Jack Kevorkian dead at 83

[blogslut]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/04/us/04kevorkian.html?_r=1

Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the central figure in the tumultuous national drama surrounding assisted suicide, died Friday in a Michigan hospital. He was 83 and lived in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

The cause of his death was not immediately known, but local media reported that he had suffered from kidney and respiratory problems and that his condition had been worsening in recent days. His death was confirmed by Geoffrey Feiger, the lawyer who represented him during several of his trials in the 1990s.

Dr. Kevorkian, a medical pathologist, challenged social taboos about disease and dying, willfully defied prosecutors and the courts, actively sought national celebrity, and spent eight years in prison after being convicted of second-degree murder in the death of the last of the more than 100 terminally ill patients whose lives he helped end.

From June 1990, when he assisted in the first suicide, until March 1999, when he was sentenced to serve 10 to 25 years in a maximum security prison, Dr. Kevorkian was a controversial figure. But his critics and supporters generally agree on this: As a result of his stubborn and often intemperate advocacy for the right of the terminally ill to choose how they die, hospice care has boomed in the United States, and physicians have become more sympathetic to their pain and more willing to prescribe medication to relieve it...

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. RIP

[joeybee12]

2. He was someone who actualy changed things and our view of death

RIP

[Warren Stupidity]

3. Jack Kevorkian was a very brave man.

He championed personal freedom and stood by his principles to the end.

[dmallind]

5. I agree - may there be more like him. Jailing him was a great injustice. nt

[malaise]

6. He was a great man in my book

R.I.P. Jack.

[realFedUp]

4. The day of the Johns

Jack K dies, John E indicted.

I would have voted for Jack K had he chosen to run. Dying with dignity and
in control of how and when you die I think is the right of any living being.
I applaud his life's work.

I always thought John E was a used car salesman...never quite rose above
his roots. I applauded some of his policy issues.

I'd rather see the courts address the crimes of Bush Inc. but Edward's
alleged fraud is fair game too.

[monmouth]

7. I'm so happy one of his latest memories was being with Pacino when

he received the award for "YDKJ"..Great film and the Doctor was so proud and pleased. Rest in peace sir, you served humanity so well..

[Greybnk48]

8. I'm pleased to see i"m not the only one who revered him

for his brave stance in fighting to allow people to die with dignity.

[Hepburn]

9. Great man, RIP, Dr. K. Thank you for doing the right thing. n/t

[piratefish08]

10. he was a hero

[LawnLover]

11. I've never really understood

this country's problem with medically assisted suicide. If someone wants to die, let them die, for crissakes, terminally ill or not. As long as they don't take someone along with them in the process, the decision is entirely theirs to make.

Why are people so obsessed with interfering with other people's lives? I might find smoking disgusting, but I would never tell someone they can't smoke unless they're doing it in my presence. I might think you're crazy dropping acid, but as long as you don't cause an accident in the process, why should I care if you do it? I might want to live my life to the fullest and find ways to cope with stress or illness or the loss of love, but if you want to put a gun to your head and blow your brains out, that's your choice.

Suicide is sad. Suicide can feel like a betrayal to those left behind. Suicide may seem wrong to some of us, but, honestly, who are we to decide what's best for another human being? We can try to talk them out of it, we can try to get them help, but if someone chooses to go, they should have the right to go. And when it comes to those who are terminally ill or in chronic pain, I can't say I blame them.

Kevorkian was attacked for his willingness to help people carry out their wishes. He didn't do it lightly. He is, to my mind, a hero.

Rest in peace, Jack.

[Little Star]

12. RIP Mr. Kevorkian. n/t

[sixmile]

13. K&R

Way ahead of his time. RIP, Doc.