Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Nancy Elliott letter to Massachusetts politicians to reject assisted suicide.

Dear Senators & Representatives,

Nancy Elliott
Please reject identical bills S.1208 and H.1926, the “End -Of-Life Options Act”. I know there are some that believe we have a right to die. Anyone can kill themselves. What Assisted Suicide laws do is give rights to doctors to make you dead. They are also giving rights to the government to decide who has the right to live and who is deserving of death. Governments should not be trusted with this power.


Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia are at their heart are eugenic. They seek to eliminate the weak, sick and elderly among us, while promoting what they call autonomy, which is only valuing individuals who are healthy and productive. They seek to morph Darwin's "Survival of the Fittest" into, only the fittest are allowed to survive. This thinking was gaining traction in the US until the Nazi's tried their human experiment and Americans were repulsed.


Proponents say the new Euthanasia is not like the earlier form. They claim it is entirely voluntary. While some may think they chose this, how many were actually steered? Steering is the elephant in the room. I was at a hearing for Assisted Suicide in Massachusetts a few years back where a doctor stated that Assisted Suicide laws were something he was in favor of. He continued with his points and ended by saying that He felt it was the responsibility for a good doctor “to guide people to make the right choice”. I do not think he intended to say that but is there any doubt that this pro suicide doctor would try to persuade his patients to follow his wishes, concerning their Assisted Suicide.


Then there is steering done by family and “so called” friends. It is easy to persuade people that they should give up. Perhaps they are tired of caring for a person or are looking to inherit. We see the most egregious example in the Dutch woman, whose doctor had the family hold her down while she fought and was euthanized against her will. Our opponents call this compassionate, caring and choice.[1]

 

Seniors are at risk and easily fall victim to coercion as the process is open to that. In most states, heirs can be there for the request and even speak. Anyone can pick up the lethal dose. Once in the house all oversight is gone, there is no witness required at the death. Even if they struggled who would know.
 

Eligible people are not necessarily dying. Think of John Norton who testified to this committee in the past. Diagnosed as a young man with ALS. He stated that had assisted suicide been legal he would have done it. A few years in, the progression of the disease just stopped. He was in his 70’s the last time I heard him testify. He had a grandchild and was happy to be alive. His life would have been wasted. What about new cures that could come up and save a person’s life? Why rush into death? You will always have another opportunity.
 

What about the 5% of incorrect medical diagnosis? With Assisted Suicide on the table these mistakes are deadly.
 

This is about disability. If you have a disability you are encouraged to commit suicide. If, on the other hand, you are young and healthy, you are given suicide counselling. This is discrimination. This law is a “special” carve out, for the sick, elderly and disabled. 

Follow the money. There are people and entities that stand to make a profit if "expensive" individuals are euthanized at the earliest moment. Winners would include, insurers, nursing homes, hospitals, government entities and people who are heavily invested in these areas.

Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia are not in the public interest. Please keep this bill from passing as it is dangerous to the people of Massachusetts.


Sincerely,
Nancy Elliott
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition USA

4 comments:

Dave said...

It will be a challenge to convince MA legislators to see how this type of law violates human dignity and the right to life. This doesn't mean that we should be passive and not energetically protest. The situations she cited in the Netherland have the potential to spread to other places, and some have already. Little by little disrespect for the lives of the marginalized continues to spread. Push back as hard as you can people of MA.

David Murphy

Felicity Smart said...

Nancy Elliott's letter clearly explains the dangers of assisted suicide to the vulnerable. The law should protect such people, not make them more vulnerable. The risk is that legalizing assisted suicide will present an option which will lead to the defunding of medical research that could improve these people's lives.

Nancy Schmeing said...

Well said. There are many factors beyond the scenario that proponents cite: "Someone is about to die and suffering, the doctor shortens the suffering."
Even when that scenario holds, it completely ignores the spiritual side. There are plenty of published studies showing that human consciousness survives death. (If we came into existence by random connections between physical bits like atoms, how could this be? Dr. Crick's unfulfilled hope after DNA was to get to the root of consciousness.) Looking at the data, the dying person will soon have a conscious existence without the dead body.
That thought should give pause.

Anonymous said...

Very well said, Nsncy! Let's pray and hope the politicians listen. Thank you.
Elisabet in Canada