Time Magazine – Sloppy and Inaccurate Kevorkian Obit Written by News Director in “Person of the Year” Issue

December 15, 2011assisted suicide, euthanasia, Howard Chua-Eoan, Kevorkian, media issues, obitiatry, Our News & Commentary Blog, reality check, Time magazineStephen Drake

…rs later he was paroled; a quiet period followed, and then he resumed his crusade, pushing his cause vigorously though never again assisting in suicides. His detractors, though, continued to decry his methods, claiming they skirted the subtleties of psychology and palliative alternatives and that the effectiveness of his death machines robbed the dying of the chance to consider other ways to see out their earthly existence. But Kevorkian’s confide…

NDY Activist Julie Farrar Interviewed By Spectrum News

January 18, 2023aid in dying, assisted suicide, MAID, media coverage, New York, Our News & Commentary Blogaid in dying, assisted suicide, media coverageDiane Coleman

…to proponents’ hopes for passing the assisted suicide bill this year, Spectrum News coverage included video excerpts of the interview as well as the following quotes in the online article: But not everyone is convinced. Julie Farrar of the organization Not Dead Yet said the legislation sends the wrong message, especially to people with disabilities. Farrar believes the measure, in essence, tells people, “we are all cheaper dead, we are all less ex…

Robin Williams and the Hypocrisy of Suicide Prevention Organizations

August 24, 2014american foundation for suicide prevention, assisted suicide, International Association of Suicide Prevention, Our News & Commentary Blog, suicide, suicide preventionAmerican Association for Suicide Prevention, American Association of Suicidology, assisted suicide, Final Exit Network, International Association of Suicide Prevention, Robin Williams, suicide, suicide preventionStephen Drake

…ccurately, her complete lack of concern. In a July 16th article written by Fox News religion correspondent Lauren Green, Springer reiterated her previous comments and then expanded on them: But Springer says she’s not opposed to Final Exit’s mission, just how they’re delivering the message. “I visited the website and it’s populated by elderly folks who are at the end of a very long life and are in pain,” she said. “That’s a whole different issue t…

News From Gallup, But Pew Study is Better

June 19, 2014assisted suicide, euthanasia, Gallup, Our News & Commentary Blog, Pew Research Center, pollsassisted suicide, euthanasia, Gallup, Pew Research CenterDiane Coleman

…t the patient to commit suicide if the patient requests it?” So, as Gallup headlines it, “Diminished Majority Favors ‘Doctor-Assisted Suicide.’” The word “suicide” is no doubt important, but there are some other issues raised by the wording of the questions. Why does the non-suicide question mention the family’s request, while the suicide question leaves family out? How many respondents are confused about the difference between the right to refuse…

Answering Some of Roger Ebert’s (and Kevorkian’s) Fans

July 2, 2011assisted suicide, culture wars, media coverage, media issues, million dollar baby, Our News & Commentary Blog, Roger EbertStephen Drake

…nity? Drake: If I implied any sort of conspiracy or planning between, say, Fox News and MSNBC, then I communicated badly. I put scare quotes around the word “collaboration” because it was the closest I could come to the phenomenon as it played out. In fact, it was probably closer to a herd mentality when it comes to the media. Almost any divisive issue gets portrayed as an aspect of the “culture wars,” and that is just as true for The National Rev…