Stephen Hawking Endorses Assisted Suicide, Saying “We Don’t Let Animals Suffer,” Proving that Being a Genius in One Area Doesn’t Stop You From Saying Stupid Stuff Outside of That Area

September 17, 2013assisted suicide, euthanasia, Our News & Commentary Blogassisted suicide, euthanasia, Stephen HawkingStephen Drake

…n. The reality, Professor Hawking, is that you should be grateful you’re a human. Most likely, if you were someone’s pet dog, they would have “put you out of “your misery” a long time ago, even if you didn’t feel particularly miserable. But they’re the ones who get to tell everyone they saved you from “suffering.” the statistics on the euthanasia rates of animal rates in shelters paint a grim picture. The reasons owners abandon them there aren’t…

NDRN’s Report Should Serve As a Call to Conscience for Health Care Providers

May 24, 2012bioethics, civil rights, death by starvation and dehydration, involuntary euthanasia, medical killings, national disability rights network, NDRN, Our News & Commentary Blog, Surrogate Decisions & Guardianship, Tina CartretteStephen Drake

…ress release accompanying the report: “Every person is born with civil and human rights and an inherent dignity. The reality that this is happening in the United States is anathema to the core values that we as Americans say we hold. That it is happening to those unable to use their own voice is even worse. This report is meant to start the conversation about how society can and should make medical decisions that uphold the constitutional rights o…

ABC News: NDY’s Stephen Drake Interviewed for Stephen Hawking Story and additional info/context

September 18, 2013assisted suicide, media coverage, Our News & Commentary Blog, Stephen Hawkingassisted suicide, disabilities, Stephen HawkingStephen Drake

…y of factory farming and what we do to obtain meat. Those are anything but humane conditions.” If laws treated humans like animals, that could open the door to more abuse against the sick and disabled, Drake said, adding that right-to-die laws that are “sold on the idea of pain and suffering” are “bad public policy.” “The reasons are things like loss of physical autonomy, fear of being a burden and loss of dignity,” he said. “These are not medical…

NDY Public Comment Impacted By A Personal Sorrow

September 22, 2013Our News & Commentary BlogDiane Coleman

…eligibility for a heart transplant, go here. Finally, to read the rest of my newest comment letter, go here. And previous OPTN comment letters can be found here. It’s time for the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, which contracts with and theoretically oversees OPTN, to take a stand and enforce disability rights in the organ procurement and transplantation system. – Diane Coleman …

Op-Ed: “Assisted suicide: a chilling prospect for disabled people” by Tanni Grey-Thompson

September 25, 2013assisted suicide, Our News & Commentary Blog, Stephen Hawking, Tanni Grey-Thompson, United Kingdomassisted suicide, Stephen Hawking, Tanni Grey-Thompson, United KingdomStephen Drake

…that these and other conditions are met. Professor Hawking states that “human beings should not be allowed to suffer any more than animals”. This is a well-worn argument of the euthanasia lobby – that we put down suffering animals out of kindness, so why don’t we do the same for humans? But what those who use this argument seem to overlook is that people don’t always take their pets to be put down out of compassion: they sometimes do so because…