Jury Acquits Transplant Surgeon in Ruben Navarro Death

December 24, 2008crime and punishment, Our News & Commentary Blog, professional accountability, Ruben Navarro, safeguardsStephen Drake

…Barack Obama’s book “Dreams From My Father,” his aunt, warning him of the rush of relations in Kenya that might want something from him, says “if everyone is family, then no one is.” Similarly, in a situation like the Ruben Navarro case, where every single person in the room shares a degree of guilt, the thinking might go something like this – “if everyone is guilty, then no one is.” In an interesting article I came across while reading for this…

New Ad from FRC Seems to Say Old People Shouldn’t Get Expensive Operations

October 27, 2009health care reform, media issues, Our News & Commentary Blog, policy, politicsStephen Drake

…h Council, defenders of “family values” and who claim to respect and value human life. In the clip below, however, is a short exchange between a young boy and his grandfather, presumably when some version of expanded health coverage has been passed. The message – as near as I can figure out – seems aimed at disrespecting and devaluing the lives of seniors. FRC doesn’t provide captioning for its video, so here’s a summary: The young boy asks if his…

Final Exit Network in the News – Reframing Themselves and Erasing the Past

December 22, 2009Arizona, assisted suicide, final exit network, homicide, media coverage, Our News & Commentary Blog, reality checkStephen Drake

…nally competent adults in all fifty states are free to exercise their last human right – the right to a peaceful, dignified death. “Final Exit Network is the only organization in the United States that will support individuals who are not “terminally ill” – 6 months or less to live – to hasten their deaths. No other organization in the US makes this commitment,” said Goodwin. Final Exit Network is a four-year-old volunteer-run nonprofit that is co…

Activist and Friend Judi Chamberlin Died This Weekend

January 19, 2010blog recommendations, hospice, Judi Chamberlin, National Empowerment Center, Our News & Commentary Blog, psychiatric survivorsStephen Drake

…he notion that a psychiatric label was a justification for denial of basic human rights, and leaving individuals at the often not-so-tender mercies of mental health professionals. Readers of this blog – especially outside of the disability community – might have noticed that NDY doesn’t devote a lot of discussion or recognition to psychiatric terminology. We also (I hope successfully) steer clear of sanctioning forced psychiatric treatment as our…

Resources: Two websites – one new, one updated

February 8, 2010clair lewis, dredf, Our News & Commentary Blog, pamela hennessy, web resources, website recommendationsStephen Drake

…ability Rights Education and Defense Fund, founded in 1979, is a leading national civil rights law and policy center directed by individuals with disabilities and parents who have children with disabilities. The mission of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund is to advance the civil and human rights of people with disabilities through legal advocacy, training, education, and public policy and legislative development. The vision of the…