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You are here: Home / Politics / Dr. Death Is On The Prowl

Dr. Death Is On The Prowl

by John Cole|  June 1, 200711:22 am| 33 Comments

This post is in: Politics, Popular Culture, Science & Technology

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And I don’t mean Karl Rove:

Pathologist, angel of mercy, advocate, lightning rod, scofflaw, punchline — to Dr. Jack Kevorkian’s long resume of sobriquets we may now add ex-con.

After serving 8 years of a 10-to-25-year sentence for second-degree murder, the doctor walked out of the Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater, Mich., and into the predictable media frenzy. He had only a few offhand, characteristically vinegary remarks for the legions of reporters and camera crews on the scene, but there will be all manner of TV appearances and news conferences in the days and weeks to come, one may be sure.

Seventy-nine and not in the best of health himself, Dr. Kevorkian returns on parole to a society that still hasn’t figured out what to do about one of the great unintended consequences of modern science: The growing number of people with profound illnesses whose death can be staved off indefinitely but whose suffering and misery, physical or psychic or both, cannot be meaningfully relieved.

I used to have very strong feelings about this- I was an unflinching supporter of the notion that we should be able to make our own decisions about our destiny, but firmly against people behaving in an illegal manner. In other words, I agreed with what he was doing in the generic sense, but did not approve of the means.

I need to think about this for a while and see if I still believe the same things. I am sure the culture of life nitwits in the blogosphere will have a great deal to say in between breathless posts supporting the death penalty and the necessity of torture, and their opinions will probably influence me, although not in the way they hope or intend. Only one aspect of this debate is simple for me- life is more than a pulse.

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Reader Interactions

33Comments

  1. 1.

    dslak

    June 1, 2007 at 11:28 am

    Wasn’t a major problem with Kevorkian that he often did not obtain proper consent for his actions?

  2. 2.

    demimondian

    June 1, 2007 at 11:28 am

    I’m interested in the evolution of your thoughts on the matter, John. I’m deeply conflicted about this, too — there is too much evidence that “inconvenient” people “decide” to die much too often when this is legal. I wonder if it’s like torture — once you allow even a little bit of it, you will inevitably slide into doing it a lot.

    Thoughts?

  3. 3.

    dslak

    June 1, 2007 at 11:32 am

    I wonder if it’s like torture—once you allow even a little bit of it, you will inevitably slide into doing it a lot.

    My understanding is that this has largely not been the case in places like Oregan or Holland (with some notable exceptions).

  4. 4.

    demimondian

    June 1, 2007 at 11:36 am

    The question is not doctor-assisted suicide, it’s the more active kind of intervention which Kevorkian supports. The Oregon experiment does seem to work, but there are sometimes disturbing reports out of Holland, where the interpretation is much looser.

  5. 5.

    Zifnab

    June 1, 2007 at 11:38 am

    Wasn’t a major problem with Kevorkian that he often did not obtain proper consent for his actions?

    Depends on which spin you read. I’ve heard that he “tricked” people into wanting to die, then went ahead and killed them without consulting relatives. And I’ve heard that he inveritably ran into family members who were opposed to the idea that tried to obstruct him at every turn, and used that against him in court.

    I just can’t believe the man’s been in jail for 8 years. I remember this hubbabalo like it was months ago.

  6. 6.

    RSA

    June 1, 2007 at 11:43 am

    I was an unflinching supporter of the notion that we should be able to make our own decisions about our destiny, but firmly against people behaving in an illegal manner.

    FIrst reaction: Don’t worry, Golden Age Batman will take care of Dr. Death.

    Second reaction: My understanding is that there’s a group in Switzerland that provides counseling and advice to people seeking a physician-assisted suicide; it’s apparently legal there and does not exclude non-nationals. A one-way ticket to Switzerland is much more expensive than a do-it-yourself solution, but in compensation it seems to provide some degree of oversight and would avoid U.S. legal technicalities.

  7. 7.

    dslak

    June 1, 2007 at 11:46 am

    Depends on which spin you read.

    I suppose I should have said “wasn’t the main matter of contention whether he obtained proper consent,” but yeah.

  8. 8.

    Wilfred

    June 1, 2007 at 11:51 am

    I was an unflinching supporter of the notion that we should be able to make our own decisions about our destiny, but firmly against people behaving in an illegal manner

    So much for civil disobedience then. The point was the terminally ill to make their own decisions, calling attention to cruel and unjust laws by breaking them, not obeying them.

  9. 9.

    Zombie Santa Claus

    June 1, 2007 at 12:05 pm

    So much for civil disobedience then. The point was the terminally ill to make their own decisions, calling attention to cruel and unjust laws by breaking them, not obeying them.

    Those people need to be thrown behind bars. It’s the only way to deter this kind of illegal behavior.

    Yes, I know they’re dead. I don’t care. Terri Schiavo was dead, too, but that didn’t stop us from keeping her going for 17 more years. Special prisons for dead people need to be designed. If possible, they should house the souls of the dead, as well. I’m assuming science can figure out a way to do that. If not, we’ll just keep their bodies there.

    If the Great State of Texas sentences you to 3 life terms in prison for spitting on a policeman, I don’t think you should be able to weasel your way out of it just by dying. They should add time to your sentence for that, just like they do when they catch you trying to tunnel your way out of jail.

  10. 10.

    filkertom

    June 1, 2007 at 12:13 pm

    I believe that the right to die with dignity is extremely important. I also believe Kevorkian is a sick old man. I think he genuinely got off on watching people breathe their last. Right cause, absolute wrong spokesman.

  11. 11.

    ThymeZone

    June 1, 2007 at 12:17 pm

    I support Dr. K one hundred percent. The idea that government should be able to control the end of our lives is abhorrent.

    “Firmly against people behaving in an illegal manner.”

    When such an idea is imposed on control over our own demise, when there is no real alternative that is any good, it makes the whole idea of “behaving in an illegal manner” a farce. The law becomes farce. And thereby, all of law is degraded accordingly.

    These are stupid laws and I fully support any one who breaks them.

  12. 12.

    Tsulagi

    June 1, 2007 at 12:22 pm

    I used to have very strong feelings about this- I was an unflinching supporter of the notion that we should be able to make our own decisions about our destiny…

    I simply leave it at that point ending with a period. My life, not theirs.

  13. 13.

    scarshapedstar

    June 1, 2007 at 12:33 pm

    In Holland, if you live in constant agony, you talk it over with a judge, and if you’re really sure you don’t want to go on living like that anymore, then you have all your friends over to say your goodbyes over some wine and some weed, and then you go to your eternal rest.

    In this country, they’d rather chain your hands and feet and force-feed you until your body falls apart.

  14. 14.

    Wilfred

    June 1, 2007 at 12:43 pm

    As always, ZBC is thinking out of the box:

    , I don’t think you should be able to weasel your way out of it just by dying. They should add time to your sentence for that

    Don’t do the crime if you can’t turn to slime.

  15. 15.

    Zombie Santa Claus

    June 1, 2007 at 12:50 pm

    Don’t do the crime if you can’t turn to slime.

    Call me crazy, but I don’t think we should coddle criminals just because they’re partially decomposed. Look at me. I’m a zombie, but I take full responsibility for my actions. Why can’t deceased serial killers, rapists, and Irish gang members from the Five Points of the 1850s do the same? Is that really too much to ask of those who’ve done so much to harm our society?

    I thank you for your time and your consideration of these hard-hitting proposals to ensure that the release of death does not hinder our efforts to deter criminal behavior.

  16. 16.

    RSA

    June 1, 2007 at 2:43 pm

    Zombie Santa Claus writes:

    Those people need to be thrown behind bars. It’s the only way to deter this kind of illegal behavior.

    You goddamned undead hypocrite–you’ve got a hundred million cases of trespassing to answer for, every single year.

  17. 17.

    28 Percent

    June 1, 2007 at 2:54 pm

    I do not thing Zombie Santa Claus is serious which is to bad because he is right. Criminals should pay for their illegal crimes it does not matter and if they die then they are guilty and to bad for them they had their “choice”. But people who are innocent should not die though LIEberals and there Culture of Death want them too if they are “inconvenient’. Maybe you do not know it but the nazis killed ‘inconvienent’ people to! You think it will onlye be people who are truely sick but they want you too think that so they can start killing people for mere so-called “quality of life” reasons which are really all about money. Nursing homes and doctors want to take care of people as long as they can but greedy families will just sign somebody over too a “Dr Death” just two keep their inheritances bigger instead of spending it on long-term care. The government can’t wait too get its death taxes to, it will decide to kill off everyone in Boca too get some extra money to waste if it can. Something too think about how true that is.

  18. 18.

    Rome Again

    June 1, 2007 at 2:59 pm

    You goddamned undead hypocrite—you’ve got a hundred million cases of trespassing to answer for, every single year.

    Those are only the reported ones, in English. Don’t forget all those incidents in Europe and East Asia. If you really try, you might be able to pin the Kwannza events on him too, influence could be an aiding and abetting thing.

  19. 19.

    Rome Again

    June 1, 2007 at 3:01 pm

    Oh, and find out if any of his elves know how to make a dreidl, then you can add the Middle East into the mix. Now that would be a bang-up trial!

  20. 20.

    Wilfred

    June 1, 2007 at 3:02 pm

    Call me crazy, but I don’t think we should coddle criminals just because they’re partially decomposed

    What about their right to Habeas Humus? Fascist.

  21. 21.

    Aaron

    June 1, 2007 at 3:16 pm

    Since god created Eve and the apple tree, Mankind has been a afflicted by free will.
    You see, thanks thanks to “free will” people are free to make their own decisions.
    Even ones we dont agree with.
    A

  22. 22.

    Dulcie

    June 1, 2007 at 3:47 pm

    Yes, I know they’re dead. I don’t care. Terri Schiavo was dead, too, but that didn’t stop us from keeping her going for 17 more years. Special prisons for dead people need to be designed. If possible, they should house the souls of the dead, as well. I’m assuming science can figure out a way to do that. If not, we’ll just keep their bodies there.

    I think I’m in love with a Zombie!

  23. 23.

    Dulcie

    June 1, 2007 at 3:51 pm

    Wow, 28 Percent, you managed to work in Death, zombies, liberals, the culture of death and Nazis into one post. Pretty impressive!

  24. 24.

    Rome Again

    June 1, 2007 at 3:56 pm

    I think I’m in love with a Zombie!

    I understand that sort of thing is catching!

  25. 25.

    Zombie Santa Claus

    June 1, 2007 at 5:31 pm

    You goddamned undead hypocrite—you’ve got a hundred million cases of trespassing to answer for, every single year.

    No jury in the Judeo-Christian world will convict me!

    I do not thing Zombie Santa Claus is serious which is to bad because he is right.

    Oh, I was serious, all right. Dead serious.

    The government can’t wait too get its death taxes to, it will decide to kill off everyone in Boca too get some extra money to waste if it can. Something too think about how true that is.

    Just because you’re dead doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have to pay taxes. If you still have property, I think you should have to chip in your fair share to society. After all, the state pays for your burial on AMERICAN soil. While you’re buried on OUR country, you should keep paying taxes. If you don’t like it, have yourself buried in international waters. America for the dead taxpaying Americans!

    Oh, and find out if any of his elves know how to make a dreidl, then you can add the Middle East into the mix. Now that would be a bang-up trial!

    No comment. I plead the Fifth Commandment.

    What about their right to Habeas Humus? Fascist.

    I don’t see that one in the Constitution. We have to go with the Original intent of the Framers. If they’d wanted dead people to have rights, they would’ve put them in there. Clearly, they didn’t let a little thing like death stop them from punishing evildoers: back in those days, they used to hang pirates from gibbets long after they’d died, both as a warning to others and to teach the dead pirate a lesson he would not soon forget.

    I think I’m in love with a Zombie!

    Sorry, tough guy. I’m spoken for. Mrs. Claus is an extremely jealous, homicidal woman. Thanks for the compliment, though.

    Wow, 28 Percent, you managed to work in Death, zombies, liberals, the culture of death and Nazis into one post. Pretty impressive!

    Yeah, I liked that one a lot, too.

  26. 26.

    Rome Again

    June 1, 2007 at 5:47 pm

    No comment. I plead the Fifth Commandment.

    You haven’t a prayer!

  27. 27.

    Zombie Santa Claus

    June 1, 2007 at 5:51 pm

    You haven’t a prayer!

    Ho ho ho! I’ll see you bastards in Hell!

  28. 28.

    Dulcie

    June 1, 2007 at 10:03 pm

    Sorry, tough guy. I’m spoken for. Mrs. Claus is an extremely jealous, homicidal woman. Thanks for the compliment, though.

    Love as in I love dulce de leche ice cream, not as in I’ll give Mrs. Claus a run for her money ;-)

    And you’re welcome!

  29. 29.

    The Other Steve

    June 2, 2007 at 10:09 am

    I just can’t believe the man’s been in jail for 8 years. I remember this hubbabalo like it was months ago.

    The time since 1998 has gone past like a blur, as if nothing important really happened.

    It’s quite sad.

  30. 30.

    Chuck Butcher

    June 2, 2007 at 6:53 pm

    The BushCo Republican Congress didn’t like Oregon’s Death With Dignity and Ashcroft & BusCo didn’t like it, and the Right to Lifers didn’t like it and it has withstood 1 election challenge and court actions all the way to the Supreme Court, quite simply it was well done and has shown no signs of abuse. Holland has not one thing to do with the question, Oregonians have already shown the rest of you how to do it, and by the way, how to run elections.

    A discalimer: You bet I live in Oregon.

  31. 31.

    mclaren

    June 2, 2007 at 8:22 pm

    There you go — the new Surgeon General!

  32. 32.

    BIRDZILLA

    June 3, 2007 at 3:58 pm

    He should have served his full sentence instead of being released so early

  33. 33.

    Jimmmmm

    June 4, 2007 at 11:42 am

    Is it possible to hire Kervorkian to work on OTHER persons?

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