Friday, June 3, 2011

Irony, Over-Application Thereof...

Assisted suicide advocate Kevorkian dies at age 83

DETROIT -- Jack Kevorkian, the audacious doctor who spurred on the national right-to-die debate with a homemade suicide machine that helped end the lives of dozens of ailing people, died Friday at a Detroit-area hospital after a brief illness. He was 83.

Kevorkian died at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, where he had been hospitalized since last month with pneumonia and kidney problems, close friend and prominent attorney Mayer Morganroth said.

How ironic is it that "Dr. Death" died "after a brief illness"? Now, don't get me wrong - I don't wish that he had developed something long and lingering, or anything like that. Just that if there was ever someone who would be well-equipped to NOT suffer a long and drawn out death, it'd be Jack Kevorkian...

Wouldn't it be the height of irony if Kevorkian was not a DNR?

That is all.

Thanks to brad_in_ma for alerting me to Dr. Kevorkian's passing.

5 comments:

Dave H said...

"Wouldn't it be the height of irony if Kevorkian was not a DNR?"

On the face of it, yes. But Smilin' Jack's position, once you got past his ego, was that people should be able to choose for themselves. Choosing to be resuscitated would have been consistent with that.

greg said...

I don't know...I never felt any kind of antipathy towards Dr. Jack. Even in my teenage years, when I was very Capitalist Young Republican in my opinion's, I was pro 'right to die'.

The 100% truth is a have a lot of respect for the dedication(if not always judgment) of people who are willing to dig in and go to jail over something they believe in.

And to go along with what Dave said, I am all for ending the War on Drugs, even though I have zero interest in getting stoned.

bogie said...

I believe in the right to end your own life, so never had an issue with the Doctor. It's not like he was forcing people to commit suicide, just allowing them a way out with dignity and by choice.

Maura said...

I also believe in the right to end your own life - and as Tam rightly pointed out in her post :

"Kevorkian's third stated mission was to convince Americans that their rights are being infringed upon by bans on everything from smoking to assisted suicide."

It is not the Government's right to tell me how to live - or not live - my life. If I chose to shuffle off this mortal coil, it is my business.

I believe in years to come, Dr Kevorkian's name will be vindicated, and his position championed as more and more people realize that living under the boot of the Government is downright uncomfortable.

Wally said...

I have to be the opposition here. My aunt took a one way trip with Kevorkian... She didn't actually have anything wrong with her. I would consider that system incredibly flawed.