Disability Advocates in Massachusetts Conduct Legislative Briefing Against Assisted Suicide

Today, John Kelly led a well attended legislative briefing by disability rights advocates who oppose the state’s assisted suicide bill, H 1991.  In anticipation of the legislative committee hearing on assisted  suicide scheduled in Massachusetts on Tuesday, October 27th, the briefing received some excellent news coverage:

Congratulations to all who presented and responded to questions today.

The hearing on Tuesday starts at 1:00 p.m. ET.  It is supposed tot be webcast here.

Below is the Media Advisory issued by Second Thoughts.

MEDIA ADVISORY                                      CONTACT

October 27, 2015                                           John Kelly 617-536-5140 

                                                                            JJ Hanson 850-377-5410 

Second Thoughts MA to be joined in opposing H 1991 by Second Thoughts CT and brain cancer survivor JJ Hanson. 

Disability rights activists from across the region will be speaking Tuesday before the Massachusetts legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Health in opposition to H 1991, which would legalize assisted suicide in the state.  The hearing begins at 1 PM in Rooms A1/A2 at the State House.

As Second Thoughts director John Kelly told a legislative briefing at the Statehouse today, “The disability community is full of people who were judged terminal. For example, John Norton of Florence is sure he would have used assisted suicide were it legal in 1955 when he was diagnosed with ALS. 60 years later – the disease process stopped – he’s glad it wasn’t.”

In light of the Connecticut legislature’s repeated rejection of assisted suicide, Second Thoughts Connecticut member Stephen Mendelsohn will testify, “When legislators look at the details of these bills, they understand that legalizing doctor-prescribed suicide diminishes rather than enhances choice.”

Patients Rights Action Fund President JJ Hanson will be in Boston to testify “if assisted suicide becomes the social norm for terminally ill patients, those who want to fight to live will have their ability to survive taken from them.” Hanson, who was diagnosed with Grade 4 Glioblastome (GBM) and given 4  months to live in May 2014, is featured in the video “Man of Steel.” Hanson will be available for interviews Tuesday. He can be reached at (850) 377 5410.

Cathy Ludlum of Second Thoughts Connecticut will testify that “the harsh reality is that those of us with disabilities will be the collateral damage in any formalized death-by-choice system that is created.”

Numerous Massachusetts disability rights advocates will also testify against the bill. And Kelly noted that every major national disability rights organization that has taken a position on assisted suicide has opposed it.