Bodies ...The Law
June 12th, 2009 by Derrick DePledgeGov. Linda Lingle signed a bill into law today that bans the sale or display of dead human bodies. The bill was the work of state Rep. Marcus Oshiro, D-39th (Wahiawä), who was upset over the public display of cadavers in the traveling show, “Bodies ...The Exhibition.”
The new law would also increase the financial penalty for misuse of a dead human body from $1,000 to $5,000.
Some critics have opposed “Bodies” on religious and moral grounds, while human-rights activists have protested the show because of the possibility that some of the cadavers were executed Chinese prisoners.
“I’m glad that Hawai’i can maintain its high standards regarding putting people over profits,” Oshiro said. “It was something that was profiting off of dead human bodies and not respecting the final remains of the person.”
There are some exceptions to the new law:
(A) Has been dead for more than 80 years;
(B) Consists solely of human teeth or hair;
(C) Is part of the ordinary display or viewing of the deceased at a funeral establishment or part of a similar funeral or memorial service;
(D) Is an object of religious veneration;
(E) Is an object of research or educational display in the possession of any federal, state, or county agency, any public or private institution of higher learning accredited under federal or state law, or any private entity in receipt of a federal, state, or county grant for health-related research;
(F) Is in the possession of a museum facility.
June 13th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I visited the exhibit. I learned something.
If the allegations are true that these bodies were used without permission, then that's terrible. But this law is banal and sophomoric putting personal bias over science and art.
Fool. How about focusing your attention on real issues, like how to deal with rising unemployment, a poor economy, foreclosures, homelessness, cost of living, development gone wild, clarifying and improving environmental laws in Hawaii, streamlining our bloated government (I'm a democrat and even I think it's bloated), making policy that steers scarce resources to people who need it most...etc.
June 13th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
So, next time, find a museum to host the exhibition. The exception for museums doesn't require that the body be in its permanent collection, only that it be in the "possession" of the museum. The law is silly anyways. If you don't want to see it, don't go. Make the exhibitor/museum prove that the person whose body being is displayed -- or their family -- consented. Who is Rep. Oshiro to substitute his judgment for that of the person or their family? Maybe s/he/they wanted to put the body on display, for whatever reason (yes, including money). Seriously, we DO have bigger fish to fry.
June 14th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Rep Oshiro went after this dead-body-business with absolute focus and determination. His wife wrote a letter to the editor against it. So, I imagine that Rep Oshiro knew he needed to pass this measure for the sake of peace at home. He succeeded and all is well in the Oshiro home.
Perhaps more politicians should be this accountable to their wives and we would all enjoy this level of productivity on the big issues.
June 14th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Too bad not all politicians can have wives. Or husbands. Or spouses. Oh, that's right, Colleen Hanabusa will be back next year with a solution for that. In an election year. Yeah, right.