There is a widespread public perception that those opposed to legalization of assisted suicide are religious conservatives, and that the logical position for a liberal is to support assisted suicide. But the coalition that's formed to oppose the bill, Californians Against Assisted Suicide (http://www.ca-aas.com/) shows a surprising diversity of political opinion.

In opposition are numerous disability rights organizations, generally seen as liberal-leaning; the Southern California Cancer Pain Initiative, a group associated with the American Cancer Society; the American Medical Association and the California Medical Association; and the Coalition of Concerned Medical Professionals, which does anti-poverty work in poor communities. Catholic organizations are in the mix, but no one could consider this a coalition of religious conservatives.

For a progressive analysis of the assisted suicide debate from a disability rights perspectives, go to http://www.dredf.org/assisted_suicide/assistedsuicide.html.