Pages

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

All New Yorkers could be required to become organ donors

WCBSTV.com recently reported in a story, Proposal : All New Yorkers Become Organ Donors, that the State of New York is considering a bill that would enroll ALL New Yorkers as organ donors unless they opt-out. The bill's sponsor, Richard Brodsky, nearly lost his daughter at the age of 4 when she was awaiting a kidney transplant and then again at the age of 10 when she needed another.

Brodsky's motives are understandable. He nearly lost his daughter twice due to a shortage of donated organs, so he understands the need for more donors. His goal is to save lives. As a transplant recipient, I agree with him that we need more organ and tissue donors. However, a law that says "you are a donor unless you opt-out" is the the absolute wrong way to do it. First, it completely ruins the nature of transplant. The decision to be an organ and tissue donor should be completely voluntary - an act of charity because helping someone in need is the right thing to do. A government mandate that forces you to do it is WRONG. Secondly, I would also argue that it would be unconstitutional.

Think about it this way. If it is unconstitutional, as The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled, for the government to take away a woman's freedom by telling her what she can and cannot do with her body in regards to abortion, then doesn't it stand to reason that it's also unconstitutional to tell her (or a man) what they can and cannot do with their body in regards to organ and tissue donation ?? I'm not a lawyer or a legal scholar, but that seems logical and makes sense to me. But, maybe that's the problem. We're running on fumes in this country when it comes to common sense. But that's another story for another day.  

P.S. Even though I used the issue of abortion to make my point in this article, I do NOT in any way approve of or support abortion. I believe life begins at conception and that ALL human life is precious and that we should use every tool that God has blessed us with to always preserve it. I guess you could say I am completely 100% pro-life - I oppose abortion and support organ transplantation because it saves lives.
Enhanced by Zemanta

2 comments:

The Bedrock Bullet Company said...

Good post, and i am in total agreement with you. It is unconstitutional and immoral for the Czar to lay hands on a remains or to use patients in critical condition as a compulsory parts supply. I know that is the slippery slope version and at the MOMENT, you could opt out.
Also, as you point out, it's a gift of life, or charitable act. Indeed, more people should educate themselves on what i consider the 2nd most precious gift or sacrifice one could make. If more people were aware and i tthink, made not to be afraid, more would be donors. You do a great service to help that happen, Johnny.

The Second Chance Sheepdog said...

Bedrock,

I appreciate your kind words of support and your continued readership of my blog. May the Lord Bless you, my friend.