Leaders and activists from Not Dead Yet, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund and Second Thoughts and our disability rights movement colleagues have written numerous opinion pieces published in mainstream newspapers and online news outlets. Here are examples:
Pam Heavens: Do not support legalizing physician-assisted suicide (Times Weekly, 10/02/24)
Phil Friend (NDY UK): ‘What we want you to do is to help disabled people to thrive, not to die – so overturn assisted dying’ (Jersey Evening Post, 04/29/24)
Jules Good: Disabled people need ‘supports to live, not tools to die’ (Seacoast Online, 02/24/24)
Pam Heavens: Illinois should not legalize ‘physician-assisted suicide.’ There’s too much potential for abuse. (Chicago Sun Times, 02/24/24)
Lisa Beaudoin: Opinion: The misguided rhetoric of the End-of-Life Options bill (Concord Monitor 02/12/24)
Kathy Jo Ware: Promoters of physician-assisted suicide ignore ways that could improve people’s lives (Minnesota Post, 02/06/24)
Joan Cavanagh: Medical-assisted suicide endangers our most vulnerable (CT Mirror, 11/01/23)
Lisa Blumberg: Assisted Suicide Laws Violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (Newsweek, 09/11/23)
Terri Hancharick: Being disabled doesn’t mean death is better than life (Delaware State News, 09/07/23)
Daniese McMullin-Powell: Physician-assisted suicide discriminates against persons with disabilities (Cape Gazette, 05/23/23)
Lisa Blumberg: Can Conn. live with aid-in-dying being law? (New Haven Register, 04/02/23)
Cathy Ludlum: Nietzsche and Assisted Suicide in Connecticut (CT Mirror, 03/29/23)
Nancy Alisberg: Physician assisted suicide – second thoughts (CT Mirror, 02/18/23)
Bill Fertig: Oppose assisted suicide legislation in Virginia (Virginian Pilot, 10/22/22)
John Kelly: The Answer Is Not Medically Assisted Suicide – Disabled People Demand Full Civil, Human Rights (Quincy Sun, 08/18/22)
Anita Cameron: Provide people with disabilities supports to live, not tools to die (Syracuse.com, 04/08/22)
Cathy Ludlum: SB 88 Would Give Insurers Big Profits (Newtown Bee, 03/03/22)
Lisa Blumberg: Medically assisted suicide: It’s not that simple (Hartford Courant, 02/25/22)
Nancy Alisberg: Physician assisted suicide – second thoughts (CT Mirror, 02/18/22)
Edward Willard: Edward Willard Has Had ‘A Fantastic Life’ Despite Cerebral Palsy And Wants No Assistance In Dying (Maryland Reporter, 02/09/22)
Terri Hancharick: Being disabled does not mean death is better than life: Oppose aid-in-dying (USA Today, 01/28/22)
Melvyn R. Tanzman and Lisa Tarricone: Aid in Dying Act offers too few protections for the disabled (Albany Times Union, 01/12/22) (text for non-subscribers)
Lisa Blumberg: California Senate Bill 380 – A Deadly Bait and Switch on Assisted Suicide (Inside Sources, 09/13/21)
Joan Cavanagh: Progressives offer another point of view on medical assisted suicide (CT Mirror, 08/24/21)
Baroness Jane Campbell: The Government should be helping people to live
– not die through assisted suicide (The Telegraph, 05/26/21)
Marilyn Golden: Keep the safeguards in California’s ‘End-of-Life’ law (Capitol Weekly, 05/13/21)
Joan Cavanagh: State needs health care, not “death with dignity” (CTPost, 04/01/21)
Stephen Mendelsohn: Assisted suicide lobby spreads falsehoods to promote systemic ableism (CT Mirror, 03/08/21)
Joan Cavanagh: THE MYOPIA OF MEDICAL ASSISTED SUICIDE (Par-newhaven, 02/27/21)
Lisa Blumberg: ASSISTED SUICIDE? IT DEPENDS WHERE YOU STAND (Par-newhaven, 01/31/21)
Lisa Blumberg: Separating myth and reality in aid in dying (CT Mirror, 01/20/21)
Cliff Perez: Another Voice: Assisted suicide, care rationing threaten the disabled (Buffalo News, 09/11/20)
Lisa Blumberg: We’re all in this together, including the disabled (Sun Sentinel, 08/14/20)
Cathy Ludlum: Legislators need to see our tears (CT Mirror, 03/27/20)
Jessica Rodgers: Stand up for the vulnerable disabled (Albany Times Union, 03/21/20)
Joan Cavanagh: Nine Reasons To Oppose Assisted Suicide: What Progressives Need To Know (Par-NewHaven.org, 02/26/20)
Diane Coleman: Assisted Suicide Laws Are Lethal Discrimination Against Old, Ill and Disabled People (The Rift, 02/24/20)
Katie Collins-Ihrke: Marylanders need health care, not assisted suicide (Frederick News-Post, 02/17/20)
Mary Lopez, Ph.D.: Assisted suicide bill puts marginalized people at greater risk of harm (Roanoke Times, 02/16/20)
Mike Reynolds: Your Turn, NH – Mike Reynolds (Union Leader, 02/14/20)
Wendi Wicks: New Zealand’s euthanasia bill is a step into the unknown for disabled people (The Guardian, 11/14/20)
Katheryn J Ware: Assisted suicide is a dangerous threat to people with disabilities (Access Press, 11/10/19)
John Kelly: From the larger view, assisted suicide is simply too dangerous (Access Press, 11/10/19)
Meghan Parker: Our problem with assisted suicide: Why disability advocates worry about making it easier for physicians to help New Yorkers die (New York Daily News, 10/22/19)
Ruthie Poole: Should Mass. pass legislation to allow physician-assisted suicide? NO (Second article, Boston Globe, 07/12/19)
Terri Hancharick: Commentary: Assisted suicide legislation endangers those with disabilities (Delaware State News, 05/14/19)
Mike Reynolds: I can’t believe I’m still fighting against assisted suicide (Bangor Daily News, 04/09/19)
Lisa Blumberg: Doctor assisted suicide should not be legalized (CT Mirror, 03/18/19)
Stephanie Woodward: 5 myths about legalizing assisted suicide in NY (Syracuse.com, 03/12/19)
Frances Ozur Cole: Why assisted suicide — by any name — is bad for New Mexico (Santa Fe New Mexican, 03/09/19)
Lisa Blumberg: TAKING COALS TO NEWCASTLE WITH HB 5898 (par-newhaven.org, 02/27/19)
Deidre Hammon: Doctor-assisted suicide invites discrimination against poor, disabled (Reno Gazette Journal, 02/19/19)
Dawn Parkot: Here’s why a person with disabilities doesn’t want N.J. to have a law that allows people to kill themselves (nj.com/Star Ledger, 02/7/19)
John Kelly: As I See It: Legislature should continue to reject assisted suicide bill (Worcester Telegram, 12/24/18)
Mike Reynolds: Maine Voices: Don’t sign petition to put flawed assisted-suicide law on state ballot (Press Herald, 11/29/18)
Diane Coleman: I depend on life-support to stay alive. Why I oppose assisted suicide laws (nj.com, 10/26/18; Star Ledger, 10/29/18)
Kate Blisard: Opinion: NJ should reject assisted suicide bill (northjersey.com, The Record, 09/22/18)
Marilyn Golden: California can right the wrong of assisted suicide (Orange County Register, 06/12/18)
Jamie Hale: We’re told we are a burden. No wonder disabled people fear assisted suicide (The Guardian, 06/01/18)
Lisa Blumberg: Forum: Why the disability community opposes doctor assisted suicide (New Haven Register, 03/28/18)
John Kelly: The Mass. Legislature must say ‘no’ to assisted suicide (Boson Globe, 01/16/18)
Wendi Wicks: Justice committee members all voted for Seymour’s bill (NZ Herald, 12/22/17)
Helena Berger: Assisted suicide laws are creating a ‘duty-to-die’ medical culture (The Hill, 12/17/17)
Lawrence Carter-Long: Assisted Suicide Is No Choice At All (Real Clear Policy, 12/13/17)
Mike Volkman: ‘Death with dignity’ devalues disability (Albany Times Union, 11/27/17)
Sarah K. Lanzo: Would you want to be in this position? (Lockport Union Sun & Journal, 6/30/17)
Mike Reynolds: Assisted suicide not right for Maine (Sun Journal, 4/2/17)
John Kelly: Reader View: Assisted suicide bill — it deserved to die (Santa Fe New Mexican, 3/21/17)
Anne Studholme: ‘Safeguards’ in N.J.’s assisted suicide legislation would be ineffectual (NJ Star Ledger, 10/20/16)
Liz Carr: Legalising assisted dying is dangerous for disabled people. Not compassionate (The Guardian, 9/9/16)
Hollynn D’Lil: Close to Home: ‘Me Before You,’ ‘right to die’ law devalues those with disabilities (Press Democrat, 6/5/16)
Meghan Schoeffling: Caregiver Group Slams Doctor-Assisted Suicide Bill (City Limits, 3/25/16)
Samantha Crane: Aid in living, not dying (Baltimore Sun, 2/24/16)
Anita Cameron: I choose to live! (Pueblo Chieftain, 1/30/16)
Carrie Ann Lucas: Legalizing assisted suicide in Colorado would threaten disabled (Denver Post, 1/25/16)
Stephanie Woodward: Why disabled people like me fear medically assisted suicide (syracuse.com, 11/6/15)
Stephen Drake: Don’t buy into ‘aid in dying’ (Democrat and Chronicle, 10/30/15)
Lindsay Baran & Anne Sommers: Doctor-prescribed suicide is never the answer (Washington Examiner, 10/19/15)
Emily Munson: Assisted suicide raises troubling issues (IndyStar, 9/26/15)
Marg Hall: Killing us softly (San Jose Mercury News, 5/15/15)
Diane Coleman: Why disability rights advocates oppose assisted suicide (Syracuse Post Standard, 5/11/15)
Lisa Blumberg: Op-Ed: Physician-assisted suicide is not a choice issue (CT Mirror, 3/25/15)
Duane French: Dead Ahead? Activist questions proposed “Right to Die” legislation (Anchorage Press, 3/19/15)
John Kelly: Say ‘no’ to assisted-suicide expansion (Oregonian, 3/18/15)
Stephen Mendelsohn: Op-Ed: Assisted suicide would be fraught with problems and abuses (CT Mirror, 3/6/15)
John Kelly: Assisted Suicide Is Still Too Dangerous (bluejersey.com, 11/13/14)
Diane Coleman: Who’s really hurt by assisted suicide? (CNN.com, 11/4/14)
John Kelly: Why Assisted Suicide Laws are More Dangerous Than People Acknowledge (Counterpunch, 11/3/14)
Marilyn Golden: Assisted suicide is bad medicine (Sacramento Bee, 11/1/14)
John Kelly: Assisted suicide laws are more dangerous than people acknowledge: Opinion (NJ Star-Ledger, 10/31/14)
Marilyn Golden: The danger of assisted suicide laws (CNN.com 10/13/14)
Penny Pepper of Not Dead Yet UK: Disabled people like me need help to live, not die (The Guardian, 7/16/14)
John Kelly: Assisted Suicide: Just Too Dangerous (politickernj.com 6/26/14)
Diane Coleman: NJ Assisted Suicide Proposal is Dangerous Prescription (Trenton Times 8/10/13)
Diane Coleman: The dangerous ‘help’ of assisted suicide (New Jersey Star Ledger 7/23/13)
John B. Kelly: Why to vote no on Mass. Question 2 (Providence Journal 10/31/12)
Marilyn Golden: Too Many Flaws in Assisted-Suicide Laws (New York Times 4/10/12)
Diane Coleman & Stephen Drake: ‘Second Thoughts’ Grow on Assisted Suicide (Wall Street Journal 4/5/12)
Marilyn Golden: What you don’t know can kill you (Capitol Weekly 4/26/07)
Diane Coleman: States’ rights versus civil rights (Seattle Post-Intelligencer 9/28/05)
Diane Coleman: Deadly Tactics (Chicago Tribune 3/17/99)