Terri Schiavo died today
I've purposely refrained from commenting on the case of Terri Schiavo, the Florida woman who was in the center of a right to die controversy. Now that it appears to be over upon Terri's death this morning, I wanted to say a few things about the case.
First of all, the government should not have gotten involved in this case. All it was for the politicians was a chance to score Brownie points with the public. They didn't care about Terri, just wanted to make a case for their own beliefs on the subject of who gets to determine if severly handicapped people should live or die. Shame on President Bush, and his brother Jeb, the Governor of Florida. Don't you feel like big shots now? Shame on the numerous Senators and members of Congress who had to get their two cents in there about the subject. Bet your constituents are proud to call you their voice in Washington?
The only people who should have been involved are Terri's husband, who was only trying to carry out what he said were Terri's wishes; and her parents, who probably truly believed that Terri could be rehabilitated.
Secondly, no one who was out there commenting on this case, the people out in front of Terri's hospice, the lawyers who got invloved with the case (either recently or over the long term), or the politicians mentioned in the above paragraph really know what Terri told her husband about her wishes, now did they? The only people who knew what really happened are Terri, her husband, Michael, and maybe a couple of other people. Sadly, Terri didn't write down her wishes nor communicate them to her parents and siblings.
I am truly sorry that Terri is no longer with us. But what kind of life was she having while she was living? Fifteen years in a persistant vegetative state? That's not living, and I think Terri would have agreed with that.
I don't lay blame at anyone's door for this. Michael was trying to carry out Terri's wishes that she not be kept alive under extraordinary means. Her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, were only trying to see if Terri could be rehabilitated, and any parent would do that for their child, regardless of age.
Where I do lay the blame, however, is with the media, who blew this whole story way out of proportion, and with the politicians who stuck their noses in what should have been a private matter.
Maybe Michael should have given guardianship to Terri's family, and maybe he honestly believed that he was doing right by Terri. That's not for us to know. Perhaps the Schindlers should have seen the situation for what it was: that Terri had no idea what was going on around her, and that even with the best rehab services money could buy, Terri would never be the same person she was before she got sick. They tried their best, and Michael tried his best. Now let Terri rest in peace. She's in a better place where she may be made whole again.
I have fought the good fight, I have stayed the course, I have kept the faith. --2Timothy 4:7
That's all from where I sit.
--MorelaterZ--
First of all, the government should not have gotten involved in this case. All it was for the politicians was a chance to score Brownie points with the public. They didn't care about Terri, just wanted to make a case for their own beliefs on the subject of who gets to determine if severly handicapped people should live or die. Shame on President Bush, and his brother Jeb, the Governor of Florida. Don't you feel like big shots now? Shame on the numerous Senators and members of Congress who had to get their two cents in there about the subject. Bet your constituents are proud to call you their voice in Washington?
The only people who should have been involved are Terri's husband, who was only trying to carry out what he said were Terri's wishes; and her parents, who probably truly believed that Terri could be rehabilitated.
Secondly, no one who was out there commenting on this case, the people out in front of Terri's hospice, the lawyers who got invloved with the case (either recently or over the long term), or the politicians mentioned in the above paragraph really know what Terri told her husband about her wishes, now did they? The only people who knew what really happened are Terri, her husband, Michael, and maybe a couple of other people. Sadly, Terri didn't write down her wishes nor communicate them to her parents and siblings.
I am truly sorry that Terri is no longer with us. But what kind of life was she having while she was living? Fifteen years in a persistant vegetative state? That's not living, and I think Terri would have agreed with that.
I don't lay blame at anyone's door for this. Michael was trying to carry out Terri's wishes that she not be kept alive under extraordinary means. Her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, were only trying to see if Terri could be rehabilitated, and any parent would do that for their child, regardless of age.
Where I do lay the blame, however, is with the media, who blew this whole story way out of proportion, and with the politicians who stuck their noses in what should have been a private matter.
Maybe Michael should have given guardianship to Terri's family, and maybe he honestly believed that he was doing right by Terri. That's not for us to know. Perhaps the Schindlers should have seen the situation for what it was: that Terri had no idea what was going on around her, and that even with the best rehab services money could buy, Terri would never be the same person she was before she got sick. They tried their best, and Michael tried his best. Now let Terri rest in peace. She's in a better place where she may be made whole again.
I have fought the good fight, I have stayed the course, I have kept the faith. --2Timothy 4:7
That's all from where I sit.
--MorelaterZ--
My name is Stef, and I approve this post. Posted @ 11:41 AM
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