The Political Asylum

Vintage Girl · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 10:35 pm Post subject: Jack Kevorkian released

COLDWATER, Mich. — Jack Kevorkian, the former doctor and outspoken, flamboyant advocate for assisted suicide, walked out of a prison here this morning after serving eight years for second degree murder for his role in one death.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/01/us/01cnd-Kevorkian.html?hp

To be honest he should have been released some time ago. He's 79 years old and, whatever, you think of his ethics he's not a criminal. I think a prison sentence was completely inappropriate.

Will this raise the question of assisted suicide into the limelight again?
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Michele · Guest

I hope it does reopen the issue, VG. People have the right to die when they wish, as long as they're mentally stable, of course. Laws preventing euthanasia run contrary to the public morality, and therefore are unjust. Jack Kevorkian shouldn't have been sent to prison for the simple reason that the law he broke is in itself a violation of the US citizen's rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Vintage Girl · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 9:33 pm Post subject:

I partially agree with you Michele.

Being able to take ones own life should be a choice everyone has as is the right to refuse medical treatment or resussitaion. However, assisted suicide is wide open to abuse so I really don't think you can make that legal.
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Girls are like phones. We love to be held and talked to, but if you press the wrong button you'll be disconnected!

Michele · Guest

I have two major concerns about euthanasia:

- People would feel pressured to die because they felt like a potential burden.

- Even worse, it would happen to people who no one wishes to care for anymore. They actually want to live but can't communicate, or don't have the mental faculties to communicate.

However, I still think people who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and are in great pain or have no dignity should be able to choose to let life go. To me, that's a basic human right belonging to any sane person.

Vintage Girl · Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 9:01 am Post subject:

Exactly, but they have to ba able to make that choice. No one can assume that a person wants to die and make that choice for them and assisting them to commit suicide is wrong, other than withholding life support at their request.
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Girls are like phones. We love to be held and talked to, but if you press the wrong button you'll be disconnected!

Michele · Guest

So, yes, as you said, it's hard to legislate it. It's just one of those things, I suppose, though I still think it should be decriminalized. That's why Kevorkian's prison sentence made me angry.

JuanaLaLoca · Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:29 am Post subject:

I highly recommend the movie The Sea Inside (El Mar Adentro) on this subject. It's a true story about a quadriplegic poet, featuring an extraordinary performance by Javier Bardem.

Michele · Guest

I'll remember that title, Juana. I wonder if it's widely available in the UK.

JuanaLaLoca · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:01 pm Post subject:

It's been on cable a number of times here, and I'm sure it's available on DVD here. Since the U.K. is even closer to Spain, I would hope that you can get it! Wink

Michele · Guest

This country seems to lack video stores, other than Blockbuster. I have boycotted that particular company since 2002. I am thinking about joining a DVD club like Netflix but to tell the truth, I haven't been interested in movies lately, for some reason. I haven't watched my beloved Raising Arizona in almost a year. The same goes for tv. The only recent program I've liked is Heroes.

JuanaLaLoca · Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:03 pm Post subject: