do. Therefore I question the legitimacy of this new group of disability activists because of the self-appointed members who are also the…

RELEASE: NDY CEO Diane Coleman Addresses Adv. Care Planning and ‘End of Life’ Conference May 31 in Chicago

May 31, 2012"end of life", ACPEL, advance directives, conferences, diane coleman, Our News & Commentary Blog, passive euthanasiaStephen Drake

…s some significant problems with the way these issues play out in the real world. Too many people with disabilities have narrowly escaped pressures to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining medical treatment that they need to survive.” The Conference website notes that “the success of our previous conferences in Australia and the UK is reflective of the increasing importance that the international healthcare sector is placing on this pertinent area…

Not Dead Yet CEO Addresses International Advance Care Planning and “End of Life” Conference Thursday, May 31 in Chicago

June 1, 2012Our News & Commentary BlogStephen Drake