John Kelly: Not Dead Yet and Second Thoughts make strong showing at Rhode Island hearing

March 31, 2016assisted suicide, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, depression, elder abuse, Our News & Commentary Blog, Rhode Island, Second Thoughts, Second Thoughts Connecticutassisted suicide, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, John Kelly, Second Thoughts, Second Thoughts ConnectcutDiane Coleman

…fects over 20,000 Rhode Islanders over the age of 60. “Only in the fantasy world of the proponents are all families, including the thousands of abusive and dysfunctional ones, happily gathered around the peaceful and willing suicide.” Stephen Mendelsohn told the committee that “we have crushed these bills in at least nine states this year and the past three years in Connecticut without a single committee vote. “ Stephen said that Connecticut is th…

George Exoo – Suicide Tourist

August 24, 2007george exoo, Our News & Commentary Blog, satire, SwitzerlandStephen Drake

…among my crowd, anyway) was a poster that took the established military recruitment posters suggesting enlistees would “see the world” and turned it inside out. The poster was the conventional “Uncle Sam” pointing at you and said “Join the Army – travel to distant lands; meet exciting, unusual people and kill them.” I have no idea if Exoo ever recruited members for his “Compassionate Chaplaincy,” but I thought maybe he might have a recruiting post…

Press Statement: Disability Rights Groups Not Dead Yet and Second Thoughts Issue Statement Defending Dr. Ira Byock in Assisted Suicide Debate

October 24, 2014assisted suicide, barbara coombs lee, Compassion & Choices, diane coleman, ira byock, john kelly, Our News & Commentary Blog, Second Thoughts, VSEDassisted suicide, Brittany Maynard, Compassion and Choices, Dr. Ira ByockDiane Coleman

…e laws for people with a terminal diagnosis, but at a recent Connecticut forum, she affirmed a broader agenda as reported in CT News Junkie: Coombs Lee also said the legislation would exclude people with dementia and cognitive declines, since they could not make the choice for themselves. ‘It is an issue for another day but is no less compelling,’ she said. “In addition, Coombs Lee’s organization promotes VSED (voluntarily stopping eating and drin…

In Honor of JJ Hanson

December 31, 2017assisted suicide, NY Alliance Against Assisted Suicide, Our News & Commentary Blogassisted suicide, NY Alliance Against Assisted SuicideDiane Coleman

…ths to live; however, he proved the doctors wrong. After J.J. underwent a grueling regimen of surgery, chemotherapy, and an experimental treatment, his cancer subsided. Following his recovery, J.J. became a national advocate for the terminally ill. In his role as President of the Patients’ Rights Action Fund, J.J. worked to prevent the legalization of physician-assisted suicide in New York and other states. J.J.’s experience with cancer, together…

Netherlands: One-third of Doctors Willing to Euthanize Patients with Early Dementia

June 28, 2011dementia, euthanasia, media coverage, media issues, Netherlands, Our News & Commentary Blog, reality check, researchStephen Drake

…s refers to those willing as “Just 33 percent of Dutch doctors” while DutchNews.nl refers to “Only one third of Dutch doctors” (Emphasis added.) They seem… what? Relieved? Reassured? Or is it the rest of the world that they are trying to reassure? That one-third is really a very small and insignificant percentage of doctors? To me, the fact that one out of three doctors seems like an awful lot of doctors in the Netherlands are willing to go ahead…