Booth Gardner and Death with Dignity
Last weekend, the LA Times had an extraordinary profile of Booth Gardner -- the former Democratic Governor of Washington who is campaigning for a death-with-dignity law like Oregon's.
Gardner is campaigning for the right to die. It's not quite that simple, of course. Anyone can die — "I could go out in the garage and blow my brains out, but that's not what I'm talking about," says Gardner, who describes his body and spirit as progressively weakened by Parkinson's disease, with which he was diagnosed 13 years ago. "That's not dignity." ...A two-term Democratic governor (1985 to 1993), Gardner, who was diagnosed shortly after he left office, lends high-profile and personal support to the drive for right-to-die legislation. Advocates in his state say they hope to bring the issue before voters with an initiative in 2007 or 2008; opponents vow a vigorous campaign against it.
He thinks the Oregon law doesn't go far enough. Oregon's requirement — that a person must receive a prognosis from two doctors that he or she has six months or less left to live — might never apply to a person in his condition. Parkinson's, although it can be progressively debilitating, is generally not fatal.
Read the rest. Discuss.
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April 2, 2006 |
in the news 2006 | Comments (13 so far)
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Comments
Posted by: Socrates | Apr 3, 2006 10:46:15 AM
"Anti-Dignity"?!?
C'mon....you have got to be kidding me. Anyone that opposes assisted suicide is against dignity? You guys are believing your own press a little too much. I thought folks on the left were supposed to avoid that type of divisive rhetoric.
(wait for it....)
But I suppose the answer will be that folks on the right use it, so why should we democrats limit ourselves, and since our issues and our sincerity are so much more genuine, we can be forgiven the sin of demagoguing.
Posted by: Michael James Jaquish | Oct 17, 2006 7:02:46 PM
I admire and applaud Mr. Garnder for his efforts and I believe he is on the right track. Those old enough to remember an old SF movie with Charlton Heston and Edward G. Robinson called "Soilent Green" may recall that the movie described a future where people were able to choose their time of death by checking into a government facility that gave took them to a room where they fell asleep to their choice of music and simply did not wake up. I always thought that providing this option for citizens would be the sign of a truly compassionate society. We put animals down when they are in pain or when their bodies are too old to function properly so there is absolutely NO reason not to provide the same option for human beings.
I am fifty-seven years old and I have Leukemia. I want this option available when the time comes. No one will ever force anyone to take it, but I firmly believe that it should be available to those who desire it.
-Michael Jaquish
Gig Harbor, WA
Posted by: wendy from the ferry at defiance | Nov 19, 2006 12:45:41 AM
Booth. miss you! I know you've move so you don,t meet Doug at our place anymore. I see you on the tube and I think,"Damn, I don't get to see him any more. So, I,m not to happy (pissed) you about that, but I love you and am beind you. Big Love from a friend that just want to give email huge. Wendy
Posted by: Dale Hinkson | May 21, 2007 1:35:18 PM
Booth, I am 100% behind your efforts. After spending many months getting sicker by the day on a transplant list, I can fully appreciate your cause re Death With Dignity. Let me know how I might help. I would truly like to hear from you.
Your former Vashon neighbor and friend.
Dale
Posted by: Rebekah Farnsworth | Oct 23, 2007 2:48:21 PM
I applaud Booth Gardner for his fight to allow Washington State residence to die with dignity. My father would not be eligible under the Oregon State law because my Father is 82 years old and has had 3 strokes in the last year. He is unable to feed or care for himself. He can not get out of bed and into a wheelchair without 2 strong people helping him. He can not communicate with us and we are not sure what he knows and doesn't know. The one thing I do know is that this is not what my Father wanted. He is in a nursing home which he hated last year when he knew where he was. The people are nice, but he can not communicate if he is in pain, if he wants to get back in bed, if he is hungry, or if he dislikes what they are feeding him. He still smiles, only because he doesn't know what is going on. My only prayer is that no where within his mind does he know what is happening with him. That isn't living, I don't really know what that is, but for me to pray that he never gets conscious of his surroundings seems wrong. My Mother spends most of her day at the nursing home, feeding my Dad, telling the staff when he is in pain, and rubbing his legs and just caring for him. It is what she has done for the last year only now she does it away from home. Prior to this last stroke my Father wanted to die, every day was a good day to die. He has lived his life, done all that he can, and he can do nothing else. I wish that there was some way he could go peacefully, surrounded by his family and all those who love him. I wish we could take him home so he could have his dog at his side. If my Father could make one wish it would be to go home and leave this world surrounded by those who love him. How sad it is, he can’t have his last wish granted.
Posted by: Kim Ekker | Jan 8, 2008 5:20:49 PM
I agree with Booth Garndner and am glad to see someone with clout in Washington State speak up! I am proud to have been born an Oregonian and will be just as proud to now be a Washingtonian when we pass an equally intelligent and compassionate death with dignity law. I hope there is a way I can help!
Posted by: Carol Heinbaugh | Jan 9, 2008 10:37:54 AM
What is wrong with free will, and the right to choose? Madam Governor, I agree with you most of the time. I know you have had cancer, however, the many I have seen die of cancer, should have had the free will and the right to choose. Healthcare is still sadly lacking answers. Thank you Booth.
Posted by: Miles Haupt | Jan 10, 2008 7:45:22 AM
Booth
I am behind you all the way.
Please mail me a petition asap.
Best regards...................Miles Haupt
Posted by: Bill Moeller | Jan 14, 2008 9:03:13 AM
As an elderly duffer 4 months away from being an octogenerian, I support your efforts completely. While I'm in excellent health at the present, I know that a time will come when I won't be. I would much rather have the option of a painless, clean passage with dignity over having to sneak out into the back yard with my 9mm pistol.
Let me know where petitions are available
Posted by: Arline Hinckley | Mar 11, 2008 1:15:48 PM
This important initiative is now in the signature gathering phase and volunteers are needed! The goal is to have the majority of the 300,000 signatures gathered by volunteers - every signature gathered that way saves the campaign money to use to educate the public about this basic right, especially when the well-funded opposition pours money into misleading media as November approaches.
To help, contact itsmydecision.org or call the campaign office at 206 633 2008!!
Posted by: Miles Haupt | Apr 15, 2008 10:04:04 AM
I want to support you all the way. If you get an initiative going I will work to get signatures
Posted by: E.J. Norsgaard | Apr 25, 2008 8:02:08 AM
I'd only support legislation that allows a doctor to administer a shot of sodium pentathol and then potassium. The Oregon law is no help. Many react to nerve depressant and anti-cholinergic drugs with difficult breathing and/or throwing up before losing consciousness and can't take sleeping pills for that reason. It's outrageous that terminally ill humans are denied the same humane, sure and peaceful death that dogs are allowed.
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Posted by: Robert C. Kenneth | Apr 3, 2006 9:07:44 AM
While I personally admire Booth Gardner's chmpioning of people's right to control their own end-of-life care, his desire to expand a proposed law to persons not necessarily dying of a terminal illness and to the use of lethal injection likely does more harm than good in the current debate of the death with dignity issue and feeds into the hands of anti-dignity groups on two specific points: (1) the "slippery slope" argument among many persons with disabilities and (2) many folks' specific objection to lethal injection. I would hope Gov. Gardner would help to pass an Oregon-type law, rather than push the envelope beyond broad voter support.