Preaching the Gospel (Assisted Suicide - Part I)

In the 1990’s Dr. Jack Kevorkian was connected with at least 200 deaths, charged with the first degree murder of Janet Adkins, and the second degree murder of Thomas Youk. By the end of the decade Jack Kevorkian was serving a 10-25 year sentence. In those years the concept of euthanasia was first explored and even became a household word. The trial ended ten years ago, yet little has been decided. Much of the United States remains undecided on the issue and an alarming number of people are unaware of the argument. While the name “Kevorkian” is still widely recognized, the assisted suicide movement seems to have subsided.

Wesley J. Smith, a writer for the National Review, has written a number of editorials discussing his opinions on the topic of euthanasia and assisted suicide. In Dying cause he takes on the tone of a small town preacher. The overall tone of this article is very unsupportive of assisted suicide and the author writes as though his audience already agrees. While he does allow both sides to be revealed, he uses a sarcastic tone while discussing the opposition’s point of view. Throughout, the article remains clear that he is not a supporter of assisted suicide even when he is discussing supporting information.

In his article Smith states, “In my ten years as an activist opposing assisted suicide, I first saw the pendulum swing broadly in favor of legalization, and then, in recent years, breathed a sigh of relief as it ever-so-slowly moved back against it.”

The author used appropriate tone throughout the article; however, the author also seemed bias toward the issue with the change in tone. This article and periodical is generally made for adult generations so the tone and audience seemed appropriate for the anticipated audience.

Ironically, the author claims that the most important factor in the public's shift away from assisted suicide has been the removal of religion as the primary flashpoint of the debate. The removal occurred when the disability-rights advocates began to take the spotlight, however this only creates another point of view to consider.

Easily, the most recognizable name in assisted suicide since Socrates has been Jack, Doctor Death, Kevorkian. Smith claims that the other factor that has damaged the assisted-suicide movement is Dr. Kevorkian himself because 70 percent of Kevorkian's "patients" were not terminally ill. According to the autopsies 5 had no medical sickness of any kind. The author does an excellent job of making his claims clear but the supporting details can be murky at times. Nevertheless, a moving ethical argument is made and the reader is encouraged to consider both sides.

One issue with the overall credibility of this article lies in the author’s citations; of which there are none. How can the reader hope to see the information to which the author refers?  The author fails to cite any of the information in this passage, which is used as a major arguing point: “The other factor that has damaged the assisted-suicide movement, surprisingly, appears to have been Jack Kevorkian…. Yet, over 70 percent of Kevorkian's "patients" were not even terminally ill. (Five weren't sick at all, according to the autopsies.)”

The article is ripe with opinion and emotional persuasion, it can sometimes lack evidence.  The author states that “Oregon voters passed Measure 16 in 1994 by a bare 51-to-49 majority after supporters of assisted suicide mounted an explicitly anti-Catholic campaign.” The author has the tendency to augment the effect of his statistics with opinion and one may wonder exactly what an “anti-Catholic campaign” is.  

The debate may be calmer now than it has been in the past; however, times: they are a changin’. It is important that the assisted suicide debate stays alive for new generations to consider. If nothing else the author does a good job of reviving the discussion associated with a social problem, a quality for which the United States claims to be famous.