Is NH End of Life Options Act compassionate or cruel? Letters
NH End of Life Options Act is ethical, humane
Jan. 25 − To the Editor:
I write to express support for HB 1283, the NH End of Life Options Act, which would allow mentally capable, terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less to obtain prescription medication they can decide to take to peacefully and painlessly end their suffering, if, in their own estimation, it becomes unbearable. Such a person would have to go through a rigorous qualifying process, including assessment by two doctors.
This is not euthanasia. It's a decision a qualified dying person makes for themselves; the medication must be self-administered. The safeguards built into HB1283 make it impossible to abuse. There is no possibility of a "slippery slope," as some try to infer.
As an ordained minister who has served in parish, hospital and hospice settings, I've had the privilege of providing spiritual and emotional support for many people at the end of life. I've known many brave terminally ill people who, despite good care, suffered greatly and expressed the wish that there was a painless way to end their agony. Even the best hospice care cannot alleviate all pain and suffering.
My husband had good hospice care, but his suffering still became unbearable. He had many symptoms beyond the scope of hospice to manage. Severe breakthrough pain was a problem for him. He wished to have Medical Aid in Dying; here, this was not an option. His death was not gentle. It was traumatic. It breaks my heart that after all he went through, he couldn't die peacefully.
HB 1283 is an ethical, compassionate option for those suffering, dying individuals who desire Medical Aid in Dying and qualify for it.
The Reverend Mary A. James
Durham
End of Life Options Act endangers vulnerable veterans
Jan. 25 − To the Editor:
39 years ago, I enlisted in the Air Force. I’m one of three members of my immediate family that proudlyserved our country. I’m a disabled veteran with a spinal cord injury and HB 1283 greatly alarms me!This bill preys upon the weak. Physician-assisted suicide poses a threat to many populations who arehighly susceptible to suicide. This is especially true for our Veterans who are experiencing PTSD,depression, traumatic brain injury, etc.
They don’t need euthanasia to be the first solution to their problems. We should be providing them withthe proper help and tools they need to succeed and make a better life for themselves and their families.
This bill would undermine NH’s suicide prevention programs. New Hampshire RSA 126-R establishes aCouncil on Suicide Prevention and has implemented a suicide prevention plan. The VeteransAdministration (VA) announced that ending veteran suicide is its top clinical priority, and a White Housefact sheet calls veteran suicide a “public health and national security crisis.” The passage of HB 1283would create a double standard on suicide prevention by increasing suicides.
Veterans are the backbone of this country. If the door of physician assisted suicide is opened, even aninch, there is nothing to prevent it from opening as far as it will go and harming our veteran community.
Melinda Simms
Belmont
Disabled Air Force Veteran
United Spinal Association
More: 'We treat our pets with more respect': Dying NH doctor's wish for death with dignity
Is Rye spending its tax dollars wisely? Learn more Feb. 1.
Jan. 28 − To the Editor:
Many in Rye were not happy with the December tax bill. This year, the town budget is almost $13M, School over $17M and Rye Water may be over $2M. Then there are the additional warrant articles.
Rye has a low tax rate, but that is because spending is spread across some of the most expensive property in the state. Government service costs by number of residents is a different story.
Is Rye getting incredible value for this spend or not is a complex and difficult question. What is not complex is understanding what drives budgets, the financial mechanics that lead to the tax rate and historical trends. If you can’t walk across the street and explain this in detail to a neighbor, I suggest you join the Rye Civic League (RCL) on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Rye Public Library. Streaming will be on www.townhallstreams.com under Rye Public Library.
For over a decade the RCL has been telling this story and answering budget questions. This year we will weave the money warrant articles into the budget presentation and then wrap up with the education and background on the remaining warrant articles.
Over the past few years, I have noticed a few residents flipping through the presentations we post afterwards at the Saturday Deliberative meeting (Feb. 3, 9 a.m., Rye Junior High). At the Deliberative Town Meeting lunch break, the RCL is hosting a Civic Fest where residents can meet with town departments, boards, committees, commissions and other groups. Lunch is being donated by Seacoast Soups and Common Roots.
The School Deliberative meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 6 at the Rye Junior High School at 6:30 p.m. Candidates Night will be March 7, 7 p.m. at Rye Public Library. You have until Feb. 2 to run for an elected position. The annual Rye Water District meeting is Saturday, March 23 at the Rye Junior High School at 10 a.m.
Not everyone in Rye gets the monthly RCL Civic News, so sign up and ask all you know if they are getting it. Just use the sign-up tab on www.ryecivicleague.org. Prior to the March 12 vote, the RCL provides several voting tools (you need to be on the Civic News distribution).
Steven Borne
Rye Civic League, President
House Republicans don't really care about securing southern border
Jan. 25 − To the Editor:
The next time Republican voters whine about "the border," they should be reminded that the not-really-interested-in-governing wing of Republicans in the House of Representatives scuttled an immigration bill with bipartisan Senate support because they want to keep the issue alive for the Presidential campaign. Hey, isn't it time to topple another Speaker? They're really good at that.
Eric Kane
Exeter
Time for GOP to put up or shut up on securing our borders
Jan. 26 − To the Editor:
As the saying goes; "it is time to put up or shut up." A bipartisan group of Senators have almost completed a comprehensive border security bill that also includes aid for Ukraine and Israel. The bill will be ready for a Senate vote next week.
For months Trump and Republicans have been using the situation on the southern border as a key political tool against President Biden. Now with a real opportunity to do something concrete to secure the border, Republicans are facing a real dilemma. Mr. Trump has been lobbying members of the Senate to oppose the legislation, not based on policy considerations, but solely based on politics. It shows that he is more interested in his personal political future than actually protecting the nation. Trump has said that Senate Republicans should oppose this bill because they need "a perfect bill" or nothing at all. This begs the question as to why Trump and Republicans never put forward a "perfect" immigration bill when he was president and they controlled the Senate?
Considering how Republicans have turned the immigration issue into a national crisis, how can they now reasonably justify not doing what is necessary to address that crisis? They cannot have it both ways, either there is a crisis that needs to be addressed now, or there is not an immediate need to address the problem. The time has come for Republicans to put up or shut up about immigration and the securing of our border. The time has come for them to finally put the nation ahead of politics and Donald Trump.
Rich DiPentima
Portsmouth
Trump did not win big in Iowa
When the news writes stuff like this I want to scream.
From AP: "Republican leaders in the House, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., voiced their support well before the first nominating contest in Iowa (caucus) on Jan. 15. A flood of endorsements followed Trump’s landslide victory in the state.”
In truth, it was hardly a landslide victory. 14% of registered Republicans voted in Iowa, and 51% of them voted for Trump. Do the math, half of 14% is 7%… how can anyone call that a landslide?! UGH - makes me crazy that we allow democracy to wither away with these kind of low numbers - People read the paper and think. “Yup, Trump won big!” He did not! Over the next few months, spread the word to everyone you know, vote-vote-vote!
Cheri Bach
Portsmouth
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Is NH End of Life Options Act compassionate or cruel? Letters
