New York's right to die bill, offshore wind, gas-powered leaf blowers

Taking sides on state right to die bill

It was good to see a well-balanced article on the medical aid in dying legislation under consideration by the State Legislature for the 10th time [“Advocates push for medical aid in right to die bill,” News, Feb. 24]. It presented both the pros and cons of supporters and opponents.

Opponents say that this legislation is a “slippery slope” with the danger of those with disabilities and old age being added in the future. The legislation under consideration, though, specifically disqualifies those with disabilities alone and old age alone from being enrolled.

With more than 40 years of combined evidence with the program in 10 states and the District of Colombia where it is legal, there has not been a single case of documented abuse, and the “slippery slope” has never appeared.

It is true that many terminally ill patients respond well to palliative care and pain medications. However, many terminal patients are enduring unbearable suffering despite being given palliative care and pain medications and would benefit from having the passing of this bill as an option.

— Dr. Yale Rosen, North Bellmore

Every person has a purpose, and snuffing out that life prematurely with the proposed medical aid in dying bill prevents the full completion of that life. There is a purpose right to the end, even if that purpose is not evident at the time.

If passed, the bill would become a slippery slope — 99% of Danish women chose to terminate their pregnancy when Down syndrome was detected in a prenatal test. A similar number was also found for Iceland. Their cultures have chosen who has value. This bill would eventually impact physician decision-making for other medical situations.

How society views life at every stage has consequences, and genuine but misguided compassion can halt a greater purpose. End-of-life medications will give tremendous relief to patients, but like everything, they are not perfect. We are not here just for ourselves. We are here to influence, inspire and help each other.

— Robert Sommers, East Islip

I hope people will empathize with the mother who lost her son to a painful and prolonged death that could have been avoided. At the very least, the young man should have had the choice on how he wanted to go in his final time left.

Never mind what religious groups are saying, or skeptics who will find any reason to deny this bill.

It is about personal choice, common sense and mitigating unnecessary suffering for those who choose the option. And safeguards would be in place, as the article pointed out.

Let’s keep New York a progressive, intelligent state. Our legislators should pass an individual’s right to choose end-of-life options.

— John Waye, Manhasset

Ending offshore wind plan makes no sense

President Donald Trump pulled the plug on an offshore wind plan for no logical reason that I can discern other than that it didn’t fit in with his desire to assuage big oil donors [“Wind farm developer pulls out of cable plan,” News, Feb. 21].

Certainly, the idea that we need yet more time to examine the environmental effects of offshore wind is hilarious considering the massive calamities that oil spills alone have caused, even aside from the steady rise in planetary temperatures caused by burning oil and gas.

Offshore wind has been in use in Europe for more than 30 years, and it is growing internationally while the United States gets left behind.

— Jane Fasullo, Setauket

Town’s leaf blower ‘pause’ a bad move

The Town of Huntington’s “pausing” of restrictions on gas-powered leaf blowers is a terrible step backward [“Pause on gas leaf blower limit,” Our Towns, Feb. 21]. Communities around the nation are banning the noisy, polluting nuisances for a host of reasons. They are not efficient, they blow away natural fertilizers in the soil, and they are overused by gardeners who sweep clean a yard that fills with fallen leaves a half-hour later.

Further, many workers breathe in noxious fumes without eye, mouth or ear protection — a violation of Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines.

It’s unfortunate for the gardening companies that must adapt. The profits of most are built on poorly paid labor and industrial-sized equipment that is wrong for neighborhoods. Look to cities like Los Angeles, where quiet eco-friendly blowers are used by law.

These days, many people work from home, and the noise of a gardener running the equivalent of a motorcycle outside one’s window is infuriating. Let’s move forward and improve the life and health of our neighborhoods.

— Roger Mummert, Syosset