The Colorado State Capitol. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
Re: Assisted suicide bill to be proposed in Colorado next week, Jan. 29 news story.
The End-of-Life Options Act (medical aid-in-dying) will be heard by state Senate and House committees Wednesday and Thursday. A yes vote by a committees would not be an endorsement of medical aid-in-dying. It would rather be an endorsement of the freedom to choose aid-in-dying by adult Colorado residents of sound mind who are terminally ill and within six months of death, and it would allow this non-partisan act to be debated in the full legislature.
The act, which has been endorsed by the Denver Medical Society, should not be permitted to die in committee, as related legislation did last year.
J.E.T. Stearns, Henderson
This letter was published in the Feb. 3 edition.Re: “End-of-Life Options Act offers control to the dying, Jan. 31 guest commentary.
Thank you to Chris Hinds for addressing the issues of both the need for a tolerable end of life and the equal need to protect disabled people from any pressure to end fulfilling lives prematurely.
Having had disabled friends and a disabled grandson for many years, I am concerned about the latter. Having seen others suffering unnecessary misery while waiting an inevitable death (and fearing for my own unknown future), I support a change in the law so that help, if needed, can be found in our home state.
While often suggested, it is not realistic to assume that a deathly ill person can leave everyone who cares about them and set up residence in a state with different laws. I want a civilized death in my own community and want those I love to have the same.
Willa Allen, Westminster
This letter was published in the Feb. 3 edition.
