Nobody likes to be told no...you can't do or have something, but sometimes its the only responsible thing to do. Case in point:
Michael Jackson: "I can't sleep, can you give me some propofol?"
Appropriate Response: "No"
But when you are rich no one wants to give you the appropriate response. And if they do, o well, replace them with someone who will do what you want. This week Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson. His family is elated, and LaToya comments that "Michael" was watching over them in court. Well what a load of hooey!
Now don't get me wrong, the doc never should have been giving that drug to MJ and should definitely loose his medical license. Hell maybe he should go to jail as well, but I can't help but feel that all this does is absolve MJ from being the master of his own demise. Yes, he knew what he wanted and he got it. Sure he didn't want to end up dead, but he had the money and power to demand that he didn't have to deal with the normal things the rest of the world deals with. If he wanted a young kid to sleep in his bed, people obliged. If he wanted the Elephant man, it was done. If he wanted rides in his yard and a monkey, then have it he shall.
He is not the first and will not be the last to die because he was never told no. So while this latest trial wraps up and the doc goes to jail, lets not forget that the ultimate accountability should lie with the individual and their decisions. After all, careful what you ask for you just might get it.
You are so right. What kind of precedence does this set? Should Heath Ledger's doctor be sent to jail for prescribing pain killers that can 'accidentally' overdosed on or Amy Winehouse's bartender?
ReplyDeleteNo doubt, Michael Jackson is ultimately responsible for his actions. No doubt that if this guy hadn't given him what he wanted, he would have gotten it somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the threat of losing a client, even a rich and powerful one, should never be enticement for a doctor to fail to do his duty. The guy swore an oath, and if he broke that oath because, "Hey, the guy will get it somewhere, might as well be from me," then HE'S the problem, and he's the reason that the guy could get it somewhere. Is he the sole reason, some all-powerful enabler whose denial would have ended it? Certainly not, but it's not his job to worry about someone else. He can control what he does, and in this case, what he did contributed to a man's death.