ee A2 - Wednesday, March 16, 1983 - North Shore News strictly personal by Bob Hunter RECENTLY, there were two stories concerning death that made the news, both of them tragic but in very different ways. The first, close to home, was the plight of Stephen Dawson and his parents, who were forced to go to court to try to prevent an operation on their son which, they say, would only prolong his agony. He’d suf- fered severe brain damage after birth and had been in pain for most of his six years. Not surprisingly, the B.C. Association for the Mentally Retarded urged that the operation be performed. The boy was described by a doctor as being in a “semi- vegetative” state with no awareness of his surroun- dings. It is the same thing as unplugging a_ life-support system. In society, right now, there is growing ap- proval for the practice of “death with dignity.” Lest anyone forget, Terry Fox could have been kept alive a little longer than he was with the use of massive doses of medication, but the point came where they simply let him go. That was honorable. That was decent. And that is how it should be. I don’t blame the Ministry of Human Resources for trying to make sure that everything is done to save f think the parents in this case acted with courage, compassion and an honest love for their child. Basically, we are talking about mercy killing, even if the act is performed by not lifting, the knife instead of wielding it. ‘Secrecy ‘claim denied FROM PAGE A1 handled in secret,”” Marcino said. Alderman Gary Payne denied that a meeting was secret recently because no member of the public or media is present. But Dean argued that the public can't be expected to wait around, not knowing when council will be finished in-camera, and not knowing whether council will then deal with an in-camera item back in open council “People have a mght to know when council makes a dectsion ,” ste said The most recent example of council debating a major issue in-camera and then officially vounpg on it im mediately after in open councud occurred two weeks ago when council voted to lay off ES outdoor workers Council and the union representing the 9 workers were to have discussed the fate of the 1S at a mecting March t5 Some council members suggested Dean was yust trying to get headlines by ratsing the in-camera issue But Dean said she brought the matter up becouse several people have asked her recently about the fate of “important matters” that had been discussed in cameta and then voted on in public imumedately after Though Deans motion was defeated council did agree lo have u pobwy committee asc ussion to clarthy atsan oC aanera pole y Pitch-in and Keep a Canada ™ Beautiful the boy. Until such fime as there is a specific policy directive to the effect that euthanasia is permissible, the department = could scarcely do otherwise. Likewise, the position of the Association for the Mentally Retarded was With dignity intact | perfectly legitimate. Carried to its extreme, any relaxing of the laws protecting life could have sweeping ap- plication to those considered less than normal. The “right to die” is an issue that touches on all the same bases as the “right to life.” Personally, I think I have both the right to life and the nght to death ~— that is, someone should protect me before I can think or speak for myself, but after I can, no one should speak for me but myself. Because we have a right doesn’t mean we have to exercise it, but in the murky moral environment created by our technological capacity to both extend and snuff out life, we have to find some ethical framework that allows the maximum flexibility. I once joked that I'm opposed to aborton for anyone except my daughter. But I’m also in favor of a woman having control of her value you'll jump at. 39 inch moon gravity rebounder Super product 59% Special price includes tape — while supply lasts — 2 year warranty — made in Canada Here are 5 reasons to DboOUuNC Ye back in B33 with rebound exercise Bums almost double the calones used running of swimming tor maximum weight loss Exercises every cell in your body tor Wm maximum strength building Removes up to 85% of the stress on weight bearing joints We guarantee the best products at the best price We have a complete selection of rebounders tapes records. books, otc CANADA'S L * 8GEST SELECTION OF REBOUNDERS AND TRAMPOLINES own body, as they say. It seems to me that the abortion issue fits in with the problem of whether Stephen Dawson's parents had the right (even the respon- sibility) to spare him further suffering. The question isn’t just whether you should have control over your own body — you should — but whether you should have = similar control over a body within your body, and for how long? Starting when? Put bluntly, if a foetus can be terminated, why not someone in a_ vegetative State? And if a vegetable is so precious, why not a foetus? These are more than just political questions. They are metaphysical — which means they'll be with us for a long time, probably forever. At the other end of the pole of life and death, one of the great writers and thinkers of our century, Arthur Koestler, took his life at 77, suffering from leukemia and Parkinson’s disease. Koestier’'s wife took an overdose of drugs along with him. Both were members of Exit, the British group that advocates laws making euthanasia legal. In Koestler’s case, rather than a failure, I see his ending as a triumph. As physical decay closed in on his brilliant mind, the author of Darkness at Noon, The Ghest. in The Machine and The Act of Creation decided not to rage against the dying of the light. He departed on his own terms at a time and place of his own choosing. With his dignity intact. We are sorry if you have been unable to reach us during the past week ~—- our phone’ has been out of order,’ but it is now repaired. Please note aur new. OWE. ee Vion & Tues 10-6 Wed closed Thurs-Fri 10-8 Sat-Sun 10-6 1388 Main St... Pritt Van 98 ~4118 RON ZALKO ACTIVEWEAR AVAILABLE AT 736 MARINE DR., NV. & eet abowl our Pre & Post Natal Flinees Program Starting Mar 14 21. 28