The death row inmate as organ donor
In a recent issue of Good Magazine, Graeme Wood argues that we should explore the possibility of allowing death row prisoners to, essentially, die by organ donation:
The real objection to the Mayan Protocol [death by organ donation] is aesthetic. Many want executions to remain grim affairs, and don’t want a condemned man to cloak his squalid final hour in the raiment of altruism. “To get the organs, you really have to take them right away, and that would change the mood from an execution to a sympathetic harvest,” [Art] Caplan says. “Frankly, the families of many victims probably don’t want that.”
Plus, the medicalization of execution would creep everyone out. We like the state to kill neither too clinically (as with a multiple organ transplant) nor too medievally (by chopping off the head). Better, for the sake of all but the condemned and the people dying for his organs, to find a Goldilocks-style middle ground in execution—neither too controlled nor too chaotic.
But being creeped out is the price of living in a society that kills its criminals. If organ harvesting would make executions uncomfortably like human sacrifice, perhaps that’s because our death chambers are already gory enough to make anyone but a Mayan high priest pale.
-Greg Dahlmann
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Doesn't this sound familiar to anyone? Or am I the only one who has read Kevorkian's book "Prescription: Medicide?" He describes nearly 3 decades of advocacy of exactly the type described in the article. His arguments are even the same.
More at my blog:
http://notdeadyetnewscommentary.blogspot.com/2008/03/taking-credit-for-kevorkians-ideas.html
- by Stephen Drake on Mar 24, 2008 at 4:44 PM | link
the moment we start allowing this, anyone with an AB+/- better head for the hills before they find themselves at the business end of a false accusation/conviction and death sentence to make sure David Rockerfeller et al gets the heart he needs...and is willing to grease palms for...Inmates could also easily be threatened with the harm of his/her family etc to get them to sign up to donate...this is insane. Did you know that Ga wants to cut their heads off to save the organs. And they will SELL them of course. Organs, over and above hospital/surgery bills, aren't free even from a convict. In no wise should a person have already made that commitment prior to arrest or the arrest would be suspect. ANY objections would have to be thoroughly investigated by independent parties which isn't economically possible. And we can't use the local authorities if such a railroading occurred, because they'd have to be in on it. We already know we can't trust the mentally challenged with the keys to the asylum...or the guilty to punish their cohorts...This would set a horrific precedent and open the door to all manner of abuse and corruption.
- by annje on Sep 12, 2008 at 9:53 PM | link