<:#1120,9360> It's been quite a week in Clarkson. Joe Johnson was in an accident a year ago and has been in a hospital in a comma ever since. Mary, his wife, wants to pull the plug so the gossip goes, and let Joe die. Joe and Mary's son, Doug, thinks that his mother has
ulterior motives and wants the life insurance money which is rumored to amount to about a half a million dollars.
<:#1120,9360> The doctor and hospital taking care of Joe says they can't pull the plug because Joe never completed a health care proxy and never made a living will. Mary is going to court and is as mad as a hornet because she says the doctor and the hospital only want J
oe's money for his hospital care and keeping him alive only prolongs the agony.
<:#280,9360> We asked some of the folks in Clarkson how they think the Judge should rule.
<:#840,9360> Elmer Sandbagger said, "It's murder! I know Joe and he ain't dead yet so who are they to finish him off? Like Yogi Berra said, 'It ain't over til it's over.' Old Mary just wants his money. Ya never know, it might take a miracle but Joe could snap out of it
one of these days.
<:#1120,9360> Jennifer Goldigger said, "He's brain dead for crying out loud. So what are they waiting for? He's worth more dead than he is alive.I think Mary is right. No sense wasting any more money on medical care. Mary has to get on with her life. I say 'Pull the pl
ug and let the chips fall where they may.'
<:#1120,9360> Roy Christian said, " These are always such complicated situations. I think we should pray for guidance. I suppose if God had wanted Joe He would have taken him by now. I don't know if we should be playing God. I understand how this is hard on Mary and Dou
g and the rest of the family. I'll be praying for them all."
<:#1680,9360> There are always conflicted agendas when it comes to life. Should we support it or negate it? We kill for all kinds of reasons whether its war, abortion, capital punishment, crime, or passion and yet we say that we believe in nurturing life too with good m
edical care, helping the poor, raising our children, and treating each other with dignity and respect, love and encouragement, assistance and support. So when do we pull the plug, draw the line and say "enough is enough" you no longer deserve to live, now y
ou must die?
<:#840,9360> Does it come down to money or inconvenience or emotional pain and anxiety? Does it come down to usefullness to society and the ability to function and contribute vs. dysfunction and burdening others?
<:#840,9360> We believe at The Amelioration Foundation that where there's life no matter how pathetic there is hope and a Divine Spark no matter how buried and remote it may seem. The measure of a civilization is the extent to which it will go to care for its unfortuna
te members.
<:#1400,9360> And that's how it has been this week in Clarkson where Joe is on his last legs, Elmer thinks that Yogi Berra has the answer to the life or death question, Doug thinks his mother has ulterior motives, Jennifer thinks that getting money requires Mary to get
on with it, Roy is praying for guidance, and we at The Amelioration Foundation hope that the Judge rules that Joe has a right to live even if it is as a vegetable.
Published by The Amelioration Foundation, P.O. Box 142, Brockport, NY 14420. Group discussion guide available upon request.
