X-Message-Number: 14858
Date: Mon, 6 Nov 2000 06:47:07 -0500
From: Thomas Donaldson <>
Subject: answer to Dave Pizer

Hi everyone!

Yes, I agree that Dave Pizer is not behind what may be Alcor's present
policy. I still do not think that Pizer has adequately answered what
I had to say in my last message.

First, I would agree that foreign members, if they can, would do best
to go to Scottsdale if they find that they suffer from a condition likely
to kill them in the near future. I would also agree that often this
turns out to be difficult or impossible.

However the real issue here is that of just what is meant by an
adequate insurance policy. If someone doesn't live in the US, they're
likely to have lots of trouble getting a US insurance policy. If Alcor
insists that they do so, Alcor is basically imposing (what I consider
an unnecessary and powerful) condition on just what a person may do
to support their suspension by Alcor. In essence, they are forbidding
foreign members ... though they could easily claim the opposite.

The essential point here is that if you live overseas it can become
quite difficult to get a US life insurance policy, even though it 
is (roughly) the same problem to get a life insurance policy in the 
nation in which you live... no harder than living in the US and getting
a US policy. Naturally those living far away from Alcor Central must
expect that sending a team to deal with them will cost more than 
someone living in Scottsdale, but that is far less of a burden than
a demand that they get an AMERICAN life insurance policy to be considered
for Alcor membership. (And incidentally, it remains expensive if you
live in Hawaii or Alaska, or any  US possession, and need a team to 
come to you). 

Certainly Alcor may ask various things of a candidate member who wants
them to accept a foreign life insurance policy. The most important would
be that of proof that the company offering it is a good company which
will deliver the money ASAP. This should not be basically difficult:
even though different countries have different ways of assuring that
their insurance companies are reliable, such an insurance is certain to
serve the purpose of Alcor. We do not find ourselves in Darkest Africa
merely because we step outside US borders.

That's all for now. And I would hope that Dave Pizer will have something
substantive to say about the policy of Alcor re foreign life insurance
policies, rather than going off into other issues.

		Best and long long life for all,

			Thomas Donaldson

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