Dr Jack Kevorkian dead at 83

[BJJ-Blue]

"Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the Michigan pathologist who put assisted suicide on the world's medical ethics stage, died early Friday, according to a spokesman with Beaumont Hospital. He was 83.

The assisted-suicide advocate had been hospitalized in Michigan for pneumonia and a kidney-related ailment, his attorney has said.

The 83-year-old former pathologist had struggled with kidney problems for years and had checked into a hospital earlier this month for similar problems, his lawyer, Mayer Morganroth, told CNN last month. He checked back into Beaumont Hospital in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak on May 18 after suffering a relapse, Morganroth said.

Kevorkian, dubbed "Dr. Death," made national headlines as a supporter of physician-assisted suicide and "right-to-die" legislation. He was charged with murder numerous times through the 1990s for helping terminally ill patients take their own lives.

He was convicted on second-degree murder charges in 1999 stemming from the death of a patient who suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly called Lou Gehrig's disease. He was paroled in 2007."

Source: (complete article)
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/03/report-dr-jack-kevorkian-dead/?hpt=hp_t1

[hskwarrior]

Agree or disagree with him aiding in ending people's suffering?

Personally, I feel there should be someone that can help end the misery some people experience. Pain is extremely difficult to get away from and the stress it puts on your mind.

[Lucas]

I'm for it. I wish there was a spot on my id by organ donation that indicates I don't want to exist in a vegetative state. I would much rather die. It would also save a ton of money.

[Cdr.Instigator]

Agree...........

If the patient is a murdering child molester or equivalent, assisted forced suicide is kool!

If a terminal ill patient has the balls, He or She should just shoot, cut wrists or hang themselves.. Throwing themselves off a tall bridge would also work, I guess! :D

[hskwarrior]

Agree...........

If the patient is a murdering child molester or equivalent, assisted forced suicide is kool!

If a terminal ill patient has the balls, He or She should just shoot, cut wrists or hang themselves.. Throwing themselves off a tall bridge would also work, I guess!

LOL. for 'criminals' its called the gas chamber. But, i think there should be a way legally BY CHOICE to end your own life if what you experience impairs daliy life. I know for sure that pain can put you in a major depression. i've been there.

[BJJ-Blue]

It's a tough call.

Keep in mind he was a doctor, and they take that Hippocratic oath. So a doctor doing it brings up ethical questions. Then you have the fact that it's a dangerous box to open. The Nazis started their killing spree with 'mercy killings'. So it's very dangerous.

On the flip side, if someone wants to refuse treatment or kill themselves that's their business. Many States actually had laws making suicide a crime (which obviously were only enforced when the person failed), but by the 1990s these laws were off the books.

A few years ago I had a friend (albeit not a close one) commit suicide. He had a closed casket funeral full of people not only upset he was gone, but on top of that there was alot of guilt. So when people say it does hurt those you leave behind more than the hurt you're feeling at that time you do it, I agree with those people. Even though I wasn't a close friend, I still was upset I didn't see the signs, or call or come by that day, or maybe got closer so I could have maybe stopped it, etc. I can only imagine how his close friends felt.

[hskwarrior]

My girlfriend lost a very very close friend who took her own life we believe. Some say she just took too much medicine of sorts and it mixed wrong with what else she took at the time. Dr's said it was inconclusive.

But, it took my girl a few years to finally smile again. It truly affects those that loved you. Because of the pain from my accident, i too consider suicide when the pain is too much to bear. But i'm too stubborn to pull it off. I think its the weak way out. But sometimes it seems like the only option. Plus, how can i do that to my girl after she lost her friend. still, she tells me it would kill her, but she'd understand why.

[sanjuro_ronin]

All life is sacred.
And even the most noblest of intentions can still be wrong.
That said, if a person is being kept alive and has made wishes that are clear that in such and such a case they would rather die a natural death ( be allowed to die), then those wishes must be respected.
It is NOT suicide to die from an illness or disease.
Death is the natural conclusion to THIS life, cheating death is NOT natural.

[hskwarrior]

Death is the natural conclusion to THIS life, cheating death is NOT natural.

Not to mention that you will return only to repeat.

[David Jamieson]

I'm for it. I wish there was a spot on my id by organ donation that indicates I don't want to exist in a vegetative state. I would much rather die. It would also save a ton of money.

That would be a living will bud and all you add to it is a DNR (do not resuscitate) and implicit instructions to not put you on any life support.

we have it here. It is allowable by law to make this decision before hand and to ensure that it is respected by the authorities.

[Lee Chiang Po]

I am sure that all of you have heard it said a person would feel the agony of death? Well, a natural death can be pure agony to some. Death does not simply come as a lights out. You go through all sorts of painful agony. I have had several heart attacks and I know that I would rather die quickly by injection rather than go through the entire experience of death. And lets be realistic. If you are terminal, you don't realistically expect that you are ever again going to live and prosper, and that eventually, after a good deal of suffering, finally experience the agony of death. You will not be missing anything but pain. I think if a person is otherwise healthy of organ, he could be doctor assisted in a painless death, and have his dead body kept on life support as his organs are harvested as needed. When the last organ is removed, or the body will no longer function, pull the plug. You won't give a $hit one way or another. And just look at the good you can do. If you hang on, suffering like hell every day, the organs will deteriate.

[David Jamieson]

assisted forced suicide is kool!

:D

This is wrong.

what you think is "kool" is defined as murder.
Changing the words around doesn't make anyone less culpable for said murder.

[Hardwork108]

I'm for it. I wish there was a spot on my id by organ donation that indicates I don't want to exist in a vegetative state. I would much rather die. It would also save a ton of money.

You really want to have most of this forum killed off, don't you?:D

[mooyingmantis]

That would be a living will bud and all you add to it is a DNR (do not resuscitate) and implicit instructions to not put you on any life support.

we have it here. It is allowable by law to make this decision before hand and to ensure that it is respected by the authorities.

David,
Good advice!
We have those in the states too.

[SimonM]

I'm for it. I wish there was a spot on my id by organ donation that indicates I don't want to exist in a vegetative state. I would much rather die. It would also save a ton of money.

100% Agree.