Terry Schaivo

I think that there are many issues that are being neglected in this debate. While this discusion has become one of "pro-life", there are some issues that are not considered alongside this.
One issue that member of Congress and Terri's family never discuss is what Teri would have wanted. They never make a statement saying that Teri told them that they could continue her life indefinitely, and from what I have read about this case, have never presented evidence supporting that this is what she would have wanted. A discussion of life without considering what she ultimately would have wanted is meaningless.

However, there are a couple of other issues we need to consider as well. Lately, we have hear d a lot about the sanctity of marriage. What happened about this notion in the context of Teri Schaivo? The Schindlers have tried to prove that Schaivo abused her and maligned his name; however, the state courts have disregarded these arguments wholly. Therefore, there is no basis on which a husband, who knows his wife's intent, should not speak for her in this situation. Otherwise, if parents can override the decision of two spouses, whether or not they have memorialized the intent by writing, what of the institution of marriage and the decisions that are made in that context? I think it is inappropriate that parents can run roughshod over the institution.

Secondly, if we are so concerned about a culture of life, how can we as a society support the death penalty? We do not see such vigils outside of prisons when prisoners are being executed, particularly in Florida. Frankly, I think it hypocritical to insist that a woman who does not want to be kept alive this way is kept alive, yet to execute criminals on a regular basis. I hope that the Bush administration and these other right to life organizations will take seriously the U.S. Catholic Bishop's challenge that we reconsider the death penalty in this country.
Finally, President Bush, while governor of Texas, signed a bill allowing pulling the plug on those who cannot afford medical care.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/docs/HS/content/htm/hs.002.00.000166.00

Are we about a culture of life only if people can afford to keep themselves alive? If Teri Schaivo did not have the financial resources to support being alive, would we be having this debate?http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3087387

I hope to use this Blog to shed more light on some of these issues!