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 > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn