Speaking out!

I admit that I live in a bubble.  I seldom read the newspaper, or watch the news on the TV - and it's deliberate.  I dislike political discussions, and I keep my religious beliefs to myself for the most part.  I guess you could say I am a private person in many respects.  That is why I find it odd that I am compelled to write my blog today on a very "controversial subject".

Until this past weekend I had not even been aware of a Exhibition called "BODIES".  I was made aware of it being in our city at a downtown location until January 2011, by my son, when he told me that he and a friend were going to "check it out".  So I googled it to see what it was all about.... and there started this blog....

If, like me, you are not aware of this Exhibition, just type in the word Bodies in your search engine, and I'm sure you will get all the information you need or want on this exhibition.  But just in case you don't want to do that - I'm here to tell you what I know about it.

Bodies is an Exhibition on tour through North America, Europe, Asia, and pretty much the world.  It has been at many cities across Canada already, and I'm sure in other parts of the world as well.  It is an exhibition of bodies - just like it says - interesting displays of the human body in various ways and forms - but the bodies you see are actual Human Cadavers.

According to the Press release the Full body specimens are persons who lived in China and died from Natural causes.  After the bodies were unclaimed at death, pursuant to Chinese law, they were ultimately delivered to a medical school for education and research... so the people who's bodies you are seeing did not actually donate their bodies to science, in any way shape or form...

In actual fact,  the practice of polymer preservation (of human bodies) has been around since the 70's.  This has been done for medical schools and universities for years - but the bodies used have been donated by the person for this purpose - and for the purpose of furthering research of human disease conditions.  There is a benefit to this type of preservation, and I fully support this.

BODIES, the exhibition is different.  You are charged a 23.95 + tax admission to view bodies that have been given without consent.  I want to know who benefits from this admission?  Does the money get tuned over to medical research?  Does it get donated to schools of medicines, universities, third world countries... I doubt it.

The money from this exhibit lines the pockets of Atlanta-based Premier Exhibitions INC.  a leading provider of museum quality exhibitions around the world including the Titanic!  And of course the facilities that host this event make money as well... lots and lots of money, if the attendance of this event is as well-attended around the world as it has been here!  Do these organizations filter that money on to medical research?

This venue is billed as entertainment.  In what way is this entertaining I wonder?  If you are that interested in the human body to need such graphic detail - perhaps you should attend medical school.  If like the press release says, the organizers aim is to "educate the public" then do it with models... you can not tell me that in this day and age realistic models cannot be made.

I find it very ironic that the same folks who kick up a ruckus over animal rights/ tree rights, and every other kind of human rights find it quite okay to visit an exhibit of human bodies such as this.

This exhibit, is just another way for someone to get rich on someone else's  misfortune - and we allow it to happen.  I ask you... would this many people be flocking to see an exhibition of  MODELS  of the human body?  I somehow doubt it... the attraction here is that these were real people, and that is just plain sick!

And that - is my opinion!