Reader Responds to Majority Leader Holden’s Assisted Suicide Decision

Dear Editor:

I disagree with Majority Leader Chris R. Holden’s decision to vote for a law effective 90 days from the end of this legislative session that the State of California provide poison pills to medical doctors for individuals that request assisted suicide. I based my opposition to this law by listing some of the reasons listed in “30 Logical Reasons Against Assisted Suicide” article by Jane St. Clair.

Some terminally ill people recover and get well. Doctors make mistakes in medical care. No one, not even incapacitated people, need an assisted suicide. Oregon offers terminally ill assisted suicide in lieu of medical care. Assisted suicide laws put poor people at risk. The first Nazi victims were terminally ill people who were regarded criminally insane, severely handicapped children, very old, etc. Once they the eliminated “useless eaters” the Nazis went on killing … Dying people can be treated for depression. You do not need to commit suicide. Skilled hospice caregivers can control physical pain. Assisted suicide puts pressure on dying people to end their lives.

– Floyd Folven
PASADENA

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