Assisted Suicide could jeopardize daughters life

The following letter was written by Jeffrey & Elsie Golin and printed in the Montana Standard on March 7, 2013.

Assisted Suicide could jeopardize daughters life

We have been following the Montana assisted suicide issue with great concern. We are terrified of assisted suicide laws. Our fear is due in part to our having a severely disabled daughter in the institutional care of the State of California. We fear that assisted suicide and its cousin, direct euthanasia, could spread to California and our daughter, if it is not stopped in Montana.

Given the long and notorious history of euthanasia, we are hoping that your readers will encourage their legislators to approve HB 505 and put an end to the deceptions about this “cause.” We don't believe there are any effective safeguards against its possible abuses. While this is Montana legislation, it is also a nationwide issue that affects all Americans.

In our case personally, we fear physician-assisted suicide could conceivably be sold here in California as a means to prematurely terminate difficult disability cases like our daughters’, to supposedly save money for relatives and caregivers, disguised as a “compassionate choice.”

Please vote “YES” on HB 505.

— Editor’s note: On Feb. 28, HB 505 passed in the House by a vote of 51–46. It will go on to the Senate for approval.

Jeffrey and Elsie Golin
Fresno, CA