Wesley J. Smith

This column from the London Times by columnist Mary Kenny is both wise and humble. In responding to the brittle assertion by a BBC host that she (the host) supports assisted suicide, in part because she doesn’t wish to be burdened by her aging parents (which I blogged about here), Kenny has a . . . . Continue Reading »

I am having an interesting on-line “round table,” sponsored by The Center for the Future of Medicine, which in turn, is sponsored by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). The topic is stem cell research. Unfortunately, the exchange is not publicly accesible at . . . . Continue Reading »

At the First Things blog, I expound on how the equality of life ethic animates the arguments of both sides of our most intense cultural controversies. Here is my summary paragraph: “In summary: Unlike earlier societal arguments, such as over slavery and race, almost all sides in today’s . . . . Continue Reading »

In 1982, “Baby Jane Doe” was born with Down’s syndrome and an intestinal blockage. Routine surgery to clear the blockage could have saved the baby’s life. But the mother’s ob/gyn told her parents that they could refuse surgery. Jane’s parents decided she—and . . . . Continue Reading »

Regarding Michael Novak’s post about Heather Mac Donald’s discomfort with talk of God: I too have grappled intellectually with how to analyze crucial concepts of right and wrong, good and evil, in a society that seems so pluralistic morally that it frequently appears not to be a true . . . . Continue Reading »

Ah, this story gets us to an important nub of the euthanasia debate. BBC host Jenni Murray has created a suicide pact with friends in case she becomes incapacitated. But here is the real deal: She doesn’t want to be burdened with caring for her aging parents. From the publicity materials about . . . . Continue Reading »

This time the issue is advanced medical directives and their interpretation by courts: New regulations permit these court rulings—which are often literally a matter of life and death—to be held in secret. This is terrible development. We have open courts in free societies for a reason. . . . . Continue Reading »

Here is the transcript of an interview with David Kilgour on the Australian Broadcasting Network about the potential Chinese organ harvesting atrocities against the Falun Gong. The interviewer, Tony Jones, was suitably skeptical, and he pressed Kilgour in a completely appropriate manner. After all, . . . . Continue Reading »

The New York Times is totally in the thrall of Big Biotech. On its news and editorial pages, it has served loyally as a cheer leader for ESCR and human cloning. Toward this end, it has repeatedly ignored significant adult stem cell research advances while often hyping the potential of ESCR to cure . . . . Continue Reading »

Dissident Harry Wu doubts Falon Gong claims, but agrees that the organs of executed prisoners are indeed sold in China. He says that some Falon Gong witnesses have refused to meet with him, which is interesting, but may be a matter of fear for safety or other concerns. He claims that he sent in . . . . Continue Reading »