Friends, we’ve alerted you that physician-assisted suicide was on the progressive agenda for 2024, and this week’s unprecedented pre-session hearing shows how high it is on their priority list!
On Thursday, January 25th 2024, progressive legislators held a hearing before the beginning of session in an attempt to get a head start on pushing assisted suicide.
The proposed assisted suicide bill (HF1930) would legalize physician-assisted suicide in Minnesota.
Rebecca Delahunt, MFC’s Acting Director of Public Policy, and Renee Carlson, General Counsel of True North Legal submitted a written testimony urging our legislators to vote against this deadly legislation. You can read that testimony here.
During the hearing, MFC staff live-tweeted on X. Let’s highlight some of the things that were stated, either in opposition or support of the bill.
SUPPORT -
The first testifier lives with incurable brain cancer. She stated that when no more treatment options are available, "there should be more death options."
The next testifier was a doctor with Compassion and Choices, formerly the Hemlock Society. He argued that "medical aid in dying laws are working as designed." He also said that "having the option" itself improves quality of life among very ill patients. He further asserted that he has prescribed the medication nineteen times in Colorado and watched the patients die "bathed in love.”
One testifier, Thaddeus Pope, a Mitchell-Hamline School of Law professor, asserted there has never been a case of abuse in American assisted suicide cases. That’s an outright lie. Here's just a short list of assisted suicide abuses recorded by a disability-rights group.
The Minnesota Libertarian Party Communications Director (who is also an ordained minister) testified in support of the bill. In his support, he argued that on the cross, Jesus on the died in several hours instead of a "normal crucifixion which takes several days." The Libertarian Party of Minnesota should be ashamed. This is blasphemy. If the MN Libertarian Party stands by their director’s claim that God offered "assisted suicide" to Jesus on the cross then we sincerely hope that's the end of their support in Minnesota faith communities.
OPPOSITION -
The bill requires someone to have a 6-month terminal illness diagnosis. As medical doctors made clear in a press conference before the hearing, a 6-month diagnosis is wrongly made in at least 17% of cases (in other words, the patient lives longer, sometimes much longer, than six months).
Anita Cameron, a disability rights activist testified against the bill based on the fact that it would only worsen existing racial disparities in health care outcomes for black and minority Minnesotans.
Jean Swenson, who has lived for decades as a quadriplegic, gave compelling testimony against the bill. Jean explained that she is grateful to be alive. When she was first injured in a car accident and fell into deep depression, friends and care providers offered her love and support, instead of assisted suicide. Jean is forever thankful for this.
Chris Massoglia of Americans United for Life testified against the bill because it is always wrong to intentionally end an innocent human life. He encouraged the state to work on suicide prevention instead of suicide assistance.
A college-aged Minnesotan who experiences daily migraines, Blessing Griswold, asked the committee: "can a life, even the remainder of a life, be expendable?" This is one of the strongest flaws in the argument for assisted suicide. Why are some lives more valuable than others? Why do progressives (rightly) grieve over suicidal teens yet (wrongly) celebrate assisted suicide for the terminally ill?
In line with the above point, Dr. Charles Dennis O'Hare, a hospice director, testified that this bill requires "physicians to become the gatekeepers of which suicides are socially acceptable." This is exactly right--we should not put Minnesota’s medical professionals in a position where they become agents of death.
You can watch the full hearing including all the verbal testimonies here. Ultimately, there were stories that tugged at heartstrings on both sides of the issue. Each individual’s experience is different and one’s personal reaction to facing terminal illness varies.
But we must be crystal clear. All life is inherently valuable, from womb to tomb. Furthermore, assisting a hurting individual in murder is not a form of healthcare. Healthcare seeks to care not to kill. Therefore, assisted suicide is the opposite of compassion because it abandons the patient.
At Minnesota Family Council, we say no to assisted suicide. But we’re also saying yes to innovative and compassionate end of life care. We say yes to human dignity and flourishing. And we say yes to God’s sovereign ordering of our lives.
So, let’s have conversations about how Minnesotans can help support one another and celebrate a life well-lived in our last moments. Let’s promote policy that improves end-of-life services such as palliative care. Together, we must speak the truth that when we are dependent on others it doesn’t make us less valuable or our lives not worth living.
Changing our culture starts today and it starts with you boldly speaking up in your community for LIFE.
