A Cup of Hemlock for Washington State & Suicide Initiative measure 1000
Ah, 1991, a great year for America's 50-year-old suicide and euthanasia right-to-die movement. That year, the suicide and euthanasia Initiative 119—backed by the Hemlock Society—made Washington State’s ballot. If passed, Washington would be the first state to legalize physician-assisted suicide. Also that year, Hemlock Society’s founder Derek Humphry's how-to suicide book, Final Exit, became a best seller. No amateur theorist, Humphry had experience. He helped Jean, his first wife, take her own life. He also helped Ann, his second wife, with her parents suicide, or their "final exit"—the terminology the "death with dignity"advocates’ prefer.
Voters’ rejected Initiative119. "Final exit" supporters, however, are back to put Initiative119 on Washington’s November 2008 ballot. Although Washington State’s 1979 Natural Death Act already allows withholding extraordinary life support as directed by a "Living Will," Initiative 119 "final exit"advocates—as we shall see—desire to go far beyond that.
Final Exit was not Hemlock’s Derek Humphry's first book. Previously, Humphry and second wife Ann Wickett collaborated on Jean’s Way, a book glamorizing his first wife’s demise. Jean was in the last stages of breast cancer when Humphry helped administer her final exit. The book described Humphry tenderly and lovingly bringing Jean a cup of coffee laced with drugs. Then, in case the drugs made her uncomfortable, he compassionately waited, ready to smother her with a pillow.
Helpful Humphry also helped wife number two assist her parents in their suicide. Ann's relationship with her wealthy parents was at best strained. Her parents were in poor health, but not dying. Her 92 year-old father suffered from heart disease. Her 78 year-old mother had suffered a stroke.
Ann and Derek originally meet in England, where Ann moved to get her doctorate. Lonely, she advertized in a magazine for companionship. Derek, a newspaper reporter, answered Ann's call for companionship. They married in 1976, less than a year after he helped wife number one commit suicide. Later Ann and Derek moved to California.
In 1980, Humphry and Wickett founded the National Hemlock Society. The two worked side by side, building the Hemlock Society on the romantic myth of Jean's death. Later they moved to western Oregon. With the $300,000 inheritance from Ann’s parents they purchased a 50-acre property and built a home. Ann and Derek named it "Windfall Farm."
In 1989, Anne was diagnosed with breast cancer. The marriage broke up. Ann said Humphry left three weeks after her cancer surgery. Derek left a message on their answering machine. He said he would not be back. Ann Wickett underwent chemotherapy and divorce.
Then, on October 2, 1991, Ann got into her pickup, and with a horse trailer behind drove out of Windfall Farm. She headed for Oregon's Three Sisters Wilderness Area. Ann rode her horse into a peaceful meadow where later her body was found. The National Hemlock Society cofounder had taken a fatal dose of drugs. The same drug she and Derek fed her parents five years before.
Shortly before her own suicide, Ann Wickett video taped a conversation with a friend. A video tape made public and shown on "The 5th Estate," a Canadian news program. On the tape, Ann talked of her parent's death. Ann said she knew her mother had not been ready to die. "My mother started to die and then something went wrong and it was awful. Her breathing started to get sort of agitated and I got really scared... and Derek had always said to me you know, just use a plastic bag or pillow. And I did it. I was so terrified."
"There was a plastic laundry bag with her linens, her soiled linen in it, and I took the bag and I just very gently held it over her mouth... But I walked away from that house thinking we're both murderers and I can't live like this any more."On the same video tape, Ann talked about the death of Derek's first wife Jean. "And he told me what happened was that there was some sort of choking and regurgitation and breathing that got sort of...And so he took a pillow and suffocated her."
Ann Wickett's allegations and the adverse publicity did not slow down Derek Humphry. Following the demise of Ann, with third wife by his side, Humphry announced his plan to write another best seller on the suicides of his previous two wives. His attention and energies had also turned elsewhere. Humphry and his Oregon-based Hemlock Society had an exceptional interest in the neighboring State of Washington. Initiative 119 was going to the ballot in November of 1991. The Initiative, if passed, would make Washington the first state to legalize physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients.
A majority of Washington State's voters—and with good reason—believed too many medical and moral questions remained unanswered. There were some who believed euthanasia, by commission or omission, was premeditated murder. Many others felt government sanctioned euthanasia, like abortion-on-demand, would add to further desensitization of America. Washington State's voters defeated Initiative 119. But Derek Humphry and Initiative 119 supporters vowed to fight on. And they are. Initiative119 is back, or it will be if it makes the November 2008 ballot
Initiative 119 "death with dignity" advocates—the politically correct terms for suicide and euthanasia—claim death can be a friend. But whose friend? For those who do not believe in divine intervention, death is that friend. But for the elderly, the terminally ill, the mentally impaired, the disabled newborn—for all the unwanted— in the future just whose friend will death be? With Washington’s new Euthanasia Initiative 1000 on the November 2008 ballot, voters will need to make that choice.
"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him." ____John 8:44
______ Michael E. Odell
Other Posts by Michael E.Odell click on "Blog Archive" upper right
02-13-08 Death With Dignity & Suicide Initiative 119 Are Back
02-12-08 Thorns or Roses - The Choice Is Ours
02-12-08 Recession & Inflation - Government the Problem
12-08-07 A Hamburger Today & Pay Tomorrow
Voters’ rejected Initiative119. "Final exit" supporters, however, are back to put Initiative119 on Washington’s November 2008 ballot. Although Washington State’s 1979 Natural Death Act already allows withholding extraordinary life support as directed by a "Living Will," Initiative 119 "final exit"advocates—as we shall see—desire to go far beyond that.
Final Exit was not Hemlock’s Derek Humphry's first book. Previously, Humphry and second wife Ann Wickett collaborated on Jean’s Way, a book glamorizing his first wife’s demise. Jean was in the last stages of breast cancer when Humphry helped administer her final exit. The book described Humphry tenderly and lovingly bringing Jean a cup of coffee laced with drugs. Then, in case the drugs made her uncomfortable, he compassionately waited, ready to smother her with a pillow.
Helpful Humphry also helped wife number two assist her parents in their suicide. Ann's relationship with her wealthy parents was at best strained. Her parents were in poor health, but not dying. Her 92 year-old father suffered from heart disease. Her 78 year-old mother had suffered a stroke.
Ann and Derek originally meet in England, where Ann moved to get her doctorate. Lonely, she advertized in a magazine for companionship. Derek, a newspaper reporter, answered Ann's call for companionship. They married in 1976, less than a year after he helped wife number one commit suicide. Later Ann and Derek moved to California.
In 1980, Humphry and Wickett founded the National Hemlock Society. The two worked side by side, building the Hemlock Society on the romantic myth of Jean's death. Later they moved to western Oregon. With the $300,000 inheritance from Ann’s parents they purchased a 50-acre property and built a home. Ann and Derek named it "Windfall Farm."
In 1989, Anne was diagnosed with breast cancer. The marriage broke up. Ann said Humphry left three weeks after her cancer surgery. Derek left a message on their answering machine. He said he would not be back. Ann Wickett underwent chemotherapy and divorce.
Then, on October 2, 1991, Ann got into her pickup, and with a horse trailer behind drove out of Windfall Farm. She headed for Oregon's Three Sisters Wilderness Area. Ann rode her horse into a peaceful meadow where later her body was found. The National Hemlock Society cofounder had taken a fatal dose of drugs. The same drug she and Derek fed her parents five years before.
Shortly before her own suicide, Ann Wickett video taped a conversation with a friend. A video tape made public and shown on "The 5th Estate," a Canadian news program. On the tape, Ann talked of her parent's death. Ann said she knew her mother had not been ready to die. "My mother started to die and then something went wrong and it was awful. Her breathing started to get sort of agitated and I got really scared... and Derek had always said to me you know, just use a plastic bag or pillow. And I did it. I was so terrified."
"There was a plastic laundry bag with her linens, her soiled linen in it, and I took the bag and I just very gently held it over her mouth... But I walked away from that house thinking we're both murderers and I can't live like this any more."On the same video tape, Ann talked about the death of Derek's first wife Jean. "And he told me what happened was that there was some sort of choking and regurgitation and breathing that got sort of...And so he took a pillow and suffocated her."
Ann Wickett's allegations and the adverse publicity did not slow down Derek Humphry. Following the demise of Ann, with third wife by his side, Humphry announced his plan to write another best seller on the suicides of his previous two wives. His attention and energies had also turned elsewhere. Humphry and his Oregon-based Hemlock Society had an exceptional interest in the neighboring State of Washington. Initiative 119 was going to the ballot in November of 1991. The Initiative, if passed, would make Washington the first state to legalize physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients.
A majority of Washington State's voters—and with good reason—believed too many medical and moral questions remained unanswered. There were some who believed euthanasia, by commission or omission, was premeditated murder. Many others felt government sanctioned euthanasia, like abortion-on-demand, would add to further desensitization of America. Washington State's voters defeated Initiative 119. But Derek Humphry and Initiative 119 supporters vowed to fight on. And they are. Initiative119 is back, or it will be if it makes the November 2008 ballot
Initiative 119 "death with dignity" advocates—the politically correct terms for suicide and euthanasia—claim death can be a friend. But whose friend? For those who do not believe in divine intervention, death is that friend. But for the elderly, the terminally ill, the mentally impaired, the disabled newborn—for all the unwanted— in the future just whose friend will death be? With Washington’s new Euthanasia Initiative 1000 on the November 2008 ballot, voters will need to make that choice.
"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him." ____John 8:44
______ Michael E. Odell
Other Posts by Michael E.Odell click on "Blog Archive" upper right
02-13-08 Death With Dignity & Suicide Initiative 119 Are Back
02-12-08 Thorns or Roses - The Choice Is Ours
02-12-08 Recession & Inflation - Government the Problem
12-08-07 A Hamburger Today & Pay Tomorrow
