What We Are Becoming: Paralyzed Teacher Feels Need to Justify Existence
All of the advocacy and tub thumping promoting the euphemist phrase "death with dignity," accompanied by widepread media and the public support for the suicides of people with disabilities or serious illnesses, sends the insidious message to similarly situated people that they are "burdens" or do not have lives worth living. Such cheering for death reflects an explicitly discriminatory attitude that would not be countenanced if applied against other disadvantaged groups.
People living with these circumstances are hearing the message that they are not really wanted. Case in point: A paralyzed teacher in the United Kingdom named Sue Garner actually felt the need to defend herself as not "selfish" for wanting to continue to live. From the story:
A paralyzed Merseyside teacher has spoken of her anger that the growing public sympathy for assisted suicide means she is now seen as 'selfish' for wanting to carry on living. Sue Garner-Jones last night criticised the way seriously disabled people who choose to end their lives are commonly described as 'courageous' and 'selfless'.As readers of SHS know, Garner-Jones is living in a milieu in which parents of Daniel James took their son, who was despondent over recent paralysis, to Switzerland for an assisted suicide, a Kevorkian-like practice known as "suicide tourism." Despite the fact that James was not terminally ill, the case has become a cause celebre for legalizing assisted suicide:
Note Garner's defensiveness and the almost desperate need she feels to justify her continued existence:Mr James's parents said that after being left in a similar tetraplegic state, he was living only a 'second class existence'.
Attacking the 'hysteria' surrounding his case, she warned: "I am seriously concerned that this might have a severely detrimental effect on anyone who lives with disability, or cares for someone in this situation, especially as Mr and Mrs James are referring to his life as a tetraplegic as 'second class'."
She is given 24/7 care by her mother Pat, 72. "I feel I’ve contributed quite a lot to society," she said. "People who come to my classes--they get a lot out of it. In fact, it's society that's second class in many ways. Society doesn't accommodate disabled people". We all have our good and bad times, but it should be said that many of us lead many worthwhile lives, she said.None of us should have to justify being alive. But this is what we are becoming. We ignore the warning signs at our own peril.
The press coverage of Mr James's suicide failed to reflect the view that disabled people could live full lives, she added. "They didn't publish one comment and I know that there were some because I wrote some--saying that there's an alternative. It's just frightening it could open the door to people thinking if you become disabled there’s no future.
Labels: What We Are Becoming. Culture of Death. Human Exceptionalism.
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 9:18 AM
8 Comments
8 Comments:
Why does Stephen Hawkings contribution to society come to mind when I read such articles??
Garner-Jones comments are on target and yet only hint at the profound implications of Mr. James suicide. Based on my reading of British newspaper reports, the vast majority of people have lauded Mr. James suicide and his parents role in their son's death. Mr. James death was as needless as it was cowardly and selfish. His suicide reveals what many think but rarely express: death is preferable to life with a disability. If anyone deserves to be praised and lauded it is people like Garner-Jones. She gets up every day and goes to work and will most likely experience some sort of disability based bigotry. Garner-Jones, myself, and countless other people with a disability are not "overcoming" a physical deficit but the social stigma and bigotry placed on top of it by society.
And I respect people that accept all challenges in life with the courage to live which Hawkings shows. Many lesser minds are not broken into submission either. I tip my hat to such folk as they display the exceptualism of humanity's spirit.
Donnie, I do not disagree with your comments but want to emphasize that people with disabilities are no more or less courageous than an average person that can walk. The real challenge is social, that is disability based bigotry. The fact is disability rights are civil rights.
Agreed William. However , I have a great deal of admiration for folk that accept their disability and go to work or carry on a worthy life with cheerful outlook.
< fumes >
Here's something that bothers the crud out of me -
Either there's a God or there isn't. If there is a God, as I believe there is, and if He is just and merciful, as I believe he is, then people who monger the culture of death are probably going to take it in the shorts.
If there is no God, then those who advocate euthanasia of healthy disabled people are condemning them to total cesession of existance in all manners. Somehow they overlook the fact of the grave. You will die, rot, and be nothing eventually. So, what, you're suggesting that it's better for them to get it over with than to have at least a slim life before they take the eternal dirt nap?
If the atheistic assessment of the universe is, "There probably is no God. Now go live a happy life," they are hipocrites for expecting some people to give up their one shot at a happy life just because they're disabled.
"You're selfish for wanting to live when you're disabled."
"Oh yeah? How come I'm selfish and you're not?"
"Because I'm healthy."
"For how long? Right now you're temporarily able-bodied."
"Well, when I get old, I'll euthanize myself."
"I recommend you take a long walk around your plot of grave land a few days before you do, so you get used to the idea that you're going to turn into worm food in a relatively short amount of time."
< /rant >
What I also find interesting about this case and the one of the 26 year old woman who was allowed to die in the UK after attempting suicide is that they both fell into or around the age bracket with the highest suicie rate- 15-25-year-olds. Despite this fact, the AS advocates continue to cheer. (Sigh.)
In regard to your comment, TE, I find it disturbing that the American Atheist Association endorses the Hemlock Society. For whatever reason, they feel the need to link AS with atheism, even though, as we've discussed elsewhere, many athiests oppose it. Any thoughts on why AA has taken this position?
I guess more Atheists were able to swing the deal despite how you might feel SAFEpres. Then it could be that a few strong willed atheists were able push support for Hemlock Society even though the majority might feel differently. Which ever point is correct the fact that Hemlock Society is suicidal certainly doesn't give me much comfort.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home