Assisted Suicide Lobby Rolls Out Green Carpet
March 13th, 2014 by Nicole
astroturfing
the act of creating a small organization and making it appear to represent something popular for the purpose of promoting a particular entity, cause, etc. (a play on grassroots in the sense of a popular movement originating among the common people, ultimately from AstroTurf, a brand of artificial grass) – urbandictionary.com
In keeping with the theme of today’s post, we can confirm that our Public Health Committee will hear testimony on the assisted suicide bill, H.B. 5326, on St. Patrick’s Day.
Compassion & Choices – formerly known by its more colorful (and more honest) moniker The Hemlock Society – is the major organization promoting assisted suicide. For the past six months, this well-funded out-of-state group has been holding screenings of the film “How to Die in Oregon” around Connecticut, trying to gin up petition signatures and the appearance of an authentic movement. Recently, they made it very convenient for me to crash one of these screenings by having it at a location minutes from FIC’s Hartford office. I have the ticket stub to prove it.
Parts of the morbid and sometimes macabre film left me pretty creeped out, but C&C’s choice of venue was a different kind of eye-opener. The theater seats 150. By my count, taken at several intervals, there were no more than 25 people there – and surely fewer new recruits to the cause, since one of those people was established activist Ilene Kaplan, and one was me. A theater that size with such a dearth of patrons looks a bit like this:
The embarrassment doesn’t end there. Just as one must break a few eggs to make an omelet, it takes money to feign “momentum.” What was the cost of this disappointing turnout? Based on my own inquiry using my real name, real e-mail address, truthful information and totally legitimate premises, I have reason to believe our opponents spent twelve hundred dollars or about $50 a head for a two-hour, prime Saturday afternoon spot. Believe it or not, that includes their break for being a nonprofit. Perhaps it’s a drop in the bucket to an organization whose major donor has a net worth of $23 billion, but this is exactly the kind of money a genuine grassroots movement doesn’t usually have to waste.
Take a moment to imagine how you would have used $1200 to help improve the situation for people who are sick. Are you turning green, or seeing red?
Mr. Wolfgang,
I can only wish that if you (or your god) wants you and your family members to die a painful, undignified death, you get the opportunity.
If there was a law that said you could not go to church and it was imposed by non-believers, you just might understand what you are doing on the physician aid in dying issue.
The rest of us do not need your superstitions, your religious dogma or even your god.
Who are you to tell others what they can or can not do with their life? Who made you their god? (Do you have a god complex? If you do, you might want to get that checked out.)
Please respect others that do not believe the way you do and leave the rest of us alone. Your Inquisition was 500 years ago and it is about time you stop trying to persecute others.
You will lose. Maybe not this time, but you will lose. Why? Because history has proven you wrong and with increased education, religions die.
Edward Crocco
+Both, green and red – and for Lent that is one ugly color
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Thank you, Mr. Crocco, for that VERY illuminating comment. (BTW, I assume you’re using my post to get to Peter because that’s how irrational hatred works, but in case you didn’t notice I’m not Mr. Wolfgang.)
Nicole:
Thanks for coming to the film.
I would have loved to speak with you more to better understand your opposition to this reasonable expansion of rights for the terminally ill and mentally competent.
You are way off on your numbers, however. Way off.
Hi Tim,
We apologize for the delay in posting your comment — we were all a little preoccupied, I’m sure you understand!
I entirely welcome your clarification. Are you saying you got this value for free or at a significant discount (I was aware of that possibility, took a calculated risk, and let the ball rest in your court)? Because that is the sticker price according to the helpful staff. Or are you disputing something else?
Thank you for formally introducing yourself the other day. I do wonder, while we were shooting the breeze in line, that you obviously knew who I was and didn’t take that chance to ask how I felt and why…loaded as your phrasing is. *wink* Ah well, maybe it was a good mental break to talk about something else.
Warmly,
Nicole