pudge's Journal: Killer "Needs" Sex Change

A psychiatrist says a killer needs a sex change or he will die.

So many thoughts.

A. Saying you will kill yourself if you do not get something does not mean you actually need it, it means you are either immature or insane. The doctor is being extremely disingenuous in claiming this surgery is necessary, and comparing it to a liver transplant. And saying the surgery is medically necessary is a bald-faced lie, and the doctor should be held in contempt of court.

His lawyer said, "we ask that gender identity disorder be treated like any other medical condition." The problem is that it isn't. It's a psychological condition. Blurring the line between the two is excusable for a lawyer, who is paid to say stupid things, but not for a doctor.

What if I said, "I need a tattoo of Satan or I will kill myself"? Would they pay for that too? What about a tattoo of JFK kissing Satan, would that be OK? Where is the line for what it is acceptable to extort from the justice system, and what is not?

B. The judge looks like a fool by using female pronouns for Michelle (formerly Robert) Kosilek. Courtrooms are supposed to be places of facts and objectivity, and Kosilek, despite legally changing his name, is a man.

C. I don't think tax dollars should even be given for his hormone treatment or laser hair removal and so on. How does any of this have any benefit to society? It's one thing to listen to a guy complain that he believes he is a woman, but to enable that process is something else, and the government has no business doing it.

D. If he wants to kill himself, he can be my guest. I don't think the family of his wife Cheryl, whose neck he wrapped a wire around, squeezing it until she died -- bringing about a conviction of murder in the first degree, under the theories of both premeditation and extreme atrocity -- would mind.

Charity

[jdavidb]

People who care should raise the money voluntarily and pay for it themselves. I for one will not be donating. Worthy causes are too scarce, and this one too low on my list. (In the negative region, in fact.)

This highlights the fact that people think of the government as an endless supply of money. I'm waiting for a politician at any level to run with a campaign slogan of, "If you want that crap, pay for it yourself." It puts things like this in a whole different light when you say, "Okay, which would you rather have? Firefighters, or a sex change operation for this man?" People refuse to think about economics and scarcity.

Re:Charity

[mackil]

"People who care should raise the money voluntarily and pay for it themselves."

I remember seeing an article on The Register [theregister.com] about a girl who was raising donations for her breast augmentation surgery. So I guess donations for surgery has been accomplished before. I have a feeling though that breast augmentation is a far more attractive cause than a complete sex change for a convicted murderer. Still, I could be wrong...

Re:Charity

[jdavidb]

Hey, if a doctor believes strongly enough that this poor soul is in desperate medical need of this operation, then he should believe that strongly enough to put up some of his own money and persuade other people to care enough to put up theirs. But he does not; he cares only strong enough to demand that other people's money be stolen to fund it.

I know of surgeries for life-threatening conditions that have been funded by donations because there was no other way. In saying that this criminal needs this su

heh

[mackil]

"I don't think the family of his wife Cheryl, whose neck he wrapped a wire around, squeezing it until she died -- bringing about a conviction of murder in the first degree, under the theories of both premeditation and extreme atrocity -- would mind."

I know I won't...

Re:heh

[pudge]

I spoke out of turn there. I have no idea what the family thinks, and know I wouldn't want someone I didn't know guessing what I think in that situation. Still, you and I and many others wouldn't mind.