An article in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal reports on the simultaneous efforts to legalize physician assisted suicide in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut—something we’ve been warning about for some time here at the CBC.

While the article is focused on the efforts underway in the northeast, what’s stunning is how widespread the movement to engage doctors in the practice of killing has become:

In 2015 at least 26 states and Washington, D.C., are expected to take up legislation on the issue, according to Compassion & Choices, which has lobbying campaigns in nine of those states.

If this isn’t a wake-up call that the time has come to rally the troops for the fight against physician assisted suicide, I don’t know what else will be.

When Massachusetts successfully defeated similar legislation in 2012, they did so by building a diverse coalition of doctors, nurses, disability rights advocates, political conservatives and liberals, and atheists and religious leaders alike—all of whom rallied together under the shared belief that this isn’t about politics, but instead, about patients and the principles of medicine—particularly, that doctors should do no harm.

Here at the CBC, we’ve been involved in this bridge-building work for years, be it in the arena of physician assisted suicide or in the fight to end the exploitation of women and children through third party reproduction. Meanwhile, we need your help.

Is your state one of the 26 states considering similar legislation? If so, you are not powerless in fighting this battle. You can make your voice heard by writing letters to your local newspaper editor, calling your local legislators, speaking with your friends and colleagues about the harms of physician assisted suicide, and educating your local church and civic groups on the realities of the practice.

Governor Christie recently stated he has “grave concerns” about the passage of such a bill. We share those same concerns and believe that doctors should never be involved in the business of sending people to their graves early.

The clock is ticking. The time for action is now. Can we count on you to echo these concerns?

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Christopher White, Ramsey Institute Project Director