Assisted suicide, New York unclaimed funds, and securing the Southern border

Those dying should have suicide option

Cathy Young urges caution in enacting the medical aid in dying law (MAID) bill in New York State because of issues concerning that type of law in Canada “Heed conservative warnings on assisted death,” Opinion, July 21].

One concern is a woman who ended her life after being denied specialized housing. Another concern is a man who was granted MAID based on a request in which hearing loss was the primary problem. I am not familiar with Canada’s MAID law but am very familiar with MAID laws in effect in 10 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

All state laws, including the one being considered for New York, are similar. They require that an applicant for MAID be terminally ill with a six-month prognosis for living. Mental competence and lack of coercion must be certified by two independent physicians. Dementia and disabilities alone are disqualifying for MAID.

Approved applicants are given prescriptions for life-ending medications, which they must be able to self-administer. MAID is a program that enables dying persons experiencing intolerable suffering despite all medical interventions to end their lives on their terms and to preclude further suffering.

— Dr. Yale Rosen, North Bellmore

The decision to end one’s life should be made solely by the individual. Neither the state nor society in general should interfere with that right. None of us asked to be born. We should at least have the right to opt out for whatever reason we deem necessary.

The hypocrisy in suicide being illegal and immoral is monumentally apparent when society and the state reserve the right to abort fetuses, demand some Americans risk their lives in wars, and execute criminals.

Suicide is the ultimate freedom and is implied in the right to life.

— Rainer Schwarz, Huntington

Unclaimed funds? Don’t even bother

In Newsday’s extensive reporting about unclaimed funds held by New York State, one major problem was not included — the difficulty in obtaining these funds by the rightful owners “Unclaimed funds,” LI Business, July 23].

Spurred by this article, my husband and I just went through the online process trying to obtain outstanding funds for about five different claim items. As we have found twice before, not one claim item would be approved without us printing a mail-in form requiring additional information — providing proof of old and new addresses, citing name differences when our names are exactly the same as on the claim, and having our names notarized — before we can mail the entire bundle in the hope of obtaining rightful repayment.

Aside from the hoops that people have to jump through to obtain their money, they have the additional burden of paying a notarization fee without even knowing the claim amount.

Is it any wonder why people don’t even bother if they are aware of these unclaimed funds?

— Regina Kennedy Anto, Baldwin

Securing Southern border is U.S. duty

The federal government and its three branches continue to be remiss in our government’s responsibility to secure our borders [“U.S. sues Texas over barrier,” Nation, July 25]. This barrier is not anti-immigration. Securing the borders is the only way immigration reform can take place. Yet the federal government tries to block actions border states have taken to impede illegal border crossings.

The Department of Justice’s seeking removal of the buoys placed in the Rio Grande by Texas is only the latest example of this. It’s like Arizona’s being required to remove a border wall in December.

If the federal government is derelict in its responsibility to secure our Southern border, it’s the states that are acting proactively and being penalized for doing what the federal government should be doing.

— Michael J. Genzale, Shoreham

Most LI libraries are stable and effective

Although Newsday focused on the troubles of one Long Island public library, we need to keep in mind that the overwhelming majority of public libraries on Long Island are stable and effective centers of their respective communities “Library resignations,” Our Towns, July 24].

We in Plainview-Old Bethpage pride ourselves in having established our library as the true center of the community. The staff weathered COVID-19, doing an outstanding job of serving community residents to the maximum possible extent, and it has bounced into the post-COVID era with new plans, ideas and enthusiasm.

— Mike Polansky, Plainview

The writer is a Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library trustee.