SOARS: An Interesting New Society

The picture is the banner on the homepage of a new British Society: SOARS. It stands for "Society for Old Age Rational Suicide." SOARS, founded in December 2009, states its purpose like this:

Presently, the main objective of SOARS is to begin a campaign to get the law eventually changed in the UK so that very elderly, mentally competent individuals, who are suffering unbearably from various health problems (although none of them is “terminal”) are allowed to receive a doctor’s assistance to die, if this is their persistent choice. Surely the decision to decide, at an advanced age, that enough is enough and, avoiding further suffering, to have a dignified death is the ultimate human right for a very elderly person.

Basically, what they are asking for, is what Dying With Dignity Canada stands for, a change in the law, so that those who have a good reason to die may receive assistance to do so. The first annual SOARS lecture was given this year by Baroness Mary Warnock on 17th September. Baroness Warnock has written, with Elisabeth Macdonald a very good introductory book on assisted dying entitled Easeful Death. You can access SOARS by clicking on this link: SOARS

The Banned Assisted Suicide Video

Is it illegal to post this video?

The Television Bureau of Canada has been nobbled by the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. Write to the Television Bureau of Canada to voice your complaint that the freedom of Canadians to debate the question of Physician Assisted-Dying is being denied. You can access the TVB here. Alex Schadenburg and Hugh Scher should not be able to stop Canadians from watching this TV ad.

In the Canadian Criminal Code -- the law that Dying With Dignity Canada wants to change -- citizens are forbidden to counsel suicide or to assist suicide. The law does not prohibit providing information about suicide. Nor does it prohibit arguing or campaigning for a change in the law. This is what this video does. It is not against the law. Complain to the TVB for interfering with freedom of speech, your freedom and mine to argue for a change in the law. Once again, the address for the Television Bureau of Canada. Tell them you disapprove of their decision to ban this ad.

Ad Campaign for Assisted Suicide Banned in Canada

Opponents of assisted suicide have successfully lobbied to ban from Canadian airwaves a TV commercial promoting the right to choose death, and now they're taking aim at the controversial messenger.

..Dr. Philip Nitschke, an Australian physician at the forefront of promoting doctor-assisted suicide in that country, planned an ad campaign in advance of presenting his “Safe Exit” workshops in Toronto, Vancouver and several U.S. cities next month.

The Television Bureau of Canada imposed the ban Friday, saying the spot, combined with Dr. Nitschke's open instruction on how to commit suicide, might break Canadian law.

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Member Activism

We do so appreciate all of our members who lend their voice to the cause. The constant letters, phone calls and talks our members do on behalf of the movement and on behalf of the organization are brilliant.

Thanks to Susan Bracken, who made this video - among others - as just another step in her unending support.