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Suicide promotion bill stalled — act now to defeat it

Thursday, June 25, 2015, 1:35 pm | Randy Thomasson

respectlifefromconceptionto

I knew this could happen. Because suicide legalization has never passed a house of the California Legislature or passed on the California ballot, and only passed the state Senate this year, I knew that SB 128, the suicide promotion bill allowing doctors to prescribe a lethal drug to a so-called “terminal” patient, was a seriously uncomfortable notion that could be stalled in the Assembly. And that’s exactly what has happened, due to a preponderance of Latino Democrats who have a Catholic background with strong values against suicide.

Will this keep California from becoming the Suicide State that teaches young people that suicide is an answer? Yes, if Californians who care make phone calls to “hold” the reluctant Democrats on the committee and make them immovable (see phone numbers below).

When the Democrat author of SB 128 pulled the bill from the hearing roster on June 22, it was because the suicide bill didn’t have 10 votes to pass in the 19-member committee. You saw how SB 128 was in trouble due to a) concerns and proposed amendments from several of the committee’s Democrats, and b) public opposition — phone calls + expert lobbying at the Capitol + more people speaking out publicly. This is why SaveCalifornia.com has been working hard, both behind in the scenes and in public, as we’ve called on Californians to oppose this suicide promotion bill.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported: “Sources said six Democrats on the committee expressed reservations, five of whom are members of the Latino caucus. Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, confirmed she is among those who oppose the bill, citing personal reasons.”

So this is a temporary victory and is definitely good news! The 5 Democrat Latinos on the Assembly Health Committee who wouldn’t vote for suicide are: Roger Hernández of West Covina, Miguel Santiago of downtown Los Angeles, Freddie Rodriguez of Pomona, Susan Bonilla of Concord, and Lorena Gonzalez of San Diego. The other reluctant Democrat on the committee, who is not Latino, is likely either Adrin Nazarian of Van Nuys or Tony Thurmond of Oakland.

TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION: Please continue spreading the word to others and calling the swing votes on the Assembly Health Committee, which could still vote on SB 128 by between now and July 14. Tell them “The proposed amendments still allow coercion when the lethal drug is swallowed, contains a mis-definition of the word ‘terminal,” and deceptively permits a falsified death certificate. Please vote no on SB 128.”

“Sensitive, thinking Democrats”:
1. Adrin Nazarian (916) 319-2046
2. Tony Thurmond (916) 319-2015
3. Autumn Burke (916) 319-2062

Latino Democrats:
1. Roger Hernández (916) 319-2048
2. Miguel Santiago (916) 319-2053
3. Jimmy Gomez (916) 319-2051
4. Freddie Rodriguez (916) 319-2052
5. Susan Bonilla (916) 319-2014
6. Lorena Gonzalez (916) 319-2080

Committee Republicans:
1. Brian Maienschein (916) 319-2077
2. Rocky Chávez (916) 319-2076
3. Tom Lackey (916) 319-2036
4. Marc Steinorth (916) 319-2040
5. Marie Waldron (916) 319-2075
6. Jim Patterson (916) 319-2023

“We cannot allow California to become a place where we respond to human suffering by simply making it easier for people to kill themselves. Helping someone die — even if that person is desperate and asks for the help — is still killing.”
Catholic Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, in his letter to Assembly Health Committee members

 

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Let Jesus’ resurrection give you confidence

Sunday, April 5, 2015, 2:15 pm | Randy Thomasson

resurrectedjesus

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most important events in history. It ranks right up there with the Creation and Jesus’ death on the Cross. And the Resurrection should give great confidence to true believers.

Consider that when Jesus died on the Cross in 30 A.D. to provide one-of-a-kind substitutionary atonement for believers’ sins, His disciples were afraid, sad, and scattered. They didn’t understand. Yet upon seeing the overwhelming evidence of Jesus’ amazing, physical resurrection, they became confident, glad, and united.

For Jesus’ resurrection confirmed that He was the God-Man, who had the ability to identify with (thus take the place of) sinful humans. And it convincingly demonstrated that He, as the One Who had created all things (John 1:3), had divine authority to forgive sins past, present, and future for all who confess and repent of their sins, ask for and receive Jesus’ forgiveness, and submit to Him as the new King of their lives.

Upon seeing that Jesus has resurrected Himself, just as He said He would, the formerly scared, hopeless, and defeated disciples were transformed in their minds, hearts, and souls. They now knew their identity and purpose. They now knew the meaning of life. And they knew the source of joy. And get this — they were willing to not only die for Jesus, but to live for Him and to suffer for Him as they produced great fruit, saw many lives changed, and turned their culture upside down.

Similarly, every believer today, who sincerely entrusts himself or herself to Jesus, should be glad and hopeful, not morose and hopeless. If you, like His disciples, will gaze at the resurrected Jesus, you’ll not only realize He is Who He said He was, and how much He loves you, but you’ll discover your exciting and fulfilling Reason for being, living, and working!

Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence. Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
Luke 24:36-44 NKJV

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Will Democrats turn California into the Suicide State?

Tuesday, March 31, 2015, 6:09 pm | Randy Thomasson

lethaldrugs

Do you think it’s right to tell a depressed person they’re better off dead?

That’s what Senate Bill 128 in California would do. So-called “terminal” patients (and how often this diagnosis has been refuted when desperate patients seek alternative treatments on their own) would be given a proposal of a lethal dose of drugs to “put you to sleep forever” (kill them) in bed.

In Oregon, which SB 128 is modeled after, physician-assisted suicide isn’t done for pain, but for loss of autonomy. In other words, doctors are killing depressed people. How much this violates long-held medical ethics and the sanctity of human life. The devil must love the State “offing” people before they have a chance to make peace with God on His terms.

Just the facts, ma’am: With Oregon’s physician-assisted suicide law, the large majority of patients who chose suicide didn’t complain about physical pain, but their main concerns were “losing autonomy” (93%), “less able to engage in activities making life enjoyable” (88%), and “loss of dignity” (73%). See the official Oregon stats. A 20-year-old incapacitated in the hospital after a motorcycle accident could cite the same concerns!

Despite these facts, after passing the Democrat-controlled Senate Health Committee on March 25, by my count, it’s virtually assured that SB 128’s physician-assisted suicide (PAS) will also be approved by the Democrat-controlled Judiciary Committee, and go to the Senate floor in May.

There, this suicide-promotion bill will likely pass by a narrow vote — unless there’s a big fight against it in Hispanic and culturally Catholic strongholds. I say this because if enough people in their districts rose up in protest, enough Democrat state senators could vote no. With a 40-member State Senate, a majority is 21, and by May the Democrats will hold 26 Senate seats.

Therefore, at least 6 of the following Democrats need to vote no, and all 14 Republican state senators also need to vote no, in order for SB 128 to be defeated by at least 1 vote on the Senate floor:

Hispanic / culturally Catholic districts:

Ben Hueso of San Diego and Imperial counties
916-651-4040, 619-409-7690, 760-335-3442

Tony Mendoza of L.A. County (Hacienda Heights, La Mirada, Lakewood, Downey, La Mirada) 916-651-4032, 323-890-2790

Connie Leyva of San Bernardino County (from Pomona to San Bernardino)
916-651-4020, 909-591-7016, 909-888-5360

Doctors or married to doctor (Calif. Medical Association opposes SB 128):

Richard Pan of Sacramento, West Sacramento, Elk Grove
916-651-4006, 916-651-1529, 916-262-2904

Robert Hertzberg of Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley
916-651-4018, 818-901-5588

Untested or wildcards:

Cathleen Galgiani of San Joaquin County (and surroundings)
916-651-4005, 209-948-7930, 209-576-6273

Ricardo Lara of Los Angeles’ southeast area (Vernon in north to Long Beach in south)
916-651-4033, 562-256-7921, 323-277-4560

Ben Allen of Los Angeles’ beach cities (Rancho Palos Verdes to Pacific Palisades, then westward to Hollywood)
916-651-4026, 310-318-6994

Richard Roth of Riverside County (from Corona to Moreno Valley and Perris) — although he supported SB 128 in committee, he’s in a swing district and “disappointed calls” could remove his support)
916-651-4031, 951-680-6750

If physician-assisted suicide passes the Senate, the only other place it can be defeated is in the 80-member Assembly, with younger, more pliable, and “less crusty” politicians. So please also urge your own assemblymember to vote no on SB 128.

The prohibition against killing legally innocent people is later formalised in the sixth commandment, ‘You shall not murder’ (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17). The Hebrew word for ‘murder’ is ratsach (Greek phoneuo) and its meaning is further defined in four main passages in the Pentateuch (Exodus 21:12-14; Leviticus 24:17-21; Numbers 35:16-31; Deuteronomy 19:4-13).

These passages resolve any ambiguity for us and give a precise definition of what is prohibited, namely the ‘intentional killing of an innocent human being’ (Exodus 23:7; 2 Kings 21:16; Psalms 106:37,38; Jeremiah 19:4). Euthanasia clearly falls within this biblical definition. There is no provision for compassionate killing, even at the person’s request and there is no recognition of a ‘right to die’ as all human life belongs to God (Psalms 24:1). Our lives are not actually our own. Suicide (and therefore assisted suicide) is therefore equally wrong.
What Does the Bible Say About Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia?

 

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