Dr. Jack Kevorkian is either on a rampage of death and destruction, or a mission of mercy, depending on your point of view.

The national spotlight has again turned towards the so-called “Dr. Death.” Since Kevorkian’s most recent acquittal on assisted suicide charges in May, he has helped eight people take their own lives. Kevorkian has assisted in the suicides of at least 36 people since 1990.

Recent controversy surrounding Kevorkian stems from the assisted suicide of Judith Curren. Several doctors have said the woman did not suffer from a fatal illness. Reports have been made that law enforcement authorities had repeatedly visited her home, and that only three weeks before her death, Curren’s husband was charged with assaulting her.

Kevorkian has traditionally assisted in the suicides of terminally ill patients with little or no chance of survival,who instead opt for a relatively painless death of lethal injection under the watchful eye of Kevorkian. The fear is that Curren’s decision to commit suicide was not physiologically based, but due to emotional stress.

While it is at times interesting, disturbing and amusing to listen to Kevorkian speak on the subject of “mercy killing,” Curren’s death should remind us of an overlooked fact:

There are profoundly complex and emotional issues surrounding assisted suicides. Rather than concentrating on Kevorkian the man, society should be discussing and debating the issue surrounding the man. We can laugh at or be appalled by Kevorkian and his rising “death count.” We can listen to his sometimes eloquent, sometimes rambling discussions on the subject. But as long as our attention continues to be focused on a morbid fascination of the “guy who kills people who let him,” the real, difficult issue lies untouched.

It’s easy to have an opinion of “Dr. Death.”It’s easy to get wrapped up in the media circus that surrounds him.

But at the heart of this issue is a controversial debate that will have profound effects on the way we perceive human life and suffering. That is what should grab our attention, not the bizarre sideshow that now surrounds one man.