New York may soon join 10 other states and Washington, D.C., in legalizing assisted suicide. The state Assembly passed the Medical Aid in Dying Act last month. The state Senate has yet to pass it, but 25 senators are sponsors of the bill. To pass, it needs the support of 32.
Assisted suicide is well on its way to normalization around the globe. Just a quick look at Canada shows how broad acceptance of euthanasia changes perceptions of human worth. Our northern neighbor legalized “medical assistance in dying” in 2016. It has been quite controversial since then, and rightly so. In the long list of problems MAID creates is the idea that physical illness should not be the sole requirement to receive life-ending services.
During an interview in 2022, Dr. Naheed Dosani, a palliative care physician in Toronto, said, “We’re hearing about people who are choosing medical assistance in dying or thinking about it more because they don’t have money to live.”
It does not take long for euthanasia to move from the disabled and sick seeking an out to those who simply don’t want to be here, based on life circumstances. Who is to say a similar thing won’t happen in the United States as the list of states with assisted suicide grows?
There is plenty of opposition to the bill in the New York state Senate. Conservatives are fighting against it, as is the New York State Catholic Conference. Some conservatives view the abortion issue as the main pro-life issue, but bills that legalize euthanasia are just as anti-life as those that target the unborn in the womb. There should be an effort to push back against them.
Additionally, a fair number of Democrats in the state legislature oppose the euthanasia bill. One is Brooklyn Democratic Party chairwoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn. Per Politico, “Bichotte Hermelyn and other Democratic opponents have long expressed concerns that health inequities in communities of color would disproportionately steer those vulnerable populations to their end.”
While that’s a broad statement, it is worth noting that certain populations in Canada are more vulnerable for both health and economic reasons, and some might see euthanasia as a way out. Unfortunately, the Canadian government seems happy to “help.” The U.S. does not need to echo that enthusiasm.
Writing for City Journal, John Ketcham of the Manhattan Institute shared some disturbing facts about the New York legislation, among them, the bill allows patients to have virtual doctor examinations instead of strictly requiring in-person appointments. How can there be an accurate evaluation?
The requirements are also exceptionally loose: “The bill does not condition eligibility on feeling pain. A person who suddenly learns he has a form of terminal cancer is eligible almost immediately, even without painful symptoms.”
That opening is ripe for abuse, considering diagnoses can be wrong, or treatment can reverse them or comfortably sustain life.
In a press release regarding the legislation, disability rights advocates stated, “This dangerous legislation threatens the lives and civil rights of people with disabilities under the guise of compassion. Experience in other states demonstrates that so-called ‘safeguards’ are quickly eroded, leading to expansions of eligibility and a growing normalization of suicide for people who could otherwise live meaningful lives with appropriate supports.”
In no way does the Medical Aid in Dying Act help New Yorkers. It is not like palliative medicine, which is used to reduce suffering for those dealing with serious illness. And it’s not compassionate end-of-life care, like hospice. Society is not made better by getting rid of the sick, dying, or disabled. Death is indeed a part of life. Efforts should be made to relieve suffering and honor life, not seek help from the government in order to kill people.
There is no easy way to deal with terminal illness or chronic pain. But a society that sees government-sponsored death as a great solution has lost its moral foundation. And it is truly a slippery slope. At one time, legalized assisted suicide was considered unconscionable. Now, multiple states allow it, with more on the way. It’s becoming gradually accepted as the humane answer. In reality, it is anything but.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a contributor to the Magnolia Tribune.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
