Rock Band “Killing Joke” Says “No joke – they worked to get friend to delay suicide by ordering more work”

November 4, 2010John Hicklenton, Killing Joke, Our News & Commentary Blog, suicide, suicide prevention, SwitzerlandStephen Drake

…to understand how his band feel about what many people see as the ultimate human right. Coleman tells The Quietus: “There’s a lot of death around these days. We had two fatalities while we were recording the new album: bass player Youth’s father, and Johnny. “He’s the guy from 2000AD who got all our stuff to Heath Ledger. Johnny was dying from MS. We kept commissioning him so we could put back the date. “I suppose it would be a problem for a lot o…

Laura Hershey : 1962-2010

December 7, 2010activism, advocacy, in memorium, Laura Hershey, Our News & Commentary Blog, Robin StephensStephen Drake

…concerns intersected – and was passionately dedicated to the promotion of human rights and social justice for all individuals. Reading news she would share on Facebook made it clear to me that she followed many global social justice concerns that mostly remain off my own radar, finding the array of issues I do track being about as much as I can handle. Over the years, Laura engaged in advocacy on NDY issues, taking part in and/or organizing local…

“Interesting” Op-ed by PR Guy for Hawaii Death With Dignity Society

February 15, 2011"The Unspoken Argument", assisted suicide, Compassion & Choices, Conflation and Con jobs, hawaii, Homicide / 'Mercy Killing', Our News & Commentary Blog, reality check, scott fosterStephen Drake

…Pro-assisted suicide advocates normally portray physicians as absolutely trustworthy professionals who would never abuse or expand killing beyond what an assisted suicide statue allows. That doesn’t mean that Foster wants one to run a hearing on assisted suicide: It is also clear that an M.D. should not be chairing health committees. It’s an inherent conflict of interest. There’s a contradiction there – trust a doc with your life but not your leg…

Milwaukee Magazine: NDY featured in profile of elderly couple who died through a suspected suicide pact

February 23, 2011assisted suicide, final exit network, Homicide / 'Mercy Killing', media coverage, Our News & Commentary BlogStephen Drake

…l in Montana in 2009. The issue is hotly contested. On one end of the spectrum, the Final Exit Network argues the Oregon and Washington laws are inadequate because only those who are terminally ill are allowed to receive lethal drugs. The 3,000-member group, an outgrowth of the Hemlock Society, believes people who are not terminal should also be permitted to end their lives. “There are many illnesses, awful illnesses, with no time limit,” says Jer…

Organ Donation by Death Row Inmates – Get Ready to Start Hearing More About How it’s “Good” for Everyone

March 11, 2011Art Caplan, Ben Goldhirsh, bioethics, crime and punishment, death penalty, Dylan Ratigan, Eric Meslin, good magazine, Graeme Wood, Kevorkian, media coverage, Our News & Commentary Blog, reality check, Wesley SmithStephen Drake

…tocol”—a term derived from the ancient Mayan practice of vivisecting their human sacrifices—the removal of organs would itself be the method of execution. If this sounds inhumane, compare it to current practices: botched hangings, painfully long gassings, and messy electrocutions. Removal of the heart, lungs, and kidneys (under anesthesia, of course) would kill every time, without an instant of pain. So far, the organs of all criminals executed in…