Readers sound off on Medical Aid in Dying, invading Venezuela and ‘Peanuts’ specials |
Bronx: Re “Make Medical Aid in Dying legal in New York” (op-ed, Dec. 7): New York State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton fails to take into account the long-term effects that passing such dangerous legislation will have on society as a whole. Countries such as the Netherlands and Canada that passed similar bills have gone on to expand this type of legislation to allow doctors to give lethal medication to the depressed and other people with mental illnesses. Where does it stop?
The American Medical Association, since its beginnings, has opposed physician-assisted suicide. Its 2019 Code of Ethics states: “Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally inconsistent with the physician’s professional role.” Another group in opposition is the Catholic Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (Section 2277) states: “Putting to death those who are sick and dying, or disabled, is morally unacceptable.” Orthodox Jewish groups like the Agudath Israel of America oppose physician-assisted suicide because some diagnosed people withstand the illness, and because it conflicts with their religious beliefs. Disability rights groups represented by the New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide oppose the intentional practice of allowing physicians to kill physically and mentally ill patients as a policy that “exploits fear, undermines trust in the medical profession, and opens the door to abuse and neglect.”
The truth is that all death is not painful, and when it is, physicians can provide palliative care and give medicines to patients to relieve the pain, but their intent is not to kill the patient. New Yorkers need to write to Gov. Hochul and ask her to leave a positive legacy and veto this dangerous legislation. Vincent Reese
Lackawaxen, Pa.: Voicers John Hodio and Thomas Bell seem to be unaware of the similarities in demographics between the U.S. and Scandinavian countries — aging ethnic native populations, declining birth rates........