X-Message-Number: 1829
From: 
Subject: CRYONICS Member Exclusion
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 93 21:24:38 PST

>From Steve Bridge, President
Alcor Life Extension Foundation
February 25, 1993

Re: various comments on "member exclusion."

In Message #1789, Brian Wowk referred to Alcor's policy that it 
reserved the right to "exercise discretion in performing suspensions 
under dangerous circumstances."

In #1807, Keith Henson said, "I was not aware of this clause.  Could 
you give me a pointer to it?"

     In #1811, Brian quoted in full Alcor's Non-Discrimination Policy.

> NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
 
>     The Alcor Life Extension Foundation believes that every human has a 
> right to choose and arrange for his or her own cryonic suspension and to 
> enjoy its possible benefits of greatly extended lifespan.  To this end, 
> the Alcor Life Extension Foundation does not discriminate against any 
> person on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, age, marital status, 
> national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation or preference, medical 
> condition, or handicap.
 
>     Although Alcor typically accepts cases involving AIDS, HIV infection, 
> and other communicable diseases, nothing in this statement prevents Alcor 
> from avoiding any situation that genuinely threatens the health or safety 
> of Alcor employees, volunteers, patients in suspension, or the public, or 
> from requiring reasonable medical evaluations in some instances where a 
> genuine threat to health or safety may be suspected to exist, or where the 
> legal status of an individual with regard to mental competency may be in 
> question.


Brian then went on to state, "I think these thoughts are very good 
(and well put).  I had assumed they represented Alcor policy."

     Except for the informational clause, "Although Alcor typically 
accepts cases involving AIDS, HIV infection, and other communicable 
diseases," this DOES represent Alcor policy.  It is printed in the 
front of the 1991 edition of Alcor's handbook, *Cryonics -- Reaching 
for Tomorrow*.  The policy was passed by the Board of Directors at the 
October, 1990 monthly meeting.

     As far as the basic disagreements over whether Alcor should 
consider a person' propensity for causing trouble as a factor in 
whether to accept or retain that person as a member, I would say that, 
except for truly exceptional circumstances, Alcor should NOT make 
that a factor in its decisions.  I also see no reason to require Board 
approval on suspension memberships, either for first time members or 
for persons "returning to the fold."

     I certainly would discuss "acceptable behavior" with returning 
members who had been destructive; but this behavior would affect their 
ability to attend meetings, to be given information, to enter Alcor's 
offices, to receive civility from me on the telephone, etc.  It would 
not affect Alcor's commitment to place that person into cryonic 
suspension.

     "Truly exceptional circumstances" might refer to some extremely 
hated and widely known individual whose enemies might think that 
destruction of his "resting place" was appropriate, no matter how many 
other people might be destroyed at the same time.  Examples might be 
the former Shah of Iran, Salmon Rushdie, or the TV executive who 
cancelled the original Star Trek in the 70's.

     Even then, it might be possible to suspend such a person in a 
separate and undisclosed location.  Certainly such a suspension would 
be kept absolutely confidential if at all possible.

     Of course, there are the rare communicable diseases like Lassa 
Fever which are so virulent that we would have to avoid actually 
performing the suspension, for fear that the entire suspension team 
would themselves require suspension a few weeks later.... ad infinitum.  
Clever people with enough time might eventually figure strategies to 
get around even Lassa Fever.

     Steve Bridge.

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