Mine!
It's been almost 15 years since I worked in the USA and while people tend to think that Canadians and Americans are alike when I was working there I found that my coworkers were certainly not like any Canadians that I had ever met. I have lots of examples of times that I thought my coworkers were kind of crazy but one thing stands out more than the rest.
One morning I had a coworker come in and she was very happy that she had just taken all of her child's old toys to the dump. Her daughter wasn't using them anymore, and they were just taking up space so off to the dump they went. Now I was a little bit confused. I asked "Why wouldn't you just donate them to the Salvation Army, or Goodwill or any other charitable foundation?"
Her response?
"It might go to someone who didn't enjoy it as much as my daughter did and I would rather throw it away than have that happen"
I was a little shocked. Someone would rather pay to take something to the dump rather than donate it to someone who would likely be able to reuse it and get some enjoyment from it. I didn't understand it then and I don't understand it now. However, I did learn that sometimes people get possessive over their things even if they have absolutely no use for it anymore.
A little closer to home
Now a little closer to home the topic of organ donation came up. As for myself I am a firm believer in giving away things to others. If I can't use it why shouldn't I give it to someone who can? Seems like the right thing to do.
So, when the topic of organ donation came up my answer was pretty obvious. Of course someone can take my organs if they need them. Provided I'm dead first of course. I throw that in there as there was a Monty Python sketch about people coming to take organs from a LIVE person after signing an organ donation form 😁
But I digress. What was so obvious to me didn't sit well with some family members. They were thinking....but those are parts of YOU. They were distressed by the idea that my heart, eyes, liver, or other parts might be carrying on in someone else. They could walk up to someone and be staring into a family members eyes. How creepy would that be.
Then there were the religious aspects. They believe that the dead will be raised again when Jesus returns. What happens if he comes back and my body is missing pieces?
I just shook my head in disbelief. Now I am Christian and do believe that there will be a resurrection but not of the same body that I have now. My soul will live on and my body is just a shell for this current time. Of course feel free to believe what you wish but when I die I see it as no more than just taking clothes off before bedtime. When I die my body is just a shell I no longer need.
So, why wouldn't I donate it to someone in need? If my life can help others why wouldn't I do it? After all, my bible states "Never fair to do good when it is within your power to do so". Why should I stop following that rule just because I'm dead? Why not do one last good deed before I'm either buried or cremated? (Yes, there are heated discussions on which way is proper for the deceased also).
But what if it is forced?<?center>
Now it is true that the government finds many many ways to tax its people. However forcing the deceased to be given up for organ donation is a form of ultimate taxation. Your body doesn't belong to you and the government will tax you of it when you die. The gift of my body parts goes from being just that....a gift... to being a duty. That changes the dynamic of things a lot.
As for myself? I love giving gifts and I will typically do my duty to my country. If I was forced I wouldn't fight it. Mostly.
I wouldn't fight because my the law would align with what I think is right. Helping others in need. Helping the sick when I can. Being generous with what I have. However, there are reasons that I would balk.
I would need to know that my body and heritage would be treated respectfully. If the body was taken and all parts were fair game for "helping" others. What happens if they decide that the unused bits would make good dog food? I don't think I'd be too happy knowing I was going to be a meal for a hungry pet. What if my face or likeness would be taken and given to someone else. I'd hate for an axe murderer to end up looking just like me. As for my skeleton if it ends up in a science lab training the next generation about biology and medicine then great. However if I end up in a "lifelike Halloween decoration". Well, that would be insulting.
The value of human life
Now I hope those examples of poor treatment qualify as "no way they would do that".
But I see that human life is becoming less and less valuable as time goes by. Perhaps I'm just imagining things and I hope that I am, but that's what I sense compared to when I was younger.
I hope that my body is always that.....Mine. Not something to be taxed or taken from me when I die. I will happily give it away when I die to someone in need. I would allow for it to be taken from me when I die if it is treated with dignity but I hope things never get to the state where a human loses dignity after death.
Just my take on today's Hive Learner post prompt.
As always feel free to leave comments as I do like getting comments :)
Thanks for reading.
Now it is true that the government finds many many ways to tax its people. However forcing the deceased to be given up for organ donation is a form of ultimate taxation. Your body doesn't belong to you and the government will tax you of it when you die. The gift of my body parts goes from being just that....a gift... to being a duty. That changes the dynamic of things a lot.
As for myself? I love giving gifts and I will typically do my duty to my country. If I was forced I wouldn't fight it. Mostly.
I wouldn't fight because my the law would align with what I think is right. Helping others in need. Helping the sick when I can. Being generous with what I have. However, there are reasons that I would balk.
I would need to know that my body and heritage would be treated respectfully. If the body was taken and all parts were fair game for "helping" others. What happens if they decide that the unused bits would make good dog food? I don't think I'd be too happy knowing I was going to be a meal for a hungry pet. What if my face or likeness would be taken and given to someone else. I'd hate for an axe murderer to end up looking just like me. As for my skeleton if it ends up in a science lab training the next generation about biology and medicine then great. However if I end up in a "lifelike Halloween decoration". Well, that would be insulting.
The value of human life
Now I hope those examples of poor treatment qualify as "no way they would do that".
But I see that human life is becoming less and less valuable as time goes by. Perhaps I'm just imagining things and I hope that I am, but that's what I sense compared to when I was younger.
I hope that my body is always that.....Mine. Not something to be taxed or taken from me when I die. I will happily give it away when I die to someone in need. I would allow for it to be taken from me when I die if it is treated with dignity but I hope things never get to the state where a human loses dignity after death.
Just my take on today's Hive Learner post prompt.
As always feel free to leave comments as I do like getting comments :)
Thanks for reading.