I've not commented on this situation before now. That's because I think it should be a private matter within the family. Of course, it quit being that a long time ago. For what it's worth, here's my thoughts:
1. For me personally, I wouldn't want to live in the manner that Terri was living. As Rob over at Gut Rumbles says, there's a difference between living and being alive. It's pretty clear to me that she wasn't living. If it were me, I would prefer to die in that situation. With what happened in her case, I now realize that I need to make a living will and I intend to do just that--soon.
2. Having said I would want to die if I were in that situation, I wouldn't want to put my family through the complications of doing that without having my desires in writing. That's one thing I haven't understood about the Schiavo case. To the best I can determine, she didn't have anything in writing. If that's true, how can the husband make the decision to pull the feeding tube and the doctors carry it out?
3. I don't think the United States Congress has any role in a situation like this. None. I think it was wrong what they did. The same thing applies to the Governor and legislature of Florida. And it doesn't matter if she had a living will or not.
4. I'm troubled by the acrimony that exists between Terri's husband and her family. If she were my wife and she had indeed told me that she didn't want to live like that, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing what he did if her family objected. Even if it was in writing, I still wouldn't be comfortable about it if they were objecting. News reports indicated that the husband wouldn't allow her family to be present when she died. If that's true, I not only don't understand it but more importantly, it makes me question his motives for doing so.
5. I distrust and dislike any of the tangent people who spoke to the media about the situation. I'm talking especially about the lawyers on both sides but I also include family members like the husband's brother. I include the so called family priests in this. Some of those came out with the strongest language. If she were my wife, I would be offended by all of them. It's not their business. It's not any body's business except her husband and her family.
That's all I have to say.
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