A.B. 374 NOT Killed by the "Religious Right"
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez has whined that the assisted suicide bill was defeated because it was "demonized by the religious right." Baloney. The religious right has about zero political power in California, particularly in the Assembly.
This bill was stopped because liberals, disability rights organizations, civil rights activists such as the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the California Medical Association, advocates for the poor, and others worked a vigorous grass roots campaign under the aegis of Californians Against Assisted Suicide to defeat the bill. Sure the religious right opposed it, along with the Catholic Church. 
But they weren't the difference. Other bills these groups oppose passed the Assembly without any trouble, for example, just the other day a bill to legalize same sex marriage. (That issue is not up for discussion here.)
No, it wasn't the "theocrats:" It was the realization by many progressives in the legislature that opposing assisted suicide is the truly liberal position.
Labels: A.B. 374. Religious Right.
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 2:51 PM
4 Comments
4 Comments:
I was somewhat relieved to see California's A.B. 374 go down in flames.
Despite the media's constant attempt to promote euthanasia and assisted suicide as trendy and progressive concepts that are somehow helpful to rid the world of people the media pundits think shouldn't live (whether or not the targets of such decisions are allowed or able to speak for themselves), it would seem that those elected to govern our lives do have the courage to resist the brainwashing attempts of the pro-death dogs in the media manger, regardless of their particular political viewpoints.
So for now, at least, we're not likely to be seeing Nazi-style "Compassionate Choices" Death Camps popping up in Sacramento in the near future. Kudos to those members of the California Assembly who voted against legalized murder.
Dan Rothenhoefer,
National Director,
Barrier Free Choices
If anyone's pro-death, you are, Dan Rothenhoefer. Because of people like you, people are killing themselves sooner. They are dying before they want to, but while they are still able.
In Oregon, about 40% of those who obtain a prescription don't use it, so any allegations of coercion are bunk.
Right now, there is coercion against people to stay alive and suffer. *That* is sick and depraved, not assisted suicide.
I look at it much as I look at the death penalty: if there's the possibility of one case of coercion (or of executing the wrong guy), then it's not worth it.
And there's the rub - how are you going to find out what's going on if it's underground and the bodies are cremated before an autopsy can be performed?
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