Martin Sheen returns to Yakima’s airwaves again, but this time he won’t be portraying the president, a role he played for seven years on “The West Wing.”

Instead, Sheen will be speaking against Initiative 1000, the assisted suicide measure on the November ballot.

Today, the Coalition Against Assisted Suicide announced it has started a $750,000 broadcast advertising campaign, featuring Sheen.

Radio ads begin today, with television ads beginning on Oct. 1 in the Seattle, Spokane, Yakima and Tri-Cities markets.

“Martin Sheen is an outstanding actor and a person of impeccable integrity. His tireless efforts to help low-income people across the country and his concern for vulnerable populations have earned him the reputation of a man who is compassionate and walks his talk,” said Coalition Chair, Chris Carlson.

Sheen said he wanted make a statement against assisted suicide.

“I try to work when I’m not on the screen to help improve conditions for the most vulnerable people in our country — low-wage workers, immigrants, the disabled and the poor,” Sheen said. “We have a health care system where the more money you have, the better medical care you receive. Initiative 1000 is a dangerous idea — because so many people do not have the money necessary to get the care they need. When I heard about Initiative 1000, I wanted to help stop it before it harms people who are at risk.”

“The proponents have often suggested that assisted suicide is favored by good Democrats, liberals and progressives but that’s just not the case,” Carlson said. “I'm a Democrat, Martin Sheen is a Democrat, and many people opposed to I-1000 are progressives — and that’s why we're opposed.”

Sheen is best known for his Emmy-award winning role in the drama “The West Wing,” where he played a Democratic president, and for many movie roles including “Apocalypse Now,” “The American President,” and “The Departed.”

 

Copies of the ads can be found at www.noassistedsuicide.com/ads.html