But a Pro-life group decries dying law: ‘Most vulnerable pay the price.’
By Catholics for Catholics
In a victory for euthanasia advocates, the State of Illinois became the latest to legalize physician-assisted suicide, with supporters hailing the development as a victory for “freedom and choice” and opponents decrying it as “misguided.”
J.B. Pritzker, Illinois’ Democratic Gov, signed Senate Bill 1950, also known as the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, into law last Friday, according to a story by The Christian Post.
In a thread on X, Pritzker said: “I have been deeply impacted by the stories of Illinoisans or their loved ones who have suffered from a devastating terminal illness — and I have been moved by their dedication to standing up for freedom and choice at the end of life in the midst of personal heartbreak. Today, Illinois honors their strength and courage by enacting legislation that enables patients faced with debilitating terminal illnesses to make a decision, in consultation with a doctor, that helps them avoid unnecessary pain and suffering at the end of their lives.”
“This legislation will be thoughtfully implemented so that physicians can consult patients on making deeply personal decisions with authority, autonomy, and empathy,” Pritzker said.
While the Governor of Illinois commended the law for advancing “freedom and choice” for the terminally ill, the pro-life advocacy group National Right to Life had a disapproving response to the bill’s passage.
In a statement provided to The Christian Post, Carol Tobias, National Right to Life President, said: “Assisted suicide is not health care, and it is not compassion.”
“This law abandons people at their most vulnerable moments and sends the message that their lives are not worth living,” she warned. “It sets Illinois on a path where the elderly, those with a disability or struggling with serious illness may find themselves pressured — subtly or overtly — to end their lives.” Bemoaning that “ideological commitments have trumped patient safety” in Illinois, Tobias added, “The experience of countries and states that have legalized assisted suicide is clear: safeguards erode, eligibility expands, and the most vulnerable pay the price. Illinois will be no exception.”
“We grieve for the lives that will be lost because of this misguided law,” she said.
Death With Dignity, the advocacy group, said that Illinois is one of 12 states where assisted suicide is legal. Other states that have legalized assisted suicide are: California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. It is also legal in Washington, D.C.
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