Agudath Israel Statement:
A Dark Day: New York to Legalize Assisted Suicide
Agudath Israel expresses its profound disappointment at Governor Hochul’s announcement today of her intention to sign the Medical Aid in Dying Act, which would legalize physician assisted suicide in New York.
For over a decade, Agudath Israel has been a leader in opposing physician assisted suicide. That opposition remains today. We have had dozens of meeting with legislators, presented public testimony, made personal pleas to the governor, and circulated many action alerts which generated thousands of emails and phone calls. Our longtime opposition, and that of our coalition partners, has surely deferred this day. This law reflects, sadly, societal shifts on the value of life.
This past July, in a letter to the governor, we wrote that the legislation would represent a paradigm shift in how New York treats life and its most vulnerable citizens. It raises a host of deep moral, medical and religious concerns.
While we appreciate the proposed amendments to the new bill that would add additional safeguards against abuse of the newly created right to assisted suicide (in addition to the two clauses added last year a) to allow medical practitioners to decline participation without fear of sanctions, and b) to prevent insurance companies from denying coverage for end of life treatment), our opposition to the bill remains steadfast.
Physician assisted suicide crosses a moral line that has long been sacrosanct. It no longer is. This is a dark day.
This outcome was entirely predictable. Agudah has no one to blame but itself. For years, it chose to align with left-liberal politicians while remaining silent as laws promoting LGBTQ ideology, toeiva, and the broader woke agenda were pushed through. Rather than taking a firm stand, Agudah ignored these dangers and even dismissed supporters of Rav Avigdor Miller as followers of a daas yochid.
ReplyDeleteWhen an organization repeatedly compromises its values and embraces the Democratic Party, it should not be surprised when that alliance turns against it. This is the inevitable result of appeasement. You reap exactly what you sow.
Aguda is a organization which rides on nostalgia , Laymen control a organization which was created for the sole purpose of fighting for what's right and was founded by and ran by Torah greats, specifically to counter the street sense of what's right and wrong. Today they look up to the modern view of psychologists social workers therapists who absorbed the academic worldview and that is what leads them for the most part. They should Stop using the name Aguda of the chafetz chaim a reb chaim ozer they should stop claiming to speak for the Torah for bnai torah. And refer to themselves as a social service organization which they do phenomenal work
ReplyDeleteWhat would the Chashmonaim have done in the situation??
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