NDY Board Chair Anne Sommers delivers powerful testimony (video)

July 22, 2015assisted suicide, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, dredf, legislation, national council on independent living, Our News & Commentary Blogassisted suicide, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, DredfDiane Coleman

…Living provided the following time markers for the awesome disability advocates who testified. Mollie Greenberg (NCIL): 1:43:40 Samantha Crane (ASAN & also an NDY Board Officer): 3:17:25 Lindsay Baran (NCIL): 3:21:40 Georges Aguehounde (DCCIL): 4:27:25 Anne Sommers (NDY): 6:00:50 Shira Wakschlag (The Arc): 6:39:20 Maureen Hollowell (DREDF): 7:07:35 If you would like to submit written testimony or a letter opposing B21-38 “Death with Dignity Act”…

John Kelly: Urging California Governor Brown to Veto! Veto! Veto!

September 13, 2015assisted suicide, Californians Against Assisted Suicide, dredf, john kelly, Our News & Commentary Blog, Second Thoughtsassisted suicide, Californians Against Assisted Suicide, Governor Jerry Brown, John Kelly, Second ThoughtsDiane Coleman

…chose to ignore the documented record of abuses under the virtually identical Oregon and Washington laws. John Kelly has put together the information on what you can do to stop this dangerous bill before it’s too late. And if you’re in need of inspiration and hope, look at what the disability community did to help defeat assisted suicide by a vote of 330 to 118 in the UK, in A Matter of Life and Death.] Veto! Veto! Veto! It’s time for Gov. Jerry…

John Kelly: Not Dead Yet and Second Thoughts make strong showing at Rhode Island hearing

March 31, 2016assisted suicide, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, depression, elder abuse, Our News & Commentary Blog, Rhode Island, Second Thoughts, Second Thoughts Connecticutassisted suicide, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, John Kelly, Second Thoughts, Second Thoughts ConnectcutDiane Coleman

…reality is that the bill is almost certainly dead, although it could technically be brought forward at any time. Emily testified that the bill would immediately endanger people experiencing depression, citing the example of Oregonian Michael Freeland, who despite a 43 year history of suicide attempts and depression, easily got a prescription for the lethal drugs. Against the C & C strategy of presenting personal stories of pain and agony, Emily te…

John Kelly: Revised How-To Guide for Urging Veto if CA Assisted Suicide Bill; Talking Points

September 19, 2015assisted suicide, california, Californians Against Assisted Suicide, john kelly, Our News & Commentary Blog, Second Thoughtsassisted suicide, John Kelly, Second ThoughtsDiane Coleman

…ition is far from comforting to the disability community.] For the sake of California and the country, Gov. Jerry Brown of California must veto assisted suicide bill AB2x 15, recently passed by the legislature. Governor Brown must veto a bill that tells vulnerable people that suicide is good for us. He must stop a bill that makes our terrible social inequality even worse. The legislature wouldn’t contribute more to Medi-Cal, but will fully fund th…

Autistic Self Advocacy Network Sends Powerful Letter To Governor Jerry Brown

September 30, 2015"death with dignity", assisted suicide, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, Californians Against Assisted Suicide, Governor Jerry Brown, Our News & Commentary Blogassisted suicide, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, Californians Against Assisted Suicide, Governor Jerry BrownDiane Coleman

…overnor to veto AB 2X 15, which would permit physician-assisted suicide in California. ASAN believes that physician-assisted suicide legislation like AB 2X 15 discriminates against people who are aging, ill, or have disabilities. During the course of its advocacy for people with disabilities, we repeatedly encounter attitudes that life with a disability – not only developmental disability but also disability caused by age or illness – is “undignif…