Commentary

Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill into law this week which would allow physicians to assist patients in committing suicide. Under the guise of offering “compassion”, California will speed folks to premature death by calling it medical care.

The legislation was opposed by numerous churches and groups like Americans United for Life.

California is now the 5^th state to offer legalized suicide. It joins Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont at the forefront of the Culture of Death. The issue is also now raging in New Mexico.

Fortunately, Idaho defeated the Death Lobby when they tried making a similar run here several years ago. Through the work of Idaho Chooses Life, Idaho passed a law in 2007 making assisted suicide illegal in the Gem State.

That work is proving crucial to safeguarding the lives of the vulnerable, particularly young people.

Research has just been published in the Southern Medical Journal showing that laws like the one Brown signed have a substantial impact on the general culture and increased suicide rates. They found that overall suicide rates increased by as much as 12% in those states where the government legitimized premature death as an acceptable option.