Time Magazine Article Misrepresents Final Exit Network and Who They “Help”

March 4, 2009assisted suicide, crime and punishment, final exit network, media coverage, media issues, Our News & Commentary Blog, Time magazineStephen Drake

…tate the suicides of people who didn’t remotely fit a definition of “terminal.” Alarmingly, several articles dealing with the FEN arrests/investigations have glossed over FEN’s “assistance” of NON-terminally ill people, so that the theme that emerges is one that suggests that laws similar to Oregon’s assisted suicide law would prevent people from being “forced” to resort to this kind of lawless behavior. Since FEN specializes in “helping” nontermi…

Disability Activists “Greet” Euthanasia Activist in San Francisco

November 11, 2009assisted suicide, california, dredf, euthanasia, Marilyn Golden, Nitschke, Our News & Commentary Blog, Paul Longmore, protestsStephen Drake

…r die than go into a nursing home. Nitschke supports suicide even by physically healthy people. Many of his victims were physically healthy at the time of their induced deaths. None of his seven “patients” had severe pain. Palliative care expert Prof. David Kissane concluded that some just needed better medical and psychiatric care. Kissane warned: “It is evident that the regulations did not serve as an effective safeguard to protect the vulnerabl…

A Disability Perspective on the Issue of Physician Assisted Suicide – Disability and Health Journal

January 13, 2010American Public Health Association, analysis, assisted suicide, carol gill, diane coleman, Marilyn Golden, Mercatornet, Michael Cook, Our News & Commentary Blog, researchStephen Drake

…the issue. At first she believed that assisted suicide was solely a personal autonomy issue. But eventually she was persuaded that it is at the heart of the movement for disability rights: “Almost all people at the end of life can be included in the definition of ‘disability’. Thus, the practice of assisted suicide results in death for people with disabilities.” The special issue is a response to a controversial 2008 decision by the American Publ…

Testimony of Karen Scheiderman – MA Assisted Suicide Hearing

February 24, 2010advocacy, assisted suicide, Massachusetts, Our News & Commentary BlogStephen Drake

…ession is a profit-driven institution that makes decisions based on financial as well as medical issues and were I to be in a situation where I were so sick that it became financially burdensome to the State, I suspect many physicians would support my decision to kill myself with their help if I were in a state of fear and helplessness. I can hope that family members will be around to help me through the depression and fear but one cannot be sure…

HBO Is Making Sure We Don’t Know Jack About Jack Kevorkian

April 22, 2010assisted suicide, Homicide / 'Mercy Killing', Kevorkian, media coverage, media issues, Our News & Commentary Blog, reality checkStephen Drake

…st – a very incomplete explanation of Kevorkian’s motivation. At worst – it’s a total fabrication meant to delude viewers – and making Jack Kevorkian out to be someone he isn’t – and never was. Unfortunately, there’s even less hope than usual that there will be any real critical analysis of Kevorkian and the movie from journalists. It has nothing to do with a “liberal media” or anything like that, though. It has more to do with mega corporations,…