YOUR ORGANS CAN SAVE LIVES an open letter to death-row
In the USA, there are now more than 3,000 prisoners
on death-row.
After execution or some other form of death,
the bodies of these condemned people will be burned or
buried.
But could condemned prisoners become organ-donors after death?
You are one of these prisoners on death-row.
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
DO I WANT TO DONATE MY ORGANS
AFTER EXECUTION?
What will happen to my body after my death?
Will it be cremated or buried?
How do I feel about donating my re-usable organs after my execution?
Would I like some good
to come from my death by donating my organs?
How many lives will be saved if I offer all of my organs to strangers?
WILL I CONFESS MY CRIMES?
Am I willing to admit my crimes in order to make
organ-donation the
issue
rather than becoming involved in the controversy about capital
punishment?
Can I provide some details about my crimes to prove beyond doubt
that I actually committed the crimes for which I was justly convicted?
CAN I PROVE THAT MY
DONATION IS REALLY VOLUNTARY?
Am I willing to re-affirm my decision to donate
again and again
over a period of several months to prove that my donation is
voluntary?
How could I convince skeptics that I am not being manipulated or
coerced?
Can I overcome any doubts that I am mentally and emotionally capable
of making the free choice to donate my organs after my death?
WILL I WORK TO GET COOPERATION
FROM OTHERS?
How do my remaining family and friends feel about
donating my organs?
Who will have legal authority to dispose of my remains after my
execution?
Because organ-donation after execution has never been done before,
am I willing to work with the people who must make
exceptions to the rules
in order to allow me to donate my organs after I have been executed? Will
I accept medical testing to ensure my organs are
suitable for transplant?
Would I like to communicate with patients waiting for organ
transplants?
Would I like to know the particular people who will receive my organs?
How do I feel about my heart beating inside another person after my
death?
How will those who receive my organs feel about the whole process?
WILL I ABANDON ALL APPEALS
AND
CHOOSE MY DATE OF EXECUTION?
If I can arrange for my organs to be donated after
my execution,
will I give up all of my appeals and allow my execution to
go forward?
If I am offered the choice, what would be the best date for my
execution?
Would I like to live for a few more years on death-row
before going ahead with my execution followed by organ donation?
WILL I CHOOSE VOLUNTARY EXECUTION
IF MY DEATH-SENTENCE IS CHANGED TO LIFE-IMPRISONMENT?
Many
jurisdictions are moving away from the death-penalty.
If capital punishment will not be imposed in my case,
will I choose voluntary
execution
if I can be assured that my organs will be donated to save other lives?
And if I die a natural death while still in prison,
will I donate my organs after death?
AM I READY TO HANDLE
QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA?
How will I handle the publicity certain to precede
my execution
because of my unusual plan to donate my organs after execution?
How will I feel if I become the most famous prisoner on death-row?
Am I willing to explain to the media my reasons for donating my organs?
How will I cope with renewed references to my crimes?
How will I deal with people who hate me for my crimes?
Can I counter-balance my painful memories
and my dread as I face
execution
with the hope of saving several strangers from death?
AUTHOR:
James Park is an independent existential philosopher
and advocate for organ-donation after execution.
The links below offer much more writing on this subject.
Created
April 8, 2011; Revised 4-14-2011; 4-21-2011; 4-24-2011; 5-12-2011;
12-11-2011;
9-7-2013; 10-5-2013; 7-22-2014; 9-9-2016;
An Internet portal has been created called: ORGAN
DONATION
AFTER EXECUTION A
Facebook Page has been created: Prisoner
Organ Donation. This
group welcomes participation by anyone interested in organ
donation from prisoners: prisoners
who have Internet access, family members, friends, lawyers,
prison authorities, transplant surgeons, medical ethicists,
journalists, & students.
The
above open letter to prisoners on death-row has
now become Chapter 8 of Organ
Donation After
Execution. This
Internet
Book was discussed chapter-by-chapter on
this Facebook Page in 2014.