Washington Group Airs First Ads Against Assisted Suicide, Feature Martin Sheen
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 30, 2008
Olympia, WA (LifeNews.com) — The leading group in Washington battling against the November ballot measure to legalize assisted suicide has launched its first set of radio ads. The spots feature actor Martin Sheen, a pro-life Democrat known for his role as the president in the popular television drama West Wing.
"Hello, this is Martin Sheen with an urgent message about Initiative 1000," he says in the ad.
"It’s a dangerous idea that could hurt low-income people who need medical care," Sheen explains. "It’s a step backwards and I urge you to vote no."
"Initiative 1000 would open up a loophole that health care insurers could exploit to cut payments for the disabled and the working poor — encouraging them to use assisted suicide," Sheen says. "This is exactly the wrong direction for real health care in America."
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"We have a long way to go to fix our system and guarantee coverage for everyone. We fought hard for the protections and care we do have and Initiative 1000 is not the answer," he says.
"It’s opposed by nurses, disability groups and the 9,000 doctors in the Washington state medical association," Sheen concludes. "People who are ill need real medical care and compassion and not lethal drugs."
The Coalition Against Assisted Suicide is behind the ads, which highlight the coalition of groups — pro-life, medical and disability related — that oppose I-1000.
But Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition tells LifeNews.com the group doesn’t have the funds to compete with backers of the measure.
"The sad reality is that the euthanasia lobby has been able to raise approximately $4 for every $1 that has been raised by the Coalition Against Assisted Suicide," he explains. "The euthanasia lobby in the State of Oregon has promised to match all donations to the other side – up to $1 million dollars."
"The Coalition Against Assisted Suicide needs money from you or your group now to enable them to air the professional ads that they have produced," Schadenberg explains — saying donations are needed by October 13.
Related web sites:
Coalition Against Assisted Suicide – https://www.noassistedsuicide.com
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