To the Editor:

Doctor-assisted death has been an issue dividing Americans since the days of "Dr. Death" Jack Kevorkian in the 1990s.

Doctor-assisted suicide, or euthanasia, is the voluntary termination of one's own life by the administration of a lethal substance with direct or indirect assistance of a physician. There are many supporters and opponents of this controversial issue, as seen from a poll conducted by Gallup in 2011, which shows that 45 percent of the American public believes doctor-assisted death is morally acceptable, while 48 percent believe just the opposite.

First of all, physician-assisted suicide should not be separated from suicide from one's own doing. Although the doctor may be the one euthanizing the patient, the decision to be put to rest lies in the hands of the patient. In the same Gallup poll from 2011, statistics show 80 percent of the American public believes suicide is immoral.

Either way a person looks at the issue, suicide is suicide; even if it is the physician injecting the needle into patient.

Michael H. White, J.D., supports the legalization of euthanasia because he believes "it is a compassionate response to relieve the suffering of dying patients." Even though it seems humane to feel compassion for those suffering, 47 states disapprove of euthanizing patients.

Another reason for why doctor-assisted death is wrong heavily involves Christianity. Christian scholars and followers believe that since Jesus Christ died for their sins, they cannot throw His gift of life away. Since Christianity is the leading religion in the United States, there is logic deriving from American's disapproval of doctor-assisted suicide.

Although doctor-assisted suicide may seem right to end suffering, it is completely immoral to euthanize a patient because of the legal and religious issues regarding suicide and Christianity.

John Dudley

Emmaus High School 10th grade student