X-Message-Number: 24858
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2004 13:26:29 -0700
From: James Swayze <>
Subject: Re: reeve
References: <>

>
>
>Message #24848
>From: 
>Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2004 17:28:06 -0500
>Subject: reeve
>
>  
>
>>> Message #24814
>>> Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2004 12:07:05 -0400
>>> From: "Jonathan Hinek" <>
>>> Subject: Reeve
>>> References: <>
>>    
>>
>
>  
>
>>> I guess we shouldn't ever drive cars, fly on airlines, or take showers 
>>> in slippery bath tubs then. 
>>    
>>
>

>I didn't say what risks anyone should take. People should take any risks they 
choose, just don't call it "misfortune" if you make a mistake and suffer the 
consequences. Your comparison is actually very good: If someone drives a fast 
car he should not complain if he makes an error and crashes into a tree beside 
an empty highway. Certainly he shouldn't start a campaign to get rid of trees.
>
Now you seem to be saying Chris Reeve should never have started his 
campaign for Stem Cell Research, for his survival, and this I must take 
hearty exception to. Firstly, the use of the word, "misfortune", was 
mine alone and has nothing to do whatsoever with whatever Chris felt 
about his incident, which I haven't the slightest idea of his personal 
feelings on the matter. In fact he seemed to take it pretty bravely and 
not place blame anywhere inappropriate. I used it as interchangeable 
with "bad luck" because it sounds less unsophisticated. I used such a 
term because perhaps I know just a little bit more than you about what 
happened to him.

Chris never, as far as I know, complained about the 'bad luck' of the 
rabbit running in front of his horse causing his horse to startle and 
throw him. Nor did he complain about the random chance that allowed for 
his harness to trap him exacerbating his injuries. I think your 
complaints are misplaced.

They are exceptionally misplaced when you decry Chris' activities to 
extend his survival and overcome his injuries. Walking again is not 
trivial to surviving quadriplegia. If you knew more about it you might 
understand this and from your attitude I doubt very much you know much 
at all about the suffering of others. He had every right to *in his own 
ENLIGHTENED self interest* seek to overcome his injuries because that 
also meant saving his life. He likely could have lived to 85 or better 
if our wishes come true if he had not become paralyzed.

Since when is it whining to take matters into your own hands and seek to 
maximize your own survival? I think the other fellow is right, you need 
a good dose of empathy. For the grace of *good fortune* there go you my 
friend. For that matter, why are you here if you object to Chris' 
efforts to further research into tissue regeneration? Are you so young 
that you are certain that physical immortality will arrive before you 
need any heroic medicine to rejuvenate some part of your body? if so, 
well, good for you, but I think it's extreme folly to think so and 
extremely disingenuous to limit the possibilities for those other than 
your "fortunate self.

James

-- 

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