NDY Celebrating 20 Years in the Fight for Our Lives

April 26, 2016assisted suicide, disability activists, disability rights, Kevorkian, Not Dead Yet, Our News & Commentary Blogassisted suicide, Diane Coleman, Not Dead YetDiane Coleman

…mony co-authored by Carol Gill and myself, Not Dead Yet (NDY) began. The struggle against assisted suicide was about to take a dramatic turn. On June 21, 1996, NDY activists held our first direct action, picketing outside the Michigan cottage where Kevorkian was known to stay. The AP newswire carried a photo of the protest, the first media notice of our opposition. Three years later, when Jack Kevorkian was finally back in a Michigan courtroom, on…

New York NDY Activists Occupied Pro-Assisted Suicide Press Conference

May 12, 2016aid in dying, assisted suicide, center for disability rights, New York, Our News & Commentary Blogassisted suicide, Center for Disability Rights, New YorkDiane Coleman

…utside legislative chambers, as shown in photos. Albany 5-10-16 Not Dead Yet activists wearing pink NDY tshirts & holding pink NDY banner African American wheelchair user in pink NDY tshirt holding yellow poster saying “World’s Cheapest Health Care” with a poison bottle depicted. And a local television station in Rochester followed up by interviewing CDR’s Director of Advocacy, Stephanie Woodward, on video for broadcast on May 11….

Paul Gallico, Disability and Love: How and why he changed the ending to “The Snow Goose”

July 18, 2016Literature, Me Before You, media, Our News & Commentary Blogdisability, Literature, media, Paul Gallico, romance, The Snow GooseStephen Drake

…girl, Fritha. The snow goose, symbolic of both Rhayader (Gallico) and the world itself, wounded by gunshot and many miles from home, is found by Fritha and, as the human friendship blossoms, the bird is nursed back to flight, and revisits the lighthouse in its migration for several years. As Fritha grows up, Rhayader and his small sailboat eventually are lost in the British retreat from Dunkirk, having saved several hundred men. The bird, which w…

Action Alert: Urge the AMA to Reaffirm Opposition to Assisted Suicide

October 24, 2016"death with dignity", aid in dying, AMA, AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, American Medical Association, assisted suicide, Our News & Commentary Blogaid in dying, American Medical Association, assisted suicide, death with dignityDiane Coleman

…on of assisted suicide because: Medical professionals should focus on the true nature of their profession – to provide care and comfort to patients – instead of becoming a source of lethal drugs. I would not want my doctor to have this power and suggest it to me as an “option.” Will the government and profit-driven insurance companies do the right thing – pay for treatment costing thousands of dollars – or the cheap thing – pay for lethal drugs co…

John Kelly’s Letter Published in the Cape Cod Times

November 28, 2016"death with dignity", aid in dying, assisted suicide, Ballot Question 2, john kelly, letters to the editor, Massachusetts, Our News & Commentary Blog, Second Thoughtsaid in dying, assisted suicide, death with dignity, John Kelly, Second ThoughtsDiane Coleman

…rs can predict the future and everyone wants the best for you. In the real world, legalized assisted suicide inevitably leads to the tragic deaths of innocent people, through mistakes and abuse. Every year nationally, thousands of people prove doctors wrong by outliving their mistaken terminal diagnosis. Every year in Oregon and Washington, doctors prescribe suicide for people who are not terminally ill. You may have months, years, or decades of l…