Sent January 4, 2000
The Honorable Elaine Alquist
CA State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Assemblymember Alquist:
The California Disability Alliance (CDA) is aware that you have supported, or are as yet uncertain about, the "Death with Dignity Act," AB 1592. We urge you to reconsider your position on this sensitive issue, and to vote "no" on legalizing physician-assisted suicide should this bill reach the Assembly floor in any form during the remainder of this session.
We empathize with the desire to exercise "choice" in this delicate matter, but CDA (along with many other opposing groups) feels that such legislation at the present time is dangerous. People with disabilities, poor people, minorities, people with minimal English skills--any or all may feel obligated or pressured to choose an early death rather than seeking treatment to control physical and psychic pain or other symptoms that diminish quality of life. This is especially true given our present draconian cost-cutting "management" of health care, and even more true for the uninsured or under-insured. Elderly or severely disabled people may be told--and may believe--that treatment is "futile," without ever learning of other options that could lead to a longer life, or at least to one that feels comfortable and worthwhile. Many CDA members can attest from personal experience that doctors often are wrong in assessing both quality of life and life expectancy for people with disabilities, or even for those with cancer or other life-threatening conditions. Yet AB 1592 presupposes that doctors can state with certainty that a life will end within six months.
We urge you to help us improve palliative and long-term care options for people suffering from serious, life-threatening illness or disability, rather than taking the dangerous step of legalizing a new medical "treatment" allowing doctors to help us end our lives. From first-hand experience, disabled CDA members are especially sensitive to the anguish of people in severe pain and/or confronted with loss of bodily functions and independence. Help us end that anguish not with death, but with appropriate, compassionate care. Even the author of A.B. 1592 says it is likely to help only a handful of people, but we believe it creates major risks to many. Why open the door to legalized loss of life for the sake of a very few that might receive solace by physician-assisted death?
Very Sincerely Yours,
Jean Nandi, for the members of the California Disability Alliance
A statewide organization of persons with disabilities and their friends and affiliates
cc: Gray Davis, Governor of the State of California
Grantland Johnson, Secretary, Health & Human Services Agency
Assemblymember Dion Aroner, Author of A.B. 1592