A Classy Move
The parents of Terri Schiavo have decided to forego any further legal action, and have asked protestors to cease protesting. This is a gracious and smart move, and I say this with full respect for what they were trying to do.
I'm not an absolutist about life issues, I don't believe that there is any obligation to keep a brain-dead person alive; I'm inclined to believe that the human spirit is no longer present in such a case. But as long as there is a realistic chance that an individual is not in a permanent vegetative state, we should presume that we are dealing with a full person. As Charles Krauthammer observed a few days ago, the evidence that Terri was in such a state was never as strong as advertised, and much of the fault for that lies with her husband, who refused to allow tests that might give a conclusive answer. At any rate, Terri Schiavo was in no particular pain -- not even Michael disputes this -- and we are talking about basic food and water here, not any particularly exotic medicine or technology.
This was a very gracious move by the Schindlers, and if it's any comfort to them I believe that it will bring benefits to the pro-life movement. Even their staunchest opponents will recognize that the Schindlers came to a point where the Schindlers were willing to let go. And no pro-lifers will hold it against them; after so many rejections from the courts, including some fairly bizarre rulings, nobody can fault them for giving up.
It is only a matter of time before we have a national debate on the state of our judiciary, and the course of the litigation surrounding Terri Schiavo will figure prominently. By letting go, the Schindlers make it easier for their opponents to forgive and forget the legal effort to have food and water restored, and for their supporters in the pro-life movement they underlined their sense of despair in dealing with the courts.
This was a very gracious move by the Schindlers, made at a very difficult time for them. I belive they will be rewarded for it, perhaps in this life, certainly in the next.
I'm not an absolutist about life issues, I don't believe that there is any obligation to keep a brain-dead person alive; I'm inclined to believe that the human spirit is no longer present in such a case. But as long as there is a realistic chance that an individual is not in a permanent vegetative state, we should presume that we are dealing with a full person. As Charles Krauthammer observed a few days ago, the evidence that Terri was in such a state was never as strong as advertised, and much of the fault for that lies with her husband, who refused to allow tests that might give a conclusive answer. At any rate, Terri Schiavo was in no particular pain -- not even Michael disputes this -- and we are talking about basic food and water here, not any particularly exotic medicine or technology.
This was a very gracious move by the Schindlers, and if it's any comfort to them I believe that it will bring benefits to the pro-life movement. Even their staunchest opponents will recognize that the Schindlers came to a point where the Schindlers were willing to let go. And no pro-lifers will hold it against them; after so many rejections from the courts, including some fairly bizarre rulings, nobody can fault them for giving up.
It is only a matter of time before we have a national debate on the state of our judiciary, and the course of the litigation surrounding Terri Schiavo will figure prominently. By letting go, the Schindlers make it easier for their opponents to forgive and forget the legal effort to have food and water restored, and for their supporters in the pro-life movement they underlined their sense of despair in dealing with the courts.
This was a very gracious move by the Schindlers, made at a very difficult time for them. I belive they will be rewarded for it, perhaps in this life, certainly in the next.
posted by A. at 3:49 PM
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