Speak Out: A Duty to Die

Replies (15)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IQSbJUj7u8&feature=related

  -- Posted by Thought Criminal on Thu, May 13, 2010, at 8:39 PM

• I am reminded of an episode of Gunsmoke that featured Festus wrangling over the idea of an old Indian that wanted to die because he had became useless to his tribe.

  Even then, although I did not fully understand, I wittnessed the influence of educated people on the way we should think of ourselves when old.

  -- Posted by Old John on Thu, May 13, 2010, at 8:52 PM

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-dQfb8WQvo

  Some of you say so what. There is no doubt that Obama gets a bunch of amens on this video, because the example is a 105 year old person.

  But what happens when the medical care and dollars get even more scarce? Will they lower the cut off age for treatment to say 95? Then to save more money 85 or even more money cut them off at 75 or 65 or 35? Who will set the cut-off age and who will decide the exceptions?

  It is my contention that inevitably there actually will be a bureaucratic type of death panel to decide for us who gets life saving treatment and who doesn't. It won't be called a death panel per se but have a sweet sounding government speak name. ( I think it should be called the S.O.L. Panel myself) It is also my contention that age could be lowered to 1 year, 1 month,1 day, or even pre-birth through forced abortion if it is for the "good" of the state.

  You scoff? We have government sanctioned infanticide now. With millions of abortions a year, why would you think an out of control, psychopathic, eugenicist, bureaucratic system will have an age cut-off to save a "useless eater" and drain on the state?

  -- Posted by Thought Criminal on Thu, May 13, 2010, at 9:32 PM

• I remember that one too Old John. Gunsmoke,The Rifleman, Bonanza, and others had some valuable life lessons for all of us. Oh well, why reminisce? Now we have American Idol and Wife Swap to help stimulate our ability to reason and expand our minds.

  -- Posted by Thought Criminal on Thu, May 13, 2010, at 9:40 PM

• "One of the many fashionable notions that have caught on among some of the intelligentsia is that old people have "a duty to die," rather than become a burden to others." Good article ... I love the Aunt Nance Ann story.

  I think that being 'a burden' is more in the eyes of an individual ... I never considered my sister a 'burden' while caring for her (something her own husband 'couldn't go through') those several years. Nor did I consider my MIL a 'burden' when I cared for her. I would gladly move my mother here if she would agree to it. The thought of my loved ones being 'burdens' never crossed my mind.

  If I've done my parental job the way I hope, my children would never consider me 'a burden' (one son has stated that he will take care of us himself before he would allow us to be placed in a nursing home).

  But yes, I can see where our government might come to the point where Old Folks would be considered 'a burden.' Perhaps we need to find a way to convince them that even if we are burdensome ... we earned that status for many decades.

  As for Obama ... I'm sorry, y'all, but ... I do believe he considers the elderly as 'burdens' to our country. I couldn't watch that interview even one more time ... but surprisingly, a lot of people seem to have seen nothing untoward in his reply.

  -- Posted by gurusmom on Fri, May 14, 2010, at 1:22 AM

• President Obama dosen't believe that a child that survives a botched abortion attempt deserves to live so why would he care about older Americans? Wonder if the AARP thought of that while pushing the Obamacare bill?

  -- Posted by mynameismud on Fri, May 14, 2010, at 2:00 AM

• Infowarrior wrote:

  "I remember that one too Old John. Gunsmoke,The Rifleman, Bonanza, and others had some valuable life lessons for all of us. Oh well, why reminisce? Now we have American Idol and Wife Swap to help stimulate our ability to reason and expand our minds."

  Television was called a 'vast wasteland' in the 50s. I wonder what it would be called today...

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Fri, May 14, 2010, at 7:46 AM

• Rick,

  Perhaps. I would think a person with any thoughts of their own would turn off most of that mess.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Fri, May 14, 2010, at 7:59 AM

• What about "Logans run" ? Turn 35 and get publicly executed....

  -- Posted by Airborne 95B on Fri, May 14, 2010, at 8:30 AM

• What do you folks call it when some of these right wing nut jobs want to eliminate Medicare? Is this a duty to see that people die? What is the alternative if medicare is eliminated? Would one of you posting here please tell me that? I look forward to an answer.

  -- Posted by howdydoody on Fri, May 14, 2010, at 10:08 AM

• Medicare doesn't create or provide health care, it merely pays for, or helps pay for, health care. You can receive health care sans Medicare.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Fri, May 14, 2010, at 10:29 AM

• Rick:

  I noticed by reading your recent blog that you evidently became disabled at a relatively young age. I am sorry to hear that and certainly wish you the best. But my question to you is, and you don't have to answer if you don't want because it is none of my business, but do you receive any sort of govt assistance i.e. medicare/medicaid or SSI benefits?

  -- Posted by howdydoody on Fri, May 14, 2010, at 10:45 AM

• What is the alternative if medicare is eliminated?

  -- Posted by howdydoody on Fri, May 14, 2010, at 10:08 AM

  Howdy,

  There is none. The politicians took care of that long ago.

  -- Posted by Have_Wheels_Will_Travel on Fri, May 14, 2010, at 10:53 AM

• catfish ... Interesting thing about AARP ... Making millions of dollars off of 'retired persons' but supporting the health care bill which could possibly hurt those AARP members. Not sure I comprehend that, but no doubt it does have to do with money.

  "I think that people confuse compassion with force. Government is force, it is not compassion." Excellent thought, James. Or perhaps more to the point ... people who are 'compassionate' feel it's right and proper for government to force 'compassion' on those they deem not compassionate ... I do not for one moment believe that our government leaders truly have compassion in their hearts; it's a vote-getter though.

  An alternative if Medicare was abolished? The Medicare we have paid into (and are still paying into) for decades? Well ... since America has one of the lowest life-expectancies in the world, guess the results of no Medicare would lower us even more, maybe.

  It's possible, though, that seniors could purchase private health insurance at about the same cost as Medicare plus the supplements are costing. I suspect we could purchase a reasonable plan for the $600+ (not including co-pays & the 'gap' in drug plan) Pops and I now pay monthly for our coverage. Heck, many seniors might do better, if their income was low enough to qualify for government assistance under the new 'bill' ... because as it is now, the premiums are not income-based. Does this sort of answer your question, Howdy?

  -- Posted by gurusmom on Fri, May 14, 2010, at 4:29 PM

• USA, United Senior Association [Art Linkletter still promotes it last I heard], an advocate for seniors. AARP an insurance company.

  Go figure.

  -- Posted by Old John on Sat, May 15, 2010, at 12:52 AM