Swept away

Televised euthanasia does nothing for the cause

Those who watched "60 Minutes" this past Sunday witnessed a controversial segment with Dr. Jack Kevorkian that probably left viewers confused and disturbed. Before the segment began, Mike Wallace warned viewers of what they were about to see on primetime television - Kevorkian injecting a consenting patient, Thomas Youk, with the lethal series of a sedative, a muscle relaxer and a dose of potassium chloride to end his suffering from the later stages of Lou Gehrig's disease. Stressed throughout the interview was Kevorkian's active involvement in Youk's death - a legal difference that could put Kevorkian behind bars for the rest of his life. The importance of this discrepancy is that before this patient, Kevorkian had prepared the lethal medication and let his consenting patients "pull the switch" themselves. Kevorkian wanted to air this videotape on national television so that he could force a decision to be made on not only assisted suicide, but euthanasia as well. While the doctor's goal in pushing the envelope is noble, his methods of going about it are quite disturbing.

Assisted suicide and now euthanasia are two complicated issues that should not be regulated by politicians, but by doctors and the rest of the medical community. In addition, Kevorkian and CBS did the pro-assisted suicide movement a grave disservice by their decision to air a videotape of such a graphic nature. Assisted suicide should be a private decision between the individual involved, his or her close family and friends, and doctor. Kevorkian, who is often mistakingly identified as the "leader" of the assisted suicide movement, alienated many people who believe in the same goal for which he is fighting with his decision to show the world something that is and should be very private. As for the opposition in this debate, they were probably appalled by the videotape and all the involved parties. Kevorkian's logic is flawed because in trying to force a long overdue decision on assisted suicide, he ended up pushing both supporters and foes farther from the middle, leaving the rest of society perplexed and undecided.

CBS's role in allowing such a videotape to air during dinner hours with minimal warnings at best should not be overlooked. Regardless of whether CBS was motivated to air such a controversial segment because this past Sunday was the last in the November "sweeps" period - when TV ratings are watched closely to set local advertising rates - they exercised poor judgment. Although CBS has every right to air the videotape under the First Amendment and the patient and his family gave their consent, better judgement should have prevailed. At a minimum, a later hour of airing with much stronger content warnings would have been more appropriate.

Even though Kevorkian and CBS did nothing substantive for the assisted suicide debate, it is clear that some body of rational people need to decide in universal favor of assisted suicide and euthanasia. Currently, Kevorkian is one man - without a medical license - essentially trying to write assisted suicide and euthanasia laws by himself. No one person should have that power, just as no person should have his or her basic human rights taken away.

11-24-98