| Written by Joe Sinasac, CR Editor and Publisher,
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Views : 2430  |
In the growing debate over euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide, one significant argument has too often been missing in action. In church circles at least, we forget to show the very human side of those most affected by any expansion of euthanasia.
An adage in journalism schools is that you “show, don’t tell.” By illustrating the case with real life examples, it is easier to win over opponents than by simply offering up debating points. This is especially important in an age dominated by visual media.
That’s why a new DVD, Turning the Tide, represents a bit of a watershed in the unfolding debate in Canada. A joint project of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition and Salt + Light TV, the 30-minute video lets the people who feel most threatened by the legalization of euthanasia tell their stories.
We meet Catherine Frazee, a quadriplegic and former chair of the Ontario Human Rights Commission. She talks about how she feels most fulfilled with her life and counters the common arguments used in favour of legalization.
There is Adrian Dieleman, a quadriplegic since a sports injury, who now works in Hamilton as a counsellor for those with spinal cord injuries. Besides helping those in need, Dieleman still lives a full life that includes sports.
There is American Bobby Schindler, brother of Terri Schiavo, a young woman who lived for years in a persistent vegetative state until doctors removed her hydration and food tubes, which led to her death. Schindler now lectures widely on how the state is pushing euthanasia as a cost-effective method for relieving stress on the health system.
All of these people fear that, if euthanasia is legalized, the “option” of choosing euthanasia to hasten death would soon turn into a preference, especially in a health-care system in which people who have chronic or terminal diseases receive little support and appropriate care.
Senator Sharon Carstairs, who has chaired a senate committee on the subject, argues that giving people “the choice” of euthanasia is hardly legitimate if we do not give them the kind of compassionate, human care that allows them to live out their final days in comfort and dignity.
Carstairs argues in the video for expansion of palliative and chronic care in Canada.
Pedro Guevara Mann, who produced and directed the video, observes that the project was a direct response to encroaching euthanasia in various places, notably the Netherlands, Belgium and the state of Oregon. He points out that the Netherlands legalized euthanasia under certain conditions in 1984. A 1991 government study showed that there were some 12,000 cases a year — far above the 2,400 officially reported incidents. About half of that large number did not request euthanasia or give their consent to die.
In June 2005, Bloc Quebecois MP Francine Lalonde introduced a private members’ bill into the House of Commons that would have legalized doctor-assisted suicide and euthanasia. The bill died when the House prorogued for an election, but Lalonde has promised to reintroduce it. Currently Canadian law considers euthanasia to be murder and provides for a maximum of 14 years in prison for those convicted of assisted suicide.
The documentary offers in gripping and moving testimony an argument of hope for those who might feel no hope, the very people who could be driven to choose suicide. It should be seen in every church hall, every hospital and medical school nationwide.
The documentary will premiere on Salt + Light TV, available on cable and satellite TV services across Canada, on April 1 at 9 p.m. ET and rebroadcast on April 4 at the same time.
Copies of the DVD can be ordered from the Salt + Light web site at www.saltandlighttv.org. An expanded version with a discussion guide for group viewings can be ordered from the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition by calling 1 (877) 439-3348.
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