To Give or Not To Give

It's rather odd how people are willing to give their lives to help others, but they would never consider giving themselves to help others.

A story that was recently reported, told of how a local media celebrity was given a new chance for life by the donation of an organ from a family member. Now, I will admit that that particular case is unusual. Both donor and recipient are alive and well.

But what about the hundreds that die in automobile and other accidents through the course of the year? What of those who die of brain tumours and other related medical conditions? What happens to them?

Sadly, only a small portion of these people have either signed their organ donation card, or even mentioned their wishes to family members. Worse still, the family members themselves don't always abide by the wishes of their loved ones.

Why is this, I wonder?

Now, for some, it's a matter of religious conviction, which I can't fault, I suppose. They don't want to appear before their Maker incomplete or inadequate. The only problem with that line of thinking, as far as I can see, is the nature of Heaven itself. Maybe I've been going to the wrong church, but I always thought that Heaven didn't have any sick people in it. The Maker healed everyone.

For others, I suspect, it's not the thought of organ donation that bothers them, it's the fact that they'll have to die in order to donate. I can appreciate that line of reasoning. No matter how far advanced our civilization will become, we still have no idea of what happens when you die. It's scary. It's not something I'm looking forward to doing.

But think about it. People like Melly Stoddard would have had no chance of reaching her teens, if it hadn't been for the generosity and caring of someone, somewhere.

On the other hand, because of that generosity, there is a person who will not have died for nothing. A man or a woman will go on, never to be forgotten by either their own family and friends or the family and friends of Melly Stoddard. Is there no greater way to defeat Death than to use it to preserve life?

"My heart will go on..." as the song goes.

To the Editor:

It is with great consternation that I read of the upcoming Role-Playing Game Tournament. How can the Convention Center even think of permitting such blasphemy to proceed? How can City Hall allow such degenerate behaviour?

It is well known that those who 'play' such games as "Dungeons and Dragons" are, or will very quickly be be, taken over by the Devil Himself! There have been countless reports of people who have taken the Magic preached in such entertainment to their souls, to their Everlasting Damnation!

The Bible says that we should not suffer a witch to live, and yet the very game that promotes and teaches Witchcraft is allowed to be publicly displayed.

And to have a reporter for your newspaper actually participate in such infamy! You may cancel my subscription to your perfidious publication, effective immediately!

D. Evans,
Lloyd City