Posted by: score August 29, 2008
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Is the following activities Moral or Immoral?
 
 
To those of you who have seen the movie "John Q," you'll understand the question being posed. To those who have not seen the movie, here's the description (as given by wikipedia)

"John Quincy Archibald (Denzel Washington) is with his wife Denise (Kimberly Elise) at his son's baseball game. As his son (Daniel E. Smith) runs around the bases and heads to second, he grabs his chest and collapses. After a series of tests at the hospital, John is informed that Michael has an enlarged heart and will need a transplant. However, his health insurance has been changed by the company he works for to a cheaper option and the new policy does not cover the surgery, so they must raise $250,000. Through yard sales and overtime work, the family tries to raise the money but the hospital decides to release Michael. John walks into the hospital emergency room and begins a hostage situation. He gathers the hostages and sets his demands: his son's name on the recipient list as soon as possible. The hostage negotiator, Lt. Frank Grimes (Robert Duvall), stands down to let John cool off."

John Q did something generally considered imomoral--take innocent hostages, terrorized people--in order to save the life of his son, who was a victim of a bad healthcare system. Was there a right or wrong in this situation? Should John have stepped aside and watched his son die for financial reasons?
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