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June 7, 2007
Dr. Sidney Wanzer Lends Support to Dr. Kevorkian
Earlier on this blog, I reported on a New York Times editorial critical of Dr. Jack Kevorkian.
Dr. Sidney Wanzer, president of Compassion and Choices of Greater Boston, has written an article published yesterday (June 6, 2007) in USA Today entitled 'Dr. Death' served us all with time in prison in which he explains that supporters of Dr. Kevorkian claim that he
did all of us a service by pointing out what he thought was the right of a dying, suffering person to have autonomy over the manner and timing of death. In doing so, he brought this matter to the acute attention of the public in a way that no one had done before.
The latter is the important outcome. Kevorkian forced us to examine critically the need for new laws that will allow dying persons to end life in certain circumstances when this is the only truly compassionate treatment. * * *
Without fearing abuse, we should permit intolerably suffering patients the right to exert this ultimate autonomy in choosing the manner of their dying. Oregon and three countries in Europe allow this, but we all should have that option.
Doctors shouldn't have to go to jail for acting compassionately.
June 7, 2007 in Current Events, Death Event Planning | Permalink
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Comments
It's not surprising that Wanzer would "lend" support to Kevorkian - since Wanzer is president of a large chapter of "Compassion and Choices" and the piece reads like a C & C talking points memo.
Wanzer has been around long enough to know that Kevorkian's body count largely consists of NONterminal women with chronic conditions and disabilities. Misleading readers to think otherwise is unsurprising - Wanzer and C & C claim to want "assistance" only for the "terminally ill." Being honest about the true nature of Kevorkian's "clients" would mean having to explain the apparent contradiction between their public goals on one hand and viewing Kevorkian as a "hero" on the other.
Posted by: Stephen Drake | Jun 7, 2007 11:06:03 AM
