President Joe Biden’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services received the praise of pro-euthanasia organizations during his time as attorney general of California.
Xavier Becerra, who has served as California’s attorney general since 2017, was praised by pro-euthanasia groups as he fought in court to preserve the state’s assisted suicide law, the End of Life Option Act.
When the Riverside County Superior Court in 2018 overturned the law – finding that the state legislature unlawfully passed it during a 2015 special session – Becerra filed an appeal objecting to the court’s decision.
In June, 2018, the Fourth District Appellate Court sided with Becerra and the state of California and stayed the superior court’s decision, reinstating the End of Life Option Act.
Becerra called the ruling “an important step to protect and defend the End of Life Option Act for our families across the state.”
He defended the law, saying that the ruling “provides some relief to California patients, their families, and doctors who have been living in uncertainty while facing difficult health decisions.”
Later in Jan., 2020, the Riverside County Superior Court upheld the End of Life Option Act, determining that it was lawfully passed and did not violate the state constitution.
In response to this ruling, Compassion & Choices – an advocacy organization that pushes for expanded legalization of assisted suicide – praised Becerra for his work on behalf of the state’s assisted suicide law.
“We appreciate Attorney General Becerra’s efforts in this legal battle that already has lasted 3-1/2 years, but we will not rest until we win this case outright on behalf of terminally ill Californians who depend on this law to ensure they can die peacefully, ”said Kevin Díaz, the chief legal advocacy officer for Compassion & Choices in Jan., 2020.
Compassion & Choices also promoted a “Thank you Xavier Becerra” form as part of its advocacy for the law.
“Attorney General Xavier Becerra is standing up for Californians by fighting to ensure we have the right to make end-of-life decisions with dignity,” said Compassion & Choices.
“Our Attorney General isn’t alone – the vast majority of Californians support this law, and terminally ill Californians and their families deserve better than to have this option ripped away from them,” they said.
A coalition of pro-life groups have already sounded the alarm about Becerra’s nomination as HHS Secretary, pointing to his record in support of pro-abortion causes as California’s attorney general.
Becerra is scheduled to appear before two Senate committees this week, on Tuesday and Wednesday, for his confirmation hearings.
The group Students for Life of America has launched a paid and earned media campaign in ten states, urging voters to call their senators daily in opposition to Becerra’s nomination.
They have targeted ten senators in particular: Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Lisa Murkowski (D-Alaska), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Michael Bennett (D-Colo.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.).
Seven senators and dozens of House members wrote President Biden on Monday, asking him to rescind Becerra’s nomination. They cited Becerra’s defense of state mandates that forced pro-life pregnancy centers to advertise for abortion….
The above comes from a Feb. 22 story on the site of the Catholic News Agency.
“Defend the End of Life”. How Orwellian of Mr. Becerra . Our moral community has an obligation to care for and protect those who are vulnerable through illness or disability. We must allow our lives to end only at the time and way God wants. Catholic theology shows us that death may not be sought, but that it can be tolerated as an inevitable side-effect of the relief of suffering, i.e., medical palliative care.
Xavier Becerra has no morals. No respect for God, nor for Life. Our Church teaches us to patiently bear our sufferings, in union with Christ, and to offer them up for penance, for ourselves and others. We must always be obedient to Almighty God. Life is precious, and a great mystery! Only God can make a life, and only God can take a life. Man must never “play God!” Suicide is a terrible thing– a mortal sin! Crazy, unstable, immoral, radical, anti-Christian, extremist “fringe groups” have been allowed to “run amok” in America, since the 1960s, destroying our society and our churches, implementing their evils evrywhere! They all need to be told “No!” by competent religious and secular authorities.
God sure seems to be blessing Becerra with power and prosperity. He has no reason to think God is displeased with him nor with Mr. President.
Evil will have it’s hour but God will have His day. And God does not “bless” evil deeds He allows it so that a greater good will come of it.
@ Anon – 9:06 pm – There are many poor souls with extreme mental illness who commit suicide. We know it is a mortal sin, but I have much pity for those who are not in their right minds who take their own lives. I pray for them to be cleansed of their imperfections so that they can rest in eternal peace with Our loving God. This is not the same as doctors or others who, in cold blood, enable people to commit suicide.
IMHO, ANON sees most issues in black or white, ones and zeroes. There is no middle ground, or other view. Anon declares that Becerra has no morals because various groups endorse his candidacy for HHS cabinet position, and further imposes his/her religious and worldview on all citizens, even if those citizens do not embrace them. It’s great and even commendable to state “I believe in sanctity of life”, and quite another to say “We must all….”. Be careful of that which you impose as a precedent, or that precedent may be imposed upon you.
Silent O. and Mike D. — no, I do not see things the way you think. Of course not. Do not make rash judgments– instead, politely ask– what did the writer mean? I only stated our Catholic beliefs. Life is very precious– Respect Life. I do not think God is cruel to suicide victims, either. Assisted suicide victims are always aided by doctors and loved ones, “compassionately helping them die.” This is really called: “Murder.” Respect Life. And that is all. I grew up in a time when people had respect for God, for the Church, for their parents, for their country, and did not take life so lightly, as “playing God,” the way many do, today. Respect Life.
Sorry, Mike, this is America– not some Godless, immoral, atheist Communist country, that kills whom they wish– no respect for God nor for Life. All Americans are obliged to hold life dear, and respect Almighty God. We are “one Nation under God,” with a fine Judeo-Christian heritage. And this is a Catholic website, Mike. Yes, just like your mom and dad, when growing up, in the family home– we have a responsibility to impose morality on all Americans. “Thou Shalt Not Kill” is one of the 10 Commandments, from our American Judeo-Chrustian Biblical heritage. Our leaders are obliged to uphold morality. Respect God. Respect Life. Do not kill. Big responsibility for Becerra and for all our leaders.
Abortion is murder
Fr. Chris Alar and Br. Jason Lewis, of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception, wrote a book called “After Suicide.” The book helps Catholics and others deal with this tragic subject. Fr. Alar told the shocking story, on EWTN TV, of his family’s grief and pain, over his grandmother’s suicide, and the message of Divine Mercy. I feel so badly for those whose loved ones have committed suicide– and for the horrific situation of doctor-assisted suicide, in today’s world. Many tragedies result from vulnerable people with serious problems– they need our love, prayers, support, and help! Not suicide. Evil men like Becerra must never be in power, to irresponsibly encourage and facilitate such horrors. Respect Life!
I do not support the nomination of our Attorney General to head HHS. But, it is the duty of the AG to support and defend the laws of the State of California. So, it is possible for an AG to be required to support a law with which he/she does not agree.
In this case, I don’t think that our AG has the moral standing to be head of HHS.
I’m not sure he has the moral standing to be our AG.
I concede that my view has little standing in the political world in which we live.
Historically, in many cases of immoral leaders and immoral laws, civic leaders in positions of responsibility simply resigned their positions. And some were falsely tried and sentenced to death, on trumped-up charges of “treason”– such as St. Thomas More, St. John Fisher, and many others. Our Church is full of heroic, holy Saints who refused to carry out evils, on-the-job– and subsequently faced unjust deaths. In our day, a doctor, nurse, etc., who refused to comply with orders to do something gravely sinful– commit abortions, commit euthanasia, etc. — would simply resign, or else be quickly fired.
Our first duty is always to Almighty God.
President Biden is NO catholic!!!
He does not believe in anything the Catholic Church or any Christian community believes in.
God help us since we’ve gotten the democrats.in office.
The president and the vice president have no morals for sure !!!
Mary Slavik, your statement is unfounded. You do not know what Biden believes. It is obvious that he believes in a “woman’s right to choose.” But we don’t know what else he believes. Second, it is just possible that God did help us by allowing him to be President, we won’t know for years, after the history is written. Do not judge lest …. Both the President and VP are “religious” people, though perhaps different than you and I, but that doesn’t mean they have no morals for sure.
Generalizations aren’t always helpful.
“Unfounded?” How ignorant! The entire world knows Joe Biden is no “Catholic,” and publicly proclaims, loud and clear, his promises to promote abortion!
So, let’s be clear. If a person believes everything the Church teaches, goes to Mass on a regular basis, says his prayers at night and tries to live a “good” life, but believes that a woman has the right to an abortion if she wants one, that person is not a Catholic, period?
If a person kills another person, is that person not a Catholic, period?
If a person doesn’t believe that a woman should have the right to an abortion but separates parents from their children, they are Christians? If a person tries to overthrow the elected officials of their democratic country, they are Christian?
I would define Biden as a person who is mistaken in his belief in his support of abortion because it is murder, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say he isn’t Catholic. Fifty percent, give or take change, of Catholics support the right of a woman to choose an abortion or not. Are fifty percent of Catholics not Catholics?
Bob One– Not all Mass-goers are true Catholics– some are dishonest, like Becerra, Pelosi and Biden, who use religion for political gain. As the Bible says, what secular people (who really do not know Christ) call “good”– is not at all what Christ would call “good!” A well-developed Moral Conscience is necessary! Abortion– the Murder of a baby in the mother’s womb– is a horrible crime, a mortal sin! Not a “women’s choice,” like between chocolate and vanilla ice-cream! A baby is a big responsibility!
I just read a wonderful news story, about some formerly very worldly, promiscuous young men, who did not know Christ– who each started having nightmares of all the aborted babies (their many illegitimate children)– killed in abortions, by their many girlfriends that they slept with. They each desperately sought help, and also found Christ– and joined the Church, dying to their former lives of sin, and becoming new Catholic young men, their lives now fully committed to Jesus Christ! No, Biden, Becerra, Pelosi, etc.– are not Catholic, nor Christian. They have rejected Christ and embraced Satan! And Biden is not just “mistaken,” like a guy who “forgot” his wife’s birtday. These immoral, liberal leftist politicians of today, have lost their Moral Conscience! Just like the cold-hearted doctors in David Daleiden’s videos, casually discussing how much it would cost, buying and selling various body parts of the unborn babies freshly killed in certain ways– to more easily harvest certain body parts– at Planned Parenthood. Just like Becerra, who along with Kamala Harris, got Daleiden arrested and punished. No Moral Conscience.They all have sold their souls to the Devil.
Sorry, Anonymous– Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are certainly NOT “religious!” They use religion for political gain! Biden is a bad “Catholic”– obviously! Abortion is Murder! Not a situation to be cowardly and babyish, with “do not judge…” Abortion is Murder!
Many in our government today — Biden, Harris, Pelosi, Becerra, etc.– clearly serve Satan– not God. And both POTUS and Congress make unjust, Satanic decisions and laws, at times! Satan has been in SCOTUS, with Roe vs. Wade, and same-sex “marriage” and adoption of children– plus, much more! Our lawmakers giving taxpayers’ money to Planned Parenthood, supporting abortion, trafficking of aborted baby body parts, financing research using aborted baby body parts, supporting euthanasia, etc.–Satanic! Shame on them all!