Dr. Jack Kevorkian 1928-2011

Okay... Dr. Kevorkian died, and you're going to read a lot of religious and right-wing bullshit today about "Dr. Death" and how he was some sort of evil murderer. And though I've never bought into the extreme position of Dr. Kevorkian as a hero, I did respect him as a humanist. This guy's biggest crime was daring to suggest--and put into practice--the idea that people who are lingering in terminal pain should have rights over their own bodies and be able to decide when enough pain is enough. I resent the idea that the government or the medical industry has the final say over how long a terminal patient's life should be. That is a fundamentally personal decision, and the case against Dr. Kevorkian is simply another reminder that government and religion don't want you to think you own your own body. So on that score, Dr. Kevorkian raised some important questions that we still have yet to answer. And that's a service.