BS"D
"Ain Dochin Nefesh..."
Support of Either Major Candidate in NJ's Gubernatorial Race Threatens to Proliferate Assisted Suicide Laws
27 Mar-Cheshvan, 5782 / November 1, '21
By Rabbi Noson Shmuel Leiter
The
Targum Yonoson on "Lo Sirtzach" (Shmos 20:13) explains that not only
are we prohibited from murder itself, but also from partnership and
association with murderers.* Flaunting this Torah imperative results in
the next generation continuing in that lethal path.
{* Cf. Makkos 10a on Hoshea 6}
The
world just witnessed the barbaric murder of two-year old toddler Alta
Fixsler HY"D. Alta, valiantly struggling with brain-damage from birth,
was killed by the British healthcare system. Alta, not even a British
citizen, was held hostage and murdered because a British judge deemed
her life worthy of being ended, against the unrelenting efforts of her
family and supporters around the world. This, in spite of alternative
treatment options overseas that would have extended and possibly saved
her life - and saved the U.K. money as well. Thus, England's legal
vendetta against Alta, unlike some of their previous crusades, wasn't
about Greed, but "Creed:" the redefinition of murder.
This
movement of state-mandated murder didn't start with Alta, or with
previous victims of systemic British barbarism, like Alfie Evans and
Charlie Gard. It started years earlier and "progressed" to those murders
of innocent children. What's more frightening is that across the Pond, the
U.S. is not far behind. And, as is the case with the overall moral
collapse on a range of issues, much "Hakaras haTov" (gratitude) is owed
to both major political parties for that, specifically in regard to the
advance of "Assisted Suicide."
The
threat of the legalization of assisted suicide is such that over fifty
Rabbis from across the Orthodox spectrum signed a statement against it.
Therein, they state that it's prohibited to vote for a political
candidate who either supports or previously supported assisted suicide,
EVEN if already became law. If voters don't show politicians that
previous acts have consequences, we can't expect to deter them - OR OTHERS - in the future.
Text of the statement:
"Regarding attempts to pass “Death with Dignity” legislation:
The
chiyuv (Torah injunction) of “Lo sa'amod al dam re’echa”, obligates
everyone to do what he or she can, to help prevent assisted suicide
and/or euthanasia.
Allowing the legalization of “assisted
suicide”, even if this particular law in practice would only result in
assisting a suicide and not euthanasia, is to allow shefichas-domim
(bloodshed). Furthermore even rendering such actions not being subject
to prosecution, is allowing shefichas-domim (bloodshed), al achas kama
ve'kama (how much more so), in cases of assisted suicide leading to
euthanasia.
Voting on the basis of this issue.*
{technically, should be punctuated with a colon - NSL}
This obligation would include:
1)
Thus*, when voting for any public official, this issue must be
considered as top priority, certainly overriding financial
considerations, government programs, etc. By voting for people who
support these laws, we become accountable for their actions. This ruling
would still apply even if these laws were to be passed, we would still
be forbidden to vote for legislators who voted for these laws. This is
the most important way to fulfill our obligation.
{*
The word "thus" here clearly refers back to the first two paragraphs,
as if the previous two single-line phrases are to be read, grammatically
speaking, as headers. None of my grammatical comments here are to be
taken to alter or detract from the imperative meaning of any of these
phrases. NSL}
2) Urging one’s legislators to vote against
these bills, if and when they arise[1]and to urge the governor to veto
such bill, were it to pass the legislature.
3) Helping in
efforts to repeal such laws, in areas[2] where such legislation was
already passed. Even a few votes can make a major difference, both by
legislators and the public—sometimes the vote of a single legislator can
decide the fate of these laws—as is evidenced by the recent vote in the
New Jersey State Assembly (in November 2014), where an assisted suicide
bill was passed by just one vote. We have seen in several recent races
in Jewish neighborhoods, that even a handful of votes can make the
difference in the outcome of the election[3]
Furthermore, some
legislators keep track of the calls that are made to their offices on
particular controversial issues, and vote according to their results.
May
the Creator of all life grace us with the merit to save innocent lives,
fulfilling our role as an ohr legoyim (light unto the nations). In that
merit, may we help usher in the Final Redemption by Moshiach
Tzidkeinu."
Signatures of Leading Roshei Yeshiva, Rabbonim, and Poskim:
Mordechai
Chaim Auerbach - Boruch Hirschfeld - Avrohom Reich - Eliyahu Ben-Haim -
Zalman Leib Hollander - Dovid Ribiat - Haim Benoliel - Shmuel
Kamenetsky - Yosef Yitzchok Rosenfeld - Gad Bouskila - Yosef Meir
Kantor - Chaim Schabes - Yitzchok M. Braun - Elya Nota Katz - Dovid
Schustal - Shlomo Breslauer - Eliezer Langer - Yaakov Shulman -
Eliyahu Brog - Yeshaye Gedalye Kaufman - Moshe Silberberg - Simcha
Bunim Cohen - Amram Klein - Moshe Soloveitchik - Yitzchok Cohen -
Shloime Ben Zion Kokis - Yitzchok Sorotzkin - Moshe Donnebaum -
Grainom Lazewnik - Tzvi Steinberg - Eytan Feiner - Moshe Tuvia Lieff
- Elazar Mayer Teitz Menachem Fisher - Shmuel Miller - Elya Ber
Wachtfogel - Noson Yermia Goldstein - Avrohom Yaakov Nelkenbaum -
Boruch Hersh Waldman - Avrohom Gordimer - Yechiel Perr - Moshe Weissman
Shmuel Gorelick - Steven Pruzansky - Benjamin Yudin - Moshe Green -
Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff - Yeruchum Zeilberger - Yisroel Dovid Harfenes
- Gavriel Zinner "
{The footnotes on psak were not reproduced here for technical reasons. NSL}
~~~~~~~~
New Jersey:
Democratic
NJ Governor Murphy signed Assisted Suicide into law, and it went into
effect in '19. The bill, euphemistically marketed as "Aid In Dying,"
legalized the deliberate murder of "terminally ill" patients who
ostensibly, at some point, expressed a desire to die. Facilities
ostensibly dedicated to healthcare are, under certain circumstances
(conditions being broader than most people imagine), allowed to actively
kill [poison] the qualifying victims, by "law."
As
dominant and far-gone as the NJ Democratic Party is, they were unable
to pass this assisted suicide on their own. Legalization required a few
Republicans. After repeated battles for about seven years, "Aid In
Dying" did pass, but only by exactly one vote in each house of the NJ
legislature; bipartisanship at it's worst.
Of
course, it's not hard to understand that a vote for Governor Murphy, who
signed the aforementioned legislation of state sanctioned murder,
broadcasts a tolerance for such a stance. However, contrary to popular
opinion, that fact does not translate into a rationale to support his
Republican opponent, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli.
As Assemblyman, he twice voted for assisted suicide: for A2270
on Nov.13, '14; and for A2451 on Oct/20, '16. (He had left the legislature by the time it passed into law.
Ciattarelli also spoke out in defence of his position in 2014, which reported:
"...
Ciattarelli
— who, along with Schepisi, also a yea vote, arguably took the greatest
risk in voting against their caucus, given ongoing chatter about their
future political prospects — argued that he thinks the issue’s “time has
arrived.”*
{*
Interestingly, "the time has come" is the same non-reason that Heck
Commission of Sen. McCain provided for recommending that Selective
Service be expanded to women, despite all of the evidence of the
disastrous consequences thereof. - NSL)
“This is one of those
votes where people are coming at it from different angles, and I don’t
think anyone coming at it in their own way is wrong,*” Ciattarelli, who
found his name in the mix for a U.S. Senate run earlier this year, said.
..." (https://observer.com/2014/11/aid-in-dying-vote-deeply-personal-for-two-republicans-who-voted-against-party-line)
{* One wonders if the aforementioned British "different angle" would similarly pass his bar. NSL}
Autopilot
NJ Republicans, and those who unrelentingly support the ostensibly
"lesser" evil, may benefit by contrasting the laws of liberal N.Y.,
Maryland -- AND MASSACHUSETTS - which all prohibit assisted suicide -
with the extremist postion of their GOP republican candidate for
Governor, which is to the left of those leftist-dominated states. Think
about that.
Nationwide Impact:
In
light of the above, it is apparent that a vote for Ciattarelli will
send a message to Republican politicians around the country that voting
to legalize murder has no noteworthy downside. Why is that so dangerous
-- right now? Because there are states that are dominated by Democrats
even more so than NJ, states where the Democrats similarly don't have
the votes to pass assisted suicide. If even just a few leftist
Republicans see that NJ elected a Republican (the assisted suicide
Lobby will most definitely show them the numbers), those Republicans
will assume that as long as they can convince the voters that they are
better than their Democratic rival, they can vote for assisted suicide -
and not only keep their jobs, but even get elected governor.
"...
Pendergrass said there are 53 sponsors in the 141-member House this
year and 17 sponsors in the 47-member Senate. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said
this month that he is “willing to look at both sides of that issue....”
That
alarming report appeared just before Corona hit the U.S. in early 2020
C.E. Corona delayed or slowed the passage of such legislation. However,
we are now forewarned that Maryland is precipitously close to passing
assisted suicide. Governor Hogan, a leftwing Republican, vice-signaled
his inclination towards "considering" assisted suicide. He will be
encouraged to sign such a law - IF he sees that, in states in which
assisted suicide passed with GOP support, such Republicans need only the
"lesser evil" narrative to win thereafter.
Votes for Ciattarelli, particularly
from religious communities, will provide people like Gov. Hogan that
desired comfort level to encourage him to push assisted suicide into
law.
BOTTOM LINE: A vote for Jack
Ciattarelli shows that a vote for state-mandated murder doesn't have
harmful political consequences. NJ will thus progress to increasingly
more lethal legislation, and spread assisted suicide legislation to
other states, endangering the entire country.
As Jews, we
also must recognize that a vote for either Murphy
or Ciattarelli projects the erroneous image that Jews support or
tolerate murder; worse - state mandated murder.
Another
palatable option does exist: a write-in vote. The selection of a name to
write in may be made with an eye towards (a) demonstrating to the
Democrats that one opposes their particular mutation of the anti-G-d
agenda, and towards (b) messaging the Republicans that they cannot
continue nominating candidates who expect us to vote for them regardless
of how lethal their legislative profile is. A write-in vote is not
just the moral choice, but the most politically beneficial. (Another
option, less effective of course, is to leave that column on the ballot
blank.)
In the merit of alerting others who seek the truth, may we ourselves always find it.
