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PRESS CONFERENCE
Friday, November 13, 1998, 11:00 a.m.
UCSF, Medical Science Building
Cole Hall, 515 Parnassus, San Francisco
On Friday, November 13, 1998, prominent disability rights leaders will denounce the California Conference on Physician-Assisted Dying being held at the University of California, San Francisco. Speakers representing over 200 organizations and individuals from the disability community who oppose legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia will challenge the way that the conference organizers have misrepresented the perspective of the disabled community at this exclusive, invitation-only political organizing event.
The organizers of the California Conference on Physician-Assisted Dying have created the illusion that they are open to critical perspectives. Yet rather than inviting leaders of any major disability rights organizations to present their views, the conference planners have included a presentation from one of the few public figures from the disability community who agrees with their agenda and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Death with Dignity National Center.
In fact, a very large majority of disability organizations and leaders in California are opposed to legalizing physician-assisted suicide. "We are aware of attempts to characterize our perspective as that of an irrational fringe element," said Deborah Kaplan, executive director of the World Institute on Disability, "and the only response we can provide is that this character assassination sheds more light on the accusers than the accused."
It comes as no surprise to disability activists that a diverse constituency of groups overwhelmingly turned down the Physician Assisted Suicide Initiative in Michigan on November 3. Demographic analysis of the opposition to the initiative shows that African Americans and older people also are very skeptical of the reliability of any safeguards to protect against abuse. "In contrast," notes Professor Paul Longmore, "proponents of assisted suicide can be characterized primarily as the four W's, the 'white, well-off, worried well.' In our current health care system, assisted suicide is an issue at the core of a class struggle."
Local, Memphis:
Tim Wheat
(901) 726-6404 * (901) 726-6521 fax
1633 Madison Avenue - Memphis TN 38104
National:
Steve Drake
Rochester, NY.
Diane Coleman
(708) 209-1500 ext. 11
7521 Madison St., - Forest Park, IL 60130
The Memphis Center for Independent Living
1633 Madison Avenue,
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 726-6404 v/tty (901) 726-6521 fax
mcil@mcil.org
MCIL is a United Way of the Mid-South member Agency
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