More Bloggers Remembering Paul Longmore

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As promised, this is a list of additional blogs marking the death of Paul Longmore:

That’s pretty much everything I have found so far.  I still intend to put together a post of NDY-related references and material by Paul, but it will have to wait for next week.  We got word earlier today that there will be an important development tomorrow – we don’t know yet if it’s a good development or a bad one.

Looks like I have to hit the ground running in the morning – metaphorically, as it pertains to reading, processing and synthesizing.  –Stephen Drake

Diane Coleman Remembers Paul Longmore

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From Diane Coleman, president and founder of Not Dead Yet:

Paul was one of a few disability rights activists and thinkers who changed my life in the 1980’s. He lived in Los Angeles then, and I was brand new to the movement, just finishing law school and joining my first CIL board.

He often wrote for the Disability Rag, which I started reading cover-to-cover every month. Paul merged disability scholarship and political activism in a powerful way that helped frame and advance our movement.

I was privileged to participate in his famous book burning protest against oppressive Social Security and Medicaid policies. We were both judges in media access awards, part of small groups watching and commenting on media portrayals of disability.

Paul’s unmatched historical knowledge of disability in the media poured out in enlightening and often sarcastic quips. But his work as a spokesperson of our community pertaining to the early assisted suicide/euthanasia cases involving Elizabeth Bouvia and Larry McAfee had the biggest impact on me. His media interviews and writings on those cases helped shape my understanding of society’s profound oppression of people with disabilities and how that oppression translates in medical settings. His contributions toward the founding of Not Dead Yet are a major part of Paul’s legacy that can never be forgotten.

Part of Diane’s tribute to Paul is included in the obituary that is posted on New Mobility.

Bloggers Remember Paul Longmore

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Since I wrote yesterday, there have been many moving tributes to Paul Longmore from friends, colleagues – and many who have been affected by his academic work and political advocacy.

His facebook page is filled with messages of appreciation and remembrance.  I don’t know if his page is viewable to non-facebook users or even to nonfriends on facebook, but you could check it out to find out.

Here is a list – I can’t pretend it’s complete – of blog entries mourning the loss of Paul Longmore and reflecting on his life and work:

Also, Joe Shapiro has posted a long obituary on the NPR health blog (yes – we know what Paul might say about ending up on the health blog).

I apologize to any blogger – especially any disability blogger – I haven’t linked to.  I’m sure this list isn’t comprehensive – and I am also sure that there are new blogs that have been posted since I started writing this post.  I’ll do a new search tomorrow and share ones I either overlooked or that have been published since the completion of this post.

I’ll also try to put together a set of links on articles and/or interviews with Paul Longmore that are NDY-related.  I’ll include one that was a collaborative effort – between myself, Diane Coleman, and Paul.

Still waiting for any San Francisco mainstream media to notice that a great man has died.  –Stephen Drake

A Tremendous Loss – Paul Longmore Has Died

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(Pictured above: Profile picture of Professor Paul Longmore, copied from his facebook page.)

I just received the news via various sources that Paul Longmore – professor, hisorian, disability rights scholar and disability rights activist – died unexpectedly last night.  The following note from a friend and colleague of his appeared on Paul’s facebook page last night:

It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you of the passing of Paul Longmore. He was found non-responsive in his apartment earlier this evening (8/9/10). I received a phone call from close mutual friends–not long there after–telling me of the news.

SF State has lost a brilliant scholar and the world… I know not the words to say… I consider myself blessed to have known Paul in one capacity, or another, for the past twenty years–first as an undergraduate, a mentee, a young professional, a colleague, and, most importantly, a friend. My Mom and I will miss making and delivering him his apple pie this Thanksgiving.I’ll write more as I learn it and can…

Disabled and Proud,

Gene

As a graduate student at Syracuse University, I had read some of Paul’s work in the course of my studies.  However, it wasn’t until the start of the disability community’s opposition to assisted suicide that I came into direct contact with him.  Paul was one of the most prominent and articulate voices in the disability community regarding the opposition to legalization of assisted suicide before, during and after the formation of Not Dead Yet.  He has continued to be a prominent spokesperson for the disability rights movement in California, where a broad coalition of organizations has – so far – been successful in keeping assisted suicide advocates at bay.

Here is an essay from 1997 in which Paul Longmore explains why he got involved with opposition to the assisted suicide movement.

Here is a link to Paul Longmore’s biography, taken from the San Francisco State University’s Institute on Disability.

When searching for links for those who might want to know more about Paul, I was pleasantly surprised to find a youtube video of a speech he gave at the San Francisco Celebration of the 20th anniversary of the ADA.  I apologize in advance – the video isn’t captioned.  I try to stay away from that, but I thought a lot of people might want to watch and listen to the very recent speech by Paul Longmore – July 26, 2010.  Barely two weeks ago – from the time this blog entry is written:

I suspect there will be some obituaries and tributes appearing in the next few days.  I will share them here.  Paul had a strong influence on my own writing and advocacy.  A lot of his writing combined impeccable sourcing and fact-checking with an obvious anger – even contempt – for those who used cultural stereotypes to promote a “better dead than disabled” set of public policies.  In much of what I write, it’s that combination I aim for, knowing that no one could ever top the real master.  And now he’s gone.  I miss him already.  –Stephen Drake

Blog – “Euthanasia: Dog vs. Man” – A Succinct Analysis from a Nurse

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Regular readers have read several posts here dealing with the use of pet euthanasia by pro-euthanasia advocates to promote their agenda. You can read posts on the subject here, here, and here.

Well, today there’s a short blog post on the pretty much the same topic at the blog “Nursing: You Wanna Know What I Think?,” authored by Pat Veitenthal, who has been in the nursing profession for 42 years, according to the blog.

It pains me a little to say this, but she may have made the point about the inappropriateness of using animal euthanasia in the debate about human euthanasia more effectively than anything I’ve written.  It’s certainly a gentler message than I tend to write – but very clear nonetheless.

Here’s what she has to say in “Euthanasia: Dog vs. Man“:

When I was a young nurse, euthanasia was a word only whispered, if spoken at all. Now it is a regular topic of discussion among us. We cover it from all points of view: ethical, religious, political, moral…even animal.

I am one of those sickening pet owners. I kiss on my bichon frise, love her dearly, talk to her, carry her, worry about her, take her bye-byes in the car, give her clothes, toys and treats, and I do it all devotedly and unapologetically.

The argument among nurse pet owners like myself is that if euthanasia is the humane thing for the pets we love as much as members of our family, why don’t the humans we love deserves the same humane end if they so choose?

I’ve actually been pondering this reasoning very carefully, and I happened upon the thought of looking at it another way.

Regardless of how much I do cherish my beloved dog Hollywood, the love for her is actually not the same. I would take a bullet for my son, but I would not take a bullet for my dog. So let’s leave our pets out of this very important debate.

It needed to be said…

 Yes, it did need to be said – and just the way that Pat Veitenthal said it.  If you think that way too, please go visit her blog and leave a note of appreciation.  I did.  –Stephen Drake