The War on Terri Part II

Terrible news today for Terri Schiavo as the insufferably arrogant Judge Greer ignores a Congressional subpoena and orders her feeding tube removed so she can slowly starve to death:

"I have had no cogent reason why the (congressional) committee should intervene," Greer told attorneys in a conference call, adding that last-minute action by Congress does not invalidate years of court rulings.

Judge Greer also ignored the President of the United States:

President's Statement on Terri Schiavo

The case of Terri Schiavo raises complex issues. Yet in instances like this one, where there are serious questions and substantial doubts, our society, our laws, and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life. Those who live at the mercy of others deserve our special care and concern. It should be our goal as a nation to build a culture of life, where all Americans are valued, welcomed, and protected - and that culture of life must extend to individuals with disabilities.

Lawrence Henry has peculiar insight into Terri's plight---he's been there:

Our news covers these situations in ghoulish detail. Terri Schiavo's case becomes a soap opera over her mostly inert body while the state legal establishment of Florida decides whether or not to "pull the plug" -- in this case, to remove her feeding tube. Even someone minimally aware, it seems to me, should not be subject to involuntary starvation and dehydration.

And one of this year's Oscar-winning movies depicts a supposedly "heroic" struggle wherein a crippled young female boxer persuades her wise, homely old trainer to...kill her. No, I haven't gone to see it, and won't. I've been too close.

Back in 1975, when my native kidneys failed, I got horribly sick all at once, not unusual with kidney failure. I had percarditis, couldn't walk well, had lost mental focus, had recently gone through a series of grand mal seizures related to an infection, can't remember what all, and it's probably just as well.

I found myself seriously considering whether or not to end it all -- to the extent that I was contemplating methods. Grace intervened, however, and I realized that people who think that way really aren't sane, and I asked to see a therapist. It hardly mattered who I talked to, but it did work.

Three things I remember from when my friends came to visit me in the hospital. One thing they all said later: "I thought you were going to die." To which I used to say, "If I ever get out of here, I'm going to get a motorcycle."

And the other was waking up at various times in my hospital bed, seeing my mother, always faithfully there, no matter what.

It is too damned easy to be cavalier and heroic about "dying with dignity" when somebody else is doing the dying.

All the usual suspects on the Left have nothing to say about Terri's impending murder.

The National Organization for Women seemingly has no issue with an estranged husband ordering the death of his inconvenient wife.

The ACLU, which routinely defends death row murderers, takes no issue with sentencing an innocent woman to a horrible, lingering death.

The Democratic Party, ever publicly encouraging the federal government to intercede on behalf of the weak and oppressed, considers the Republican-led House's last-ditch effort to save Terri through a subpoena to be a "flagrant abuse of power."

Terri Schiavo is not comatose. She is not on a ventilator. She simply cannot feed herself, a plight similar to that of a toddler, or someone with advanced Parkinson's Disease, or a quadriplegic. Nourished, hydrated, and properly cared for, she is in no imminent danger of death---in short, she is not dying. She has family willing to care for her, willing to absolve her husband of all legal, moral, and financial obligations to her.

And Michael Schiavo and all of his allies in the various halls of power in this great nation, this shining city on a hill, this vibrant, liberty and life-loving country of ours do not care that she will suffer the agonies of death by thirst and hunger.

PETA would not let such a thing happen to a dog, but Judge Greer and his life-despising cronies lose no sleep over the tortures they will inflict on this disabled woman.

May God bless and keep Terri Schiavo's parents, her friends, and her supporters in this time of grief and strife, and may God forgive those who, presented with a choice between life and death for this woman, chose to drag her into the void.