Schiavo's Feeding Tube Is Removed
Terri's situation, on its own, is a tragedy. The battle between her husband and her parents is tragic. The attempted intervention of politicians, however, is just abhorrent. I thought Florida lawmakers passing a law specifically to reinsert her feeding tube was ridiculous. Now folks in D.C. are trying to get into the act. Terri and her entire family is now just one big political football, and it's disgusting.
The attempt by Republicans in Congress to use this one family's conflict to make points among the fringe right (talking points being passed around rejoice in this being an uncomfortable topic for Democrats and a good way to fire up the base) is almost certain to backfire. A huge majority of Americans, including a good majority of evangelical Christians, side with the spouse in right to die cases.
No matter what you think about the Schiavo case, the whole fiasco is the best reminder any of us ever need to set up an advance directive. Leave no ambiguity as to your wishes should you end up in Terri's position.
The removal came after a dramatic sequence of legal feints that began Friday morning when the House Government Reform Committee issued subpoenas to Schiavo, a woman who has been unable to speak for 15 years; her husband, Michael Schiavo; and several doctors and employees of her hospice, ordering them to appear at a congressional hearing March 25. Then, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee formally invited Michael and Terri Schiavo to testify on Monday. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's statement pointedly noted that it is a federal crime for anyone to interfere with a person's testimony before Congress.
The attempt by Republicans in Congress to use this one family's conflict to make points among the fringe right (talking points being passed around rejoice in this being an uncomfortable topic for Democrats and a good way to fire up the base) is almost certain to backfire. A huge majority of Americans, including a good majority of evangelical Christians, side with the spouse in right to die cases.
No matter what you think about the Schiavo case, the whole fiasco is the best reminder any of us ever need to set up an advance directive. Leave no ambiguity as to your wishes should you end up in Terri's position.
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