Raymond,
    Thank you.  Your words mean alot to me...from Paula in Pa - dx 12 yrs
ago at age 37.  I need that hope. Paula.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Raymond Barglow" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2003 3:05 AM
Subject: Re: what is a human life worth?


> Dear Rayilyn,
>
> I agree with what you say in your most recent message -- until you tell
> us:
>
> "As a PWP my life is not worth squat anyway ..."
>
> I realize you are just expressing how you feel at times, and I've felt
> that way too.  But we could equally well say -- and I'll bet that you
> will agree with this -- that even a painful life is worthwhile in the
> sense of deserving respect and adequate care.
>
> A serious illness can certainly detract from life's value.  I note that
> you don't take meds.  Because they just don't seem to help, I assume.
>
> Help is on its way, in the form of biomedical research, but it's
> difficult to say how long it will be before a cure is found.  Stem cell
> research is one of the most promising research paths, but -- as you've
> noted -- it is not supported by the government.  On the contrary, there
> are politicians out there who want to criminalize it.
>
> I appreciate your humility and truthfulness.   But I fear that if we
> don't value our own lives, then others won't value them either, and
> won't even perceive the importance of improving our lives and making
> them as pain-free as possible.  Others -- most importantly those who
> don't personally know anyone with a condition like PD -- can take this
> attitude:  "A painful life is a life scarcely worth living.  So let's
> not waste resources on such a life."
>
> It seems to me that this attitude -- saying that one life is worth more
> than another -- leads  to some of humanity's cruelties.   If we believe
> that the life of someone in a foreign country -- in Iraqi for example
> -- is worth less than the life of someone in our country, or that an
> ill person's life is worth less, in an ethical sense, than that of a
> well-bodied person, then we won't be in much of a position to ask our
> society to look after the interests of those who are especially
> vulnerable and in need of help.
>
> Just as an ill child may need more family resources coming in his or
> her direction, so it is with illness -- our society should be paying
> special attention to people with serious conditions like Parkinson's.
> But to get this point across to the public, we're going to have to be
> very upfront about our illnesses and our needs.  That's why famous
> people who go public with their illnesses -- like Michael J. Fox and
> Muhammad Ali -- help our cause.  The project I'm working on, "Portraits
> of Hope," which honors individual people (including the people in this
> discussion group) who have conditions that stem cell research might
> help, also makes an important contribution.
>
> Well, that's enough for now Rayilyn.  I hope that your life will be
> gratifying and worthwhile this weekend!   As they say, one day at a
> time.
>
> Raymond Barglow
>
> ***************************
>
>
> On Saturday, March 8, 2003, at 05:39  AM, Rayilyn Brown wrote:
>
> > Hi, Paul,
> >
> > Yes,  I know about the accidents and can understand why you think war
> > is
> > necessary if you believe Iraq is an imminent threat to our country.
> >
> > Over 400 times in our history American Presidents (as
> > Commander-in-Chief)
> > have sent troops abroad to counter "threats".  President Lincoln threw
> > Confederate sympathizers in jail to hold onto the border states.
> >
> > We'll just have to see how it all plays out, won't we?  Seems people
> > will
> > NEVER find alternatives to war.
> >
> > I personally feel I should volunteer myself before asking someone else
> > to
> > fight and die.   As a PWP my life is not worth squat anyway, so I'd go
> > if
> > they could get me over there so some 18 yr old wouldn't have to die
> > instead
> > of me.
> >
> > Hope they don't kick us off the List.  Rayilyn
> >
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