Terri Schiavo

First and foremost, I agree with Bill Hobbs.  Bill writes:

I have not written about the Terri Schiavo case because it is too complex, too multilayered, and too steeped in unknown or unknowable facts for me - indeed for most people - to have a fully informed opinion.

I don't know - and neither do you - if Michael Schiavo is trying to murder his wife or trying to fulfill her stated wishes for just such a scenario. I don't know what Terri Schiavo would want - and neither do you - because she didn't tell us via a living will. We have only the word of her husband who assures us that his wife once said she wouldn't want to be kept alive this way, and we have her parents, who love their daughter and desire only to care for her.

I do know that the Congress did the wrong thing, intervened where it had no Constitutional right, and solved nothing.

This is a very complex and very personal conflict.  It is one that even Mrs. Hamilton's Pamphlets and I don't agree on.  As a parent, I understand Terri's parents position and as a husband I think I see Michael's point of carrying out her wishes (if that really is what she said and really wanted).

Here's where I leap off the cliff... I would not want to live in Terri's condition.  I have lots of life insurance and I do not want to be a burden to my family.  One of my greatest fears is to somehow become a completely dependent invalid.  I would rather die.  I am a Christian and I am not afraid to die.  I believe that there is life after death.  Hanging on to our mortal shell in the vain hope that medical technology will bring us back to what we once were is not right for me.  Let me go and let me move on to a better place.  Let my family get on with healing and recovery.  Years and years of vain hope for what was has got to be the most heartbreaking thing I can think of. 

To the political side of all this.  Again, I agree with Bill Hobbs.  Congress should have stayed out of it.  At least the Supreme Court showed some sense and declined it.  I am mystified that some of the same people who screamed when Clinton/Reno sent the Feds in to snatch Elian Gonzales are screaming for the Feds to intervene with Terri Schiavo.  The same people that want Roe V. Wade overturned touting states rights are demanding Federal Laws and jurisdiction over Terri Schiavo.  Supposedly small government Republicans expanding federal government and creating legislation over specific individuals.  Has everyone lost their collective minds?  Have there not been 15 years of court decisions in this case?  It is not even remotely possible that all those courts and all those people are in collusion with Michael Schiavo to do in his wife.  I think too many folks have let their emotions control the debate.

Bottom line in all this for me is that I'm updating my will and making sure I have a living will that tells the world that I would rather starve and die of thirst than live as total invalid.  Cause the Mrs. already said she'd keep me around like a potted geranium if there was even the remotest chance of rehabilitation...the thought of that just scares the hell out of me...

Comments

[ninme]

You know, now that you're on record as saying that (and that you have lots of insurance), you'd better keep an eye on your wife. Be nice to her, or watch your back.

[Mr Bob]

I understand not wanting to live like that, however all congress wanted them to do was look at the evidence again because the "gaurdian" was suspect and there were circumstances that warranted it. They didn't "get involved" other than that, and that is their right and duty, to stand up for the will of the people.
The evidence had not been looked at again, since th first ruling