PEOPLE HELP PEOPLE, SO WHY IS THERE A PROTEST?

Labor Day, the traditional end of summer, brought with it another tradition this year: the Jerry Lewis telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. As an unfortunate spinoff of this, there is one more tradition: protests aimed at Lewis and the telethon. Adversaries of the telethon say the entertainer resorts to "pity-mongering" to raise money for MDA research, robbing the disabled of their dignity. We don't see it. These protests are misguided.

Jerry Lewis and his Las Vegas showroom-brand of entertainment might not be to every person's taste. And in being close to sufferers of neuromuscular diseases the better part of the last three decades, the 67-year-old entertainer might be forgiven for laying on his appeals a bit thick at times. But consider his track record: In 28 years, Lewis has helped raise $1.3 billion for MDA. The telethon this year produced more than $46 million in pledges, including about $300,000 that was collected by this region's residents in an affiliate portion of the broadcast.

This money goes for services and research that aid persons with neuromuscular diseases. According to the chairman of the MDA medical advisory committee, "Before Jerry Lewis, there was no research. Now there is extensive research all over the world. And there was no hope for beating any of these diseases. Now there is hope."

Far from thrusting pity on the disabled, the exposure Jerry Lewis has given this issue raises the consciousness of Americans about what those who have neuromuscular diseases go through. Would this be on most minds were there no Jerry Lewis and no telethon?

Here is the nature of the protest: Activists for the disabled planned to picket some television stations that carried the telethon Sunday and Monday. They have also picketed outside the venues where Lewis performs during the course of the year. One demonstrator in Los Angeles, getting an early start last week, said that a national health care policy could take the place of telethons. In other words, where people are now pitching in for the benefit of their fellow men and women, this demonstrator would be pleased if the government would step in as a replacement.

Compassion and a willingness to help fellow human beings should not be mistaken for pity, and the work being done by Lewis and his telethon is helping fight diseases that disable millions of people around the world. Would the protesters prefer that Lewis sit home on Labor Day, accepting the role of self-obsessed celebrity? Do they really believe waiting on government to cue all medical research efforts is the most expedient course? Such reasoning is ludicrous.

Charitable endeavors by individuals like Jerry Lewis should be embraced in our society, not chastised. He provides a conduit by which people can help people. How has our culture gotten to the point where this is looked down on?