Radio Station discusses organ donation

[ODAT]

The Zone 94.1 Rover's morning glory radio show - Rochester, NY http://www.thezone941.com/Detail.aspx?dct=5&id=192&mid=309

Wow, this morning's show was quite interesting. Main question: "If the President of the US needed an organ, would it be okay to take it from a retard?" Mind you, they weren't saying that the person whom they were taking it from was in ill-health- just that they couldn't 'function' normally in society due to their condition. I was appalled to say the least that they could even bring up such a question. Just because they are on the radio doesn't give them free-reign to say whatever the hell they want. Rover went on to say that he would not donate his organs because the company that makes $5,000 on the organ doesn't give anything to him or his family! He said "they should at least give my family $2,500 to cover the funeral expenses. Why should I give freely when they make money off me?' Another host challenged him to say a name of an actual company that would do that. He doesn't even know the truth and he says this stuff!

I admit, there is a lot to learn about the whole process, but how can they allow such trash to be talked about. This is serious and hopefully the people listening don't think he's the 'end-all' of knowledge or we'd be in trouble.

[devon]

I'm not sure I would even listen to a station that posed such a question!  It's really offensive to me when people use the term "retard".  I think I would have turned off the radio or switched stations.   I think you should locate the address for the station and write a letter complaining about that.  You might also write the FCC.  As you say, it's trash!

-Devon

[ODAT]

I agree Devon. The website touts them as being a station that discusses 'scorching hot topics' but this is not a discussion - it is just wrong. I will write the FCC and let you know what happens.

[petey]

Oh, my!  How awful!  It's hard to believe ignorant people like this are allowed to spout their messages on the air waves.

When I gave my Marvin one of my kidneys, I didn't get any financial compensation.  In fact, the hospital charged the insurance company a $7,500 "harvesting fee" to take it out (that was over and above the hospital stay, the operating room charges, the nephrologist's charge, the medication I received, the surgeon's charge, the dude who put me to sleep, etc.).  I guess that makes me a "retard."

[KT0930]

I can't believe this was allowed on the air!!! Damn, this makes me so mad! As if people waiting 5 or more years in this country (not to mention the waiting times around the world) weren't enough, he's going to go and make it worse by spreading falsehoods like that??        I guess 15-18 people dead per day isn't enough for this guy, huh?

[ODAT]

I just sent the FCC a complaint via this email address: fccinfo@fcc.gov.

I'll let you know what I hear back.  (i always get excited when I can use a smiley guy I've never used before!! -- I know, get a life... lol)

[stauffenberg]

James Madison, one of the founding fathers of the United States Constitution, made the important point that if you want to enshrine freedom of speech in the Bill of Rights, you have to realize that it is only useful to protect speech which most people hate -- since ordinary speech needs no protection, because no one cares enough about it to censor it.  While I agree that the topic is offensive, most of what I learned at university offended the assumptions I held dear before going there, so tolerance for offensive communication is an essential skill for living in a free society.

Earlier on this message board we discussed whether organs could be harvested from anencephalic infants, even if this meant killing them, in order to supply organs to otherwise normal infants needing a transplant.  An anencephalic infant has only enough brain to keep the heart and the lungs functioning, but not enough for consciousness.  So is it a human being?  A bird is more conscious of its surroundings than an anencephalic infant, and we can cook and eat birds for dinner with no moral qualms, so can we save human lives with organ transplants from anencephalics?

Consider another version of the radio talk show issue.  Suppose you are a helicopter pilot flying above a burning building in which there are two turrets, one containing a child with Down's Syndrome and another containing a person of normal intelligence.  You only have enough time to land on one of the turrets to rescue either the Down's Syndrome child or the person with normal IQ, so which turret do you pick?  Do you just choose at random or does the fact that the child has an abnormal intellect have any influence at all on your decision?

[ODAT]

While you bring up good analogies for the situation of who to save first, it doesn't quite fit with the radio host's blatant disregard for human life. Not only did he think that retards were expendable, he also made it a point to sway people's thoughts on organ donation based on his feelings that he should get paid, which also shows a disregard for human life.

I believe in freedom of speech, but that should not be an excuse for someone with a voice that can be heard on our airwaves to bring up any stupid opinionated subject that pleases him and twist it so viciously.

I had to add that the comparison of birds to humans and morality just doesn't fit this topic, nor any sensible discussion.

Sorry, had to 'modify' my comment on the 'good analogy' of who to save first. It is not a good analogy because although one baby is 'normal,' I find people with down syndrome to be the most loveable, caring people on this planet! BTW, helicopter pilot would have no idea who is who in most cases.

[okarol]

Wow, this morning's show was quite interesting. Main question: "If the President of the US needed an organ, would it be okay to take it from a retard?"

Depends on who is president? 
Nahh just kidding. Look, some radio hosts make a the choice of topics in an attempt to be titillating, and people apparently like it. How else do you explain the popularity of Howard Stern or Don Imus?
Is it disrespectful of mentally challenged people? Of course. Does it get people to openly discuss organ donation? Yes. Is that guy Rover a dolt? Again, yes. Change the station.

[ODAT]

HaHa - " depends on who is president." After hearing that I will not listen to them again, and yes, I did change the station. You can say that 'any press is good press' (look at all the 'rag-mags' and you'll see that truth), but it is irresponsible for them to say that retards are expendable and organs should be donated only if family gets paid. There are many people out there that would do anything for money. I'd hate for a revolt to start because of Rover's stupid comments.