Oct 27 2009
Not Dead Yet seeks retraction from student newspaper.
The anti-euthanasia disability rights group, Not Dead Yet, has sought a retraction from the independent student newspaper at Princeton University. The Princetonian contacted Not Dead Yet organizer Stephen Drake regarding the tenth anniversary of Princeton’s hiring of the controversial bio-ethicist Peter Singer. Mr. Singer’s views on infanticide and animal rights are controversial because he equates, “I think killing a being that wants to continue to live and has designs for the future is very different from killing those that do not.” According to Mr. Singer’s ideology, as I understand it, the lives of certain livestock animals are worth more than the lives of certain cognitively disabled people. I went to protest this man’s hiring on September 21st 1999 and was one of 14 people arrested. The next day I went to the funeral of my friend and fellow advocate Patti Deak. It was a very emotional weekend.
So why am I writing about this now? I am writing because The Princetonian told the larger Princeton community that Not Dead Yet’s protest on that day was violent. This is in direct contradiction to both my recollection as a participant and the New York Times reporting of the event. As of late last night, Stephen reported (via facebook) that he had talked to the editor in chief of the newspaper and was considering suing the newspaper for libel if they did not print a retraction. Negotioations are still ongoing today. I’ll let you know when I know more.
