My friend Doug Peary testified yesterday at the Connecticut legislature in support of a proposed assisted suicide law. Doug has had to watch his father, his sister, and his wife endure end of life suffering due to illness. He spoke in favor of a proposed law that would permit physicians to prescribe life-ending drugs to mentally competent patients who are in great pain and who do not have long to live.
No person should have to endure great pain, and no person should be forced to watch their loved ones suffer. If you live in Connecticut and you agree, contact your legislators and let them know!
I’ve never liked the concept of “assisted” suicide. By definition, suicide involves taking one’s life by oneself. This is an uncomfortable area for me.
A lot of people are uncomfortable about it. I’m not entirely comfortable about it either. In my mind, it is a matter of who gets to decide. Right now, in most states, the government decides, because assisted suicide is illegal. Supporters of these laws (like me) argue that the choice should be made jointly by those who are suffering and their doctors.