X-Message-Number: 22713 From: "John de Rivaz" <> Subject: Libertarians and organ transplants Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2003 11:43:57 +0100 This might interest some of you ... particularly this bit It is also a cruel and sick joke that while Mr. Evans labels free trade as "abhorrent", and claims to defend human rights and dignity, he in fact endorses the National Socialist (Nazi) view that men and women's bodies are not their own property, but the property of the state. This relates particularly to compulsory autopsy, more on <http://www.autopsychoice.com . ****** I would comment here that the subject of people selling organs for money is something I do have problems with, in exactly the same way as I have problems with any healthy person voluntarily giving up an organ to help someone else. The matter of choice isn't as black and white as the message below suggests. Once the option is available, the choice becomes a matter of "give up your kidney (or liver section or whatever) or see your <friend, relation die", and although people really don't want to give up their kidney they are forced into it by the threat hanging over them if they don't (implicit in the way other members of the group will treat them if they don't). Exactly the same thing happens with people in poor countries where the choice is "give up your kidney or get beaten up because you have debts", (or see your friends and relations get beaten up). I have absolutely no idea of how governments can help or indeed even if governments could help. Eventually the problem will go away with stem cell technology growing cloned organs for specific patients and maybe the best thing governments could do is to fast track development of this with as few regulatory hurdles as possible. Stem cell organ cloning should be treated on the same basis as development of a war effort against an enemy nation -- usually regulations go by the wayside when there is a war to be fought and technology needs development for that purpose. -- Sincerely, John de Rivaz: <http://John.deRivaz.com for websites including Cryonics Europe, Longevity Report, The Venturists, Porthtowan, Alec Harley Reeves - inventor, Arthur Bowker - potter, de Rivaz genealogy, Nomad .. and more ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dr Chris R. Tame" < <mailto: Sent: 23 October 2003 01:25 Subject: News Release: Proposed EU Ban on Organ Transplant 'Tourism' Is Morally Obscene NEWS RELEASE FROM THE LIBERTARIAN ALLIANCE In Association with the Libertarian International Release Date: 23 October 2003 Release Time: Immediate Contact Details: Dr Chris R. Tame, 07957 644519 <mailto: For other contact and link details, see the foot of this message "PROPOSED EU BAN ON ORGAN TRANSPLANT 'TOURISM' IS MORALLY OBSCENE", SAYS FREE MARKET AND CIVIL LIBERTIES THINK TANK The Libertarian Alliance, the radical free market and civil liberties think tank and pressure group, has today condemned a proposed EU ban on so-called "organ transplant tourism" as morally obscene as well as economically harmful. Libertarian Alliance Director, Dr Chris Tame commented: Individuals have an absolute ownership over themselves and an absolute moral right to sell their own organs. Moreover, the EU is doing poor people in the Third World no favours by trying to prevent them from bettering their economic position by engaging in free trade. British Labour MEP Robert Evans, who is promoting this ban smears voluntary free market trade as "exploitation", but it is only such so-called "exploitation" that creates - as history and economic science have conclusively shown - economic progress and prosperity for ordinary people. Proposed EU Policy is a Nazi Policy It is also a cruel and sick joke that while Mr. Evans labels free trade as "abhorrent", and claims to defend human rights and dignity, he in fact endorses the National Socialist (Nazi) view that men and women's bodies are not their own property, but the property of the state. Evans thus calls for a form of nationalisation of our bodies, where people might - or might not - be allowed to opt out of the state confiscation of body parts after death, and a policy of state controlled rationing. It is even more morally obscene that Mr Evans, in his published case for the ban, seems unable to distinguish between genuine criminal acts - "the removal of a living organ from a living donor using force, threats or fraud", with the moral and decent acts of "the payment, offer or promise of a financial consideration to a donor". Evans Should Apologise and Resign His Post Mr. Evans is Vice President of the European Parliament's "Citizen's Rights, Justice and Home Affairs Committee". His shameful proposal would further destroy real human rights and justice. He is clearly not a fit person to hold such a position, and we call on him to do the decent thing - to resign and apologise for his Nazi proposals. The EU Death machine The EU proposals are also a further manifestation of crass hypocrisy. If the EU genuinely wanted to help the Third World it would end its protective tariffs against Third World goods - especially agricultural produce. Such tariffs, according to the recent report of the Brussels- based think tank, The Centre for the New Europe, lead to an estimated death of 275 people every hour! (See Note 3 below) Dr. Tame concludes: Not only should this proposed EU ban on free trade in body parts be opposed, but the existing law against such beneficial transactions in Britain should also be repealed without delay. COPY ENDS Notes to Editors (1) Dr. Chris R. Tame is the founder and Director of the Libertarian Alliance. He is a prolific writer and lecturer on many topics in sociology, economics, philosophy and the history of ideas. He can be contacted for further comment at 07957 644519 or by email at <mailto: (2) Details of the proposed EU ban, and MEP Robert Evans's support for it, can be obtained from Robert Evans MEP: Tell 07785 290546; or from Helen Kearns: Tell 0478 585281; or by email from <mailto: (3) The CNE Report "EU Trade Barriers Kill" can be found at [News Release] <http://www.cne.org/pub_pdf/2003_09_04_EU_barriers_kill_PR.htm [Report in pdf form] <http://www.cne.org/pub_pdf/2003_09_04_EU_barriers_kill.pdf Extended Contact Details: The Libertarian Alliance is Britain's most radical free market and civil liberties policy institute. It has published over 700 articles, pamphlets and books in support of freedom and against statism in all its forms. These are freely available at <http://www.libertarian.co.uk Our postal address is: The Libertarian Alliance 25 Chapter Chambers Esterbrooke Street London SW1W 4NN Tel: 020 7 821 5502 Fax: 020 7 834 2031 Associated Organisation: The Libertarian International - <http://www.libertarian.to - is a sister organisation to the Libertarian Alliance. Its mission is to coordinate various initiatives in the defence of individual liberty throughout the world. RELEASE ENDS -- Dr. Chris R. Tame, Director Libertarian Alliance | "The secret of Happiness is Freedom, | 25 Chapter Chambers | and the secret of Freedom is Courage" | Esterbrooke Street | Pericles' Funeral Oration (431BC) London SW1P 4NN England Tel: 020 7821 5502 Fax: 020 7834 2031 Personal Email: <mailto: LA Email: <mailto: LA Web Site: <http://www.libertarian.co.uk Free Life Web Site: <http://www.libertarian.co.uk/freelife The Hampden Press Website: <http://www.hampdenpress.co.uk LA Forum: groups.yahoo.com/group/libertarian-alliance-forum Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=22713