Posted on 02/03/2003 3:00:57 PM PST by KneelBeforeZod
Jan. 30 – The AMA has expressed its outrage at a proposed law in New Mexico that could make some motorcyclists into forced organ donors. The proposal, introduced in the New Mexico Legislature by state Sen. Allen Hurt (R-Waterflow), would allow the harvesting of organs from any motorcyclist who doesn't wear a helmet and is declared brain dead as a result of an accident. Hurt's bill, designated Senate Bill 239, specifically states that: "a person operating a motorcycle without a helmet and who, as the result of an accident, is pronounced brain dead pursuant to Section 12-2-4 NMSA 1978 by a licensed physician shall become an organ donor regardless of whether the person made an anatomical gift by completing the organ donor statement…"
If the bill becomes law, it would take effect on July 1.
The AMA, which represents more than 250,000 motorcyclists across the country, said that Hurt's proposal represents a new low in the relationship between anti-motorcycling government officials and riders
"Organ donation is a noble cause that truly can represent the gift of life for people faced with some terminal illnesses," noted Sean Maher, AMA director of state affairs. "But making the commitment to become an organ donor must remain a private decision left to each person. "Classifying an entire group of citizens as nothing more than organs to be harvested isn't just demeaning to motorcyclists, it's offensive to all Americans," he said.
The AMA is organizing opposition to the Hurt proposal. New Mexico motorcyclists can help by going to the StateWatch section of the AMA Rapid Response Center. There, they can send letters of protest to their state lawmakers.
Oh, I agree! It generally is, unless someone passes some goofy legislation like this piece of work.
Hey, I just had another thought. Suppose you were related to someone that needed some specific organ and you lived in this state. Now, further suppose that you saw some biker riding alone on a country road with no witnesses. Do you suppose that the situation would ever arise where somebody decided to "off" a biker in order to get the organs? Do you suppose also that this might be looked at in a less punative manner, as if it were some kind of "choice"? Would a biker-killer be called "pro-choice"? Or is that a silly stretch.
Its a stretch...But people have done stranger things.
I'm simply offended by the "everything belongs to the State" mentality of the bill.
I sympathize with those on waiting lists but think we should err on the side of the victim's family. People are not property of the State.
Why not put up posters of people saved by organ donors at the DMV and see if you can get the donation rate to increase?
What cost? Seems both a savings and the will of G_d to me. Or is life extention yet more of the realm of the wealthy.
Aside from a blatant disregard for civil rights, this legislator should direct his concerns towards other, far more pressing and obvious issue in this state, especailly on the roadways: 1. NM has the highest incidence of DWI in tha nation...has had that dubious distinction for quite a few years. 2. NM has the second highest insurance rates in the nation 3. Actuary tables show that 60% of NM drivers are uninsured! 4. Repaet offenders (and I am amazed at the "driving withot a license, without registration and without insurance", yet these people are repeat offenders more often than not...one guy had 56 DWIs!!!!!!!!!!) 5. 40% of inner city kids in NM drop out of HS! 6. NM has one of the highest personaol income taxes in the nation, yet ranks second in median income Yeah...the legislature really needs to be concerned about the bikers and their organs!
6 posted on 02/03/2003 3:08 PM PST by AdamSelene235
Love your nic. Think Mike would let us use the lunar mass driver for motorcycle stunts? :-D
Anybody else remember the organ-donor scene in Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life", where they just show up at your house if they need your organs, pinion you to the kitchen table and take them?
The guy is a sick freak. I'm on the bone marrow donor list and give blood just about every 56 days but I'm not interested in being an organ donor. My choice.
What cost? Seems both a savings and the will of G_d to me. Or is life extention yet more of the realm of the wealthy.
Well, let's look at the case I know best, my own. I had a transplant (donated by my mother) in 1981. I was on Medicare and SSI -- on welfare, in other words. My dialysis was costing taxpayers $30K a year. Medicare paid for the operation, which cost about $40K then. We truly couldn't have afforded it, and after a life as a hippy, I had no insrance. Got the picture?
In the 21 years since, I have found Jesus, been restored to sanity, gotten married, had two children (adopting one from Guatemala), and paid taxes for the whole time, because I've been back to work. I became a conservative, and I'm now a minor paid voice in the VRWC (The American Prowler). I learned to play the clarinet at a professional level, and I've published in virtually every major newspaper in the world.
And I vote Republican.
Now, there are principled objections to be made to a presumed consent organ program -- too much power to the state, privacy, etc. All valid. But it should be clear to anyone that there are certain things that government can do, that no other entity can reasonably do. Administering an organ donation program is one of those things.
The national organ donation program we have now is a hodge-podge written by (among others) Al Gore. And it's widely known to those of us involved in it that different regions work more rapidly than others. Wisconsin and Florida, for example, have waiting lists of only months. New York/New Jersey and Boston lists are 4-5 years.
So if you can afford to move and wait, you can enhance your chances.
Till you or someone you know needs a kidney, you just really don't know what it's like. The difference between life on dialysis and life with a transplant is the difference between a motorized wheelchair and being able to walk.
Thanks for all the good wishes.
I got the impression that you were somehow justifying it by proclaiming that you are a donor.
I guess I'm wrong in my presumption.
I withdraw the schmuck comment.
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