RTD groups and activists

[WayOut]

RTD and VE activists: the good, the bad and the down right ugly.

Any opinions?

For starters, George Exoo. Sociopath, and pure evil. Dead now. Didn't ctb, but died in a nursing home of natural causes. What a complete lowlife fucker he was.

The doc is long, but it's an interesting program. You only get the full picture by watching it though.

REVEREND DEATH (Documentary about George Exoo by Jon Ronson - 2008)

 

[Chinaski]

I'm quite Ronson-averse, any chance you can summarise why this guy is a piece of shit?

I've always found D Humphry to be a bit unsettling tbh, am still undecided as to whether he's a heroic RTD advocate or a hack journalist who preferred to avoid the divorce courts...

 

[WayOut]

I'm quite Ronson-averse, any chance you can summarise why this guy is a piece of shit?

I've always found D Humphry to be a bit unsettling tbh, am still undecided as to whether he's a heroic RTD advocate or a hack journalist who preferred to avoid the divorce courts...

He was a suicide junkie, to a sociopathic level, and got off by being part of a person's death. By getting off, I mean, it gave him sexual gratification. Probably not of much interest to people here though. He's long gone, and good riddance, but there are people like him in the RTD sphere, notably some, though not all, "Exit guides" (not related to Exit International) which I believe operate in the US.

Suicide and death attract all sorts. There are people who like to be a part of someone else's death. Creepy, and quite appalling.

 

[21Neberg]

He was a suicide junkie, to a sociopathic level, and got off by being part of a person's death. By getting off, I mean, it gave him sexual gratification. Probably not of much interest to people here though. He's long gone, and good riddance, but there are people like him in the RTD sphere, notably some, though not all, "Exit guides" (not related to Exit International) which I believe operate in the US.

Suicide and death attract all sorts. There are people who like to be a part of someone else's death. Creepy, and quite appalling.

Thanks for sharing - I was unaware as well. What a massive piece of shit

 

[WayOut]

Thanks for sharing - I was unaware as well. What a massive piece of shit

yeah, completely. He's long gone, but the point is that there are still fuckers like him around the place, masquerading as RTD activists.

I believe that most high profile people like Derek Humphry are absolutely genuine. In his case, his first step was when his much loved wife was terminal and suffering. he helped her. He wrote the book "Jean's Way", and went on to be a strong advocate for choice.

However, on the other side of the coin, suicide and death still attract sick, perverted suicide junkies, and/or people and groups who profit from it. It's impossible to be rid of lowlifes like this, but at least they are recognizable.

In the doc, I still laugh at the scene where George Exoo is talking on the phone to a supposed suicide in action. Turning on the music, ffs. Hilarious. Then his orgasmic release. lol Later he says it was for show, but he still experienced his reactions, even with his make believe role play.

 

[Chinaski]

I believe that most high profile people like Derek Humphry are absolutely genuine. In his case, his first step was when his much loved wife was terminal and suffering. he helped her.

I read an interview with a subsequent wife of Humphreys which suggested he was a tad overly-enthusiastic about assisted suicide, suggested to me that she thought the only difference between Humphreys and Dr Crippen was that Crippen never got a book deal out of it. I'll try and find it.

 

[WayOut]

I read an interview with a subsequent wife of Humphreys which suggested he was a tad overly-enthusiastic about assisted suicide, suggested to me that she thought the only difference between Humphreys and Dr Crippen was that Crippen never got a book deal out of it. I'll try and find it.

Hmm. I didn't know that. I can't judge whether he was a "tad overenthusiastic", because I don't have information about that.

I have emailed him though. Briefly. I asked if he was associated with Exit and PN. His response was that he was in no way associated with or aligned to Exit. So, I sent him a small donation. It was what I was going to pay to update my PPeH, but had decided that I would no longer support Exit. That was the extent of the communication. He seemed direct, and reasonable.

 

[Chinaski]

https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/08/magazine/a-fight-to-the-death.html?sec=health

Here we go. I also remember some of his advice being a bit skewed, I'll try and find it but his advice on anti emetics pre N ingestion was something like one ever half an hour for seven years prior to ingestion.

 

[WayOut]

https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/08/magazine/a-fight-to-the-death.html?sec=health

Here we go. I also remember some of his advice being a bit skewed, I'll try and find it but his advice on anti emetics pre N ingestion was something like one ever half an hour for seven years prior to ingestion.

Pretty grim, sure. Not close to Exit shepherding Dr Goodall to his death, though, for the macabre mawkish publicity they got. Dr Goodall was a quiet, dignified man, but I suspect somewhat suggestible and vulnerable. His daughter was, and still is from what I hear, disgusted by PN.

I suppose that wherever there is potential from either profit or self gratification by being involved with death, there will always be players in the area. Individuals and groups.

 

[WayOut]

Btw, PN makes a cameo appearance in the documentary. lol It was years ago, but as usual, he was in the thick of things.

 

[WayOut]

https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/08/magazine/a-fight-to-the-death.html?sec=health

I read this through carefully, and found it deeply disturbing. I had not seen that side of Derek Humphry. I get why you don't hold him in high regard. Fuck, I now resent the donation I made. More so because I found a recent video on youtube.

In it, he's a sad old man, pathetically trying to flog his latest book. Again, profit. His video has only a few thousand views. He's descending into being a nobody. I reckon this will be PN in a few years, a pathetic old hasbeen still trying to flog his vanity project, the ridiculous Sarco, and still trying to create a legacy, but finally realising that once he is dead he will be nothing more than a meaningless, mostly forgotten footnote in history.

 

[Chinaski]

Are you seriously telling me that the long-awaited DeLorean of Death will never appear in a single reputable car showroom, or a solitary episode of Robot Wars?

This is most disheartening. This was my method of choice (in enema form, naturally), I've even made room for it in the kitchen by getting rid of all my white goods, fml.

 

[Zzzzz]

I'm not so much concerned with people's intentions as I am about their behavior. Is what they are doing wrong or right? If Hitler says let's commit genocide his personal intentions don't necessarily matter much to me because what he is suggesting is wrong.

 

[Chinaski]

Hitler says let's commit genocide

It's an improvement on 'Frankie says relax', I'll give it that.

What you're saying here is that we should perhaps ignore the intentions of certain RTD figureheads if there a positive outcomes, which would be fair enough; but for me, PN and DH are so obviously unpleasant and motivated far more by money than they are by altruistic reasons that's it's equally fair enough to balk when they're described as genuinely compassionate and progressive standard-bearers for RTD. When buying N from A, people do so knowing that A is just a drug dealer and PN should probably be viewed the same way imo. Yes, the outcomes are positive for many, but PN is a mercenary who has been phoning it in for a while now.

 

[Zzzzz]

It's an improvement on 'Frankie says relax', I'll give it that.

What you're saying here is that we should perhaps ignore the intentions of certain RTD figureheads if there a positive outcomes, which would be fair enough; but for me, PN and DH are so obviously unpleasant and motivated far more by money than they are by altruistic reasons that's it's equally fair enough to balk when they're described as genuinely compassionate and progressive standard-bearers for RTD. When buying N from A, people do so knowing that A is just a drug dealer and PN should probably be viewed the same way imo. Yes, the outcomes are positive for many, but PN is a mercenary who has been phoning it in for a while now.

I definitely agree that no one should be praised as altruistic or noble or compassionate if they have other motives.

 

[Smilla]

Above is a speech by Janice Landis, President of the Final Exit Network.

Compassionate, articulate, and funny woman. Highly recommend.

Edit: final exit network is non profit and all guides are volunteers; no one is making money, they employ a couple admins on a part time basis, and their annual membership fee is $50, which is waived if you can't afford it.

I have enormous respect for them, but sadly they won't work with "psychiatric cases" but at least they help neorological
disease sufferers such as MS patients—a far cry from the other RTD groups who have a ridiculous standard of terminal illness/six months to live.