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Organ Donation

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I was filling out the application to sit my full drivers license today, and got to the question "Would you be willing to donate your organs in the event of your death"

I remember when I was filling out the form when I sat my restricted a few years ago and chose 'No'. Mostly due to the fact that the thought of someone removing my body parts makes me cringe. I decided not to be selfish this time and chose 'Yes'.

When I was driving home I started to think about it a bit more. The thought of my organs going to a murderer/rapist makes me sick.

I'd like to hear your opinions on :

If you would donate your organs?
Do murderers/rapists deserve organ replacements?

@evenflow,

My brother received a heart transplant one year ago this month. He lived a life that was squeaky clean--no smoking, no drinking, no drugs, no brushes with the law. A died-in-the-wool fundamentalist. He and his wife struggled with the decision to accept a heart from someone who had been in prison, had piercings and tatoos, and lived a not-so-squeaky clean life. Kind of like your question in reverse. At the time, I thought their prejudices were ridiculous. I still do. Life is life, and anyone's life-direction can change in a heartbeat.

From a practical standpoint, getting qualified to be on a list for a transplant is very selective, as is being a donor. I offered my heart when no others seemed to be available at the time...and people were shocked. "You can't offer your heart when you're still alive!" Why not?

As it turns out, they wouldn't use any of my organs--dead or alive--because I had Hep-C 20 years ago. It is also a very selective process to be qualified as a donor. Convicted murderers and rapists are not likely to be in any position to qualify on either end. But at the bottom line, everyone deserves to live to see another day, IMO.

@evenflow,

evenflow;118450 wrote:

I was filling out the application to sit my full drivers license today, and got to the question "Would you be willing to donate your organs in the event of your death"

I remember when I was filling out the form when I sat my restricted a few years ago and chose 'No'. Mostly due to the fact that the thought of someone removing my body parts makes me cringe. I decided not to be selfish this time and chose 'Yes'.

When I was driving home I started to think about it a bit more. The thought of my organs going to a murderer/rapist makes me sick.

I'd like to hear your opinions on :

If you would donate your organs?
Do murderers/rapists deserve organ replacements?

As Ahhhhhz says, known murderers and rapists are unlikely to ever receive your organs.

Something strikes me as odd about your post. You have selected to represent yourself with the picture of a murderer and rapist.

@evenflow,

For any giving or generous thing you can conceive of doing, you can also come up with a "what if"-scenario to not do it; many of which, aren't so far fetched as your example.

The challenge, for those who want to give, is to come up with reasons TO be generous. If you don't, skepticism, negativity, apathy and indolence all stand ready to provide ready-reasons.

@Ahhhhhz,

I am an organ donor. I've even considered donating my body to science after I die. I don't believe in an afterlife, so I think that my only option for "immortality" could be to help save/extend the life of another. Being an organ donor is a decision one has to make for him/herself, but I think that it's an option that everyone should consider. When animals die, their bodies get decomposed and recycled in the ecosystem. When people die, they get buried in wooden boxes or burned. I don't mean to impede on anyone's religious practices when it comes to death - its your freedom to do with your body or your loved ones what you wish. But I think organ donating is a modern way continue the circle of life and keep things going, and to help others and stay connected. (And if you donate your body to science, it could really cut down on those ridiculous funeral costs.:shocked:)

Ahhhhhz;118464 wrote:

Convicted murderers and rapists are not likely to be in any position to qualify on either end.

I think for right. Felons (at least in the US, probably other countries as well) tend to lose their rights after being convicted. I don't think they can even donate, and if they can receive, they'd probably be at the very bottom of the list.

@evenflow,

[QUOTE=evenflow;118450]I'd like to hear your opinions on :

If you would donate your organs?
Do murderers/rapists deserve organ replacements?[/QUOTE]

Model citizens may deserve certificates for being model citizens, for they have earned it on merit for their model behavior, but how does it come to be that model citizens deserve organ replacement?

@fast,

Pyrrho;118525 wrote:

As Ahhhhhz says, known murderers and rapists are unlikely to ever receive your organs.

Something strikes me as odd about your post. You have selected to represent yourself with the picture of a murderer and rapist.

It is a bit ironic. I chose the avatar as the movie represents morality/free will etc. Seemed fitting for a philosophy forum.

fast;118664 wrote:

Model citizens may deserve certificates for being model citizens, for they have earned it on merit for their model behavior, but how does it come to be that model citizens deserve organ replacement?

I think a "model citizen" deserves an organ replacement because they've contributed positively to society and should have their life saved if there is the possibility to do so. Whereas murderers have contributed negatively to society. I believe if you take the life of someone else, you lose the right to have your life saved by someone else.

@evenflow,

This is like how they always have one rifle with a blank in it in the firing squad, so that the executioners never know for sure if they've shot the condemned or not.

As an infectious disease physician, I do a lot of work with organ transplant recipients, because it's a highly immunocompromised state -- and in order to see these patients I usually need information about the donor.

It is extremely hard to get. They arrange things so that the donor's family cannot learn who the recipient is and vice versa. So you never know. Your organ might go to or come from a bad person. A lot of liver recipients are alcoholics and/or IV drug users, and even HIV patients are able to get liver and kidney transplants now.

But you know a lot of good people,including children, die while waiting for organs. I'm ok with the occasional bad person getting an organ if it means we have a system that can save good people.

@evenflow,

evenflow;118450 wrote:

If you would donate your organs?
Do murderers/rapists deserve organ replacements?

Well, i wouldn't mind my organs being donated and all, however long drug and alcohol abuse leads me to believe my organs might be useless as I get older,even if I have changed and try to ''shape up'',however if i was to die,and they were going to someone truly in need,i couldn't be so selfish and lt them ''go to waste'' persay,as they would just rotton in a hole in the ground. Which i don't even know how comfortabe i feel about my body being put into a box,in a hole in the ground either.

I think murderers and rapists if at all would be at the complete bottom list,like as if everyone who needed an organ got one,and we had left overs. Even then they might just save them... altho at the same time, they are human beings but if they had a death sentence,wouldn't it be a waste of an organ that could've gone to someone who would live much more fullying life? ugh..

---------- Post added 01-09-2010 at 03:49 AM ----------

Also love ur icon. Great movie.

@BabyBear phil,

BabyBear;118649 wrote:

I am an organ donor. I've even considered donating my body to science after I die. I don't believe in an afterlife, so I think that my only option for "immortality" could be to help save/extend the life of another. Being an organ donor is a decision one has to make for him/herself, but I think that it's an option that everyone should consider. When animals die, their bodies get decomposed and recycled in the ecosystem. When people die, they get buried in wooden boxes or burned. I don't mean to impede on anyone's religious practices when it comes to death - its your freedom to do with your body or your loved ones what you wish. But I think organ donating is a modern way continue the circle of life and keep things going, and to help others and stay connected. (And if you donate your body to science, it could really cut down on those ridiculous funeral costs.:shocked:)

I think for right. Felons (at least in the US, probably other countries as well) tend to lose their rights after being convicted. I don't think they can even donate, and if they can receive, they'd probably be at the very bottom of the list.

well said, i couldn't have said it better myself. additionally, i don't have as much a problem with a murderer getting my heart or whatever as i would a rapist. to me, a murder might have killed someone for a pretty good reason, but everyone knows the reason onw rapes...

murderers = good or bad
rapists = BAD

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