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For Terri

As one of my readers commented, I have been 'conspicuously silent' regarding the Terri Schiavo matter. The email came from a close friend and it struck me as rather odd as I had always figured him to side with the legal system on most things. For some reason the tone of his email was more along the lines of a venting of his frustration that our greatest institutions had labored long and hard but produced nothing at all. He was not condemning me for my silence just wondering why I had not commented upon it as millions of other Bloggers had.

My reasoning is more along these lines: this is a very deeply private family matter that has unfortunately been thrust into the public limelight and national - even international arena because it grounds each and everyone of us to the reality that is summed up by the old expression: 'but for the grace of God there goes I'. Every one of us can identify with at least some element of the issues that have swirled around poor innocent Terri. ‘Who is right and who is wrong’ pales to insignificance under the scrutiny that this case has received.

The Pope, the President, the Congress, the Supreme Court and appellate courts, the Governor of Florida, the Florida Legislature, the Florida courts have all been drawn into the debate. Left wing, Right wing, and everything in between have entered into the fray.

Why did I not put in my proverbial two cent's worth? Do you really need to ask? Do you really think that I have the answer?

The intent of my friend's email was to nudge me from the fence of public discourse upon which I usually sit, contently astraddle, but also taking flack from both sides. I really and honestly do not know what is right in this case or even if there is a right answer. I doubt that if we had debated it for another ten years we might have had a better understanding of the issues and finally could have come to some conclusion. There certainly were no winners in any of this. We lost a human life, though. That is the tragedy. Human life is precious to all of us. That is why all of this mattered to anyone in the first place. That is why we mourn Terri's death. Regardless where you or I stood on the issue of her feeding tube, we all still mourn her passing. Even if you and I are not religious, we have lost a sister, a fellow traveler on this journey called life.

Something important has happened. Maybe I am not wise enough to know just what it was or why it is important but I know. It is not a matter that will readily fade into oblivion with the passing of one soul. Some disturbing issues have been revealed. Our concern for life has been sorely tested.

I for one believe that Terri is better off but I am also very glad that it was not a choice that I had to make.

As for the legal wrangling that has captivated many in America if not the world for the past few days, I am not certain that justice was done or even really considered. I know that as Americans we would like to believe that we are a shining beacon to the world but we sometimes get it wrong too. In my humble opinion we got this so wrong and so out of whack that maybe only by Divine intervention could it ever be sorted out. Well that has happened. Justice was certainly not the consideration of anyone save for two appellate court justices in the Federal judiciary that voiced concern for the individual. Everything else that I have looked at was legalese and discussion of process and procedure. The verbage is from a judge talking to a lawyer or a number of lawyers. They understand the cold heart of the law. At times what is right and what is legal are two different things. The merits of the appeals were never based on whether justice was served.

Why are judges in the appellate system called justices? In this case there was no justice but maybe it was not the fault of the courts. I cannot really fault anyone that had to make a decision that affected Terri. Everything was a no win proposition. Perhaps there was no 'just' answer to this matter. You have life verses the right to die. You have a family's desire to care for a loved one that is disabled against a husband's right to carry out what he says were his wife's wishes.

Anyway I know the outcome but I do not understand how or why we got here in the first place. That is the reason for my silence. How can anyone be right when everyone was doing what they firmly believed was right?

It may be fitting or a topical coincidence (remember I do not believe in any coincidence) that this matters came to a head and was resolved around the season of Easter. I was particularly struck with teh words of a Priest that I heard speak this morning. He was addressing the comparisons of Terri's situation to the crucifixion of Jesus. He was on the side of regardless her suffering her plight can only remind us of what the Lord Jesus must have suffered.

I take great issue with those few that want to put Terri up as a modern day saint. It misses the point completely and severely clouds the overall issue, as I see it. I do agree however that how she was made to die shows that the barbarism of two thousand years ago still prevails in the actions of man. We can sentence a man or a woman to death and justify it as being legal and in keeping with the concept of fair play. I am sure that Pilate also felt that he had done everything that was legal to spare Jesus' life. That is about as far as I would even venture in comparison.

I have been called out and I have started my feelings if not my beliefs. I am sorry that Terri died but maybe in her passing some good cam come from it. Make sure you have a living will if you want to specify the conditions you would consider tolerable in the event of an accident or illness. Please do not trust the courts to protect your wishes. They will protect your rights to due process only. We have seen in this case that it is not the same thing.

I join the nation and the world in mourning Terri's death. You might counter that people die all the time, everyday. They certainly do but in Terri's case there were choices made, some made by others and that may or may not have been in keeping with her wishes. That is why it matters to us. What if any one of us were in her place? Would we want to be treated in the same seemingly cold, heartless legalistic manner?

That is the sobering message for every one of us to wake up to.

Thank you Terri for the example and courage you have shown in your life. Whether it was your desire to live or the effect of the processes employed by the well wishes of your loved ones, you have inspired billions of people the world over to consider the burden that is placed on surviving loved ones in the event of a disabling accident or disease.

Go in peace and be as one with the Universe.

E

posted by Unknown @ 9:44 PM