Organ donation

Well, I signed that they are allowed to take my organs when I'm dead. And it made real angry that it isn't mandatory upon death to take all usable organs. What do you think?

Most people don't die in a location where harvesting organs is useful.

I think the general consensus last time this came up was to switch it to an opt out program.

Mandatory organ donation would cause more trouble*

We would certainly be better off developing artificial replacements rather than relying on harvesting.

Why do we have listen to nutcases? They can talk about oppression all they want, but their organs should still be used once they're dead.

edited 5th Jun '11 4:46:25 PM by LoveHappiness

Because they could raise a ruckus and do something stupid like set a high age limit on consenting to it.

What are the statistics on people donating organs anyway? My high school had a few presentations on why you should sign up, and all you have to do is say "yes" when you're getting your driver's license, in the US anyway.

One less person dying would be worth it.

There are obvious problems with that argument.

I disagree with mandatory donation, agree with opt-out instead of opt-in.

Not much else to say.

Yes, if it's so obvious please bother to point them out for me.

While it would be great if all people were to donate their organs upon death, the problem is that its more than "a few" "nutcases." To a great majority of the population, it would be like stealing their souls if the government were to force everyone to donate their organs.

Further, it would no longer be donating. Donating is a voluntary thing.

My policy is one of two ways: 1) it no longer is an opt-in system, rather an opt-out. Sign a piece of paper saying you wish to not donate your organs.

2) keep the current system, but encourage donation through the funding of a state funeral, where the donator is treated as a hero, like a firefighter, police officer, or soldier.

That's something people can adjust to, like anesthesia.

Any time that argument is made people will raise the question "well, X would also save lives, why not make that a law?" where X is something patently unjust. Thus "it will save lives" usually isn't enough to convince people.

Its not your right. Done.

Are there burning ships involved?

So the obvious problem would be that people are never going to be able to be convinced? Or are you just saying you feel it's unethical due to a slippery slope?

Way I see it, I'm taking every goddamn part with me to whatever is beyond. In my mind, no one has a right to take my organs even if I'm dead.

Except none of your godddamn parts are going to the world beyond, only your soul.

In any case, I don't care if people take whatever parts of my body are useful so long as the rest of me gets cremated.

edited 5th Jun '11 5:06:44 PM by annebeeche

The way I see it, once you're dead you're dead. There's just a piece of inanimate rotting flesh that needs no respect.

edited 5th Jun '11 5:06:47 PM by LoveHappiness

So? Point is, I don't want people looting my corpse like liquor store left unattended in downtown Detroit.

Uber ninja fail.

edited 5th Jun '11 5:07:22 PM by TheDeadMansLife

I see what you mean. Just as I don't want my corpse defiled by some necrophiliac.

No, but a 21 gun salute is...

Anyway, merely saying that people will adjust is also not a good argument. For instance, Prohibition. Instead of not drinking, people merely took drinking underground. Instead of societal change followed by legislation, we have legislation followed by society desperately trying to go against it. Which is why I think solution 2 should be followed by solution 1 after several decades.

I'm saying that it is a generally ineffective rhetorical tactic that contributes little to your case. It's not really important.

edited 5th Jun '11 5:09:18 PM by EdwardsGrizzly

A 21 gun salute would still be damn awesome.

Bottom line is: am I still cremated? I want my grave to be portable and not take up a lot of space.

The issue is that the organs are a persons property. Ignoring how they want their property distributed after death rubs a lot of people the wrong way.