From my mailbox:
Dear Editor:
Circulators are currently passing around petitions to put end-of-life suicide on the ballot for the 2018 election. Before you sign the petition, consider South Dakota ranks seventh highest in suicide rate in the US. In addition, suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth and young adults in our state, and is among the highest in the nation among Native Americans.
End-of-life suicide laws have only been successfully passed in five states, but in each of those states the over-all suicide rates among all people have substantially increased since passage of the law. In essence, it seems that legalizing suicide for one group of people sends a message to all people that it’s acceptable to take your life.
If you oppose suicide, the easiest way to defeat the measure is simply not to sign the petition. If supporters can’t get enough signatures, it won’t appear on the ballot.
Dr. Fred Deutsch
Vote No on Assisted Suicide
And Fred brings up an important point that I hadn’t heard before. That in the five states where they have a “kill grandma” assisted suicide law, “the over-all suicide rates among all people have substantially increased since passage of the law.”
That’s a pretty powerful point.
With epidemics of teen suicide in cities like Pierre, and Indian Reservations, do we really want to send a message that it’s ok to kill yourself?
If we believe that life matters, as a society, it’s ok to withhold permission for people to kill themselves.
Fred have you read the disturbingly casual attitude in regards to assisted suicide over at the stoner blog? “Throw a party after a suicide?” Good grief! Totally off the rails!