The Case For Terri Schiavo's Right To Live !

By now anyone who watches the news on the television, listens to news on the radio, or reads a newspaper has heard of the Terri Schiavo case. Terri Schiavo, a woman, who at age 26, collapsed and suffered brain damage under ambiguous circumstances, is said to be in a constant vegetative state according to her husband, Michael Schiavo. Mr. Schiavo wants to have her feeding tube removed so that she will die and says that's what Terri would have wanted.

The Schindlers, Terri's parents, have been fighting a 10 year legal battle with Mr. Schiavo, their son-in-law, in regards to Terri's condition, and maintain that she could be rehabilitated through therapy. The Schindlers argue that Terri is alert, wants to live.

Terri Schiavo did not leave any written documentation that she wanted to die if she were ever in this circumstance, all we have to go by is the word of her husband who states that Terri had told him that she would not want to be kept alive by artificial means if anything happened to her. Some questions arise here. Did Terri actually say this? If she did, was it said in passing, figuring it would never really happen to her?

Who among us has not said this to someone in passing if we saw someone in this condition. But do we really mean it? We say a lot of foolish things in life when we are young and not confronted with the actual circumstances that Terri now lives.

Other questions need to be answered. Shortly after Terri suffered brain damage, Michael Schiavo sued for medical malpractice. After telling a jury that he intended to care for Terri for the rest of his life, he was awarded a sizeable sum to do so. According to a lawsuit filed by the Schindlers, Schiavo who was already involved in other relationships, decided on another course of action, interfering with Terri's medical and rehabilitative therapy, and later seeking to end her life by filing an for authorization to discontinue artificial life support.

What happened to Mr. Schiavo's claim that Terri would not want to live under these circumstances when he sued for malpractice and said he would take care of Terri for the rest of his life? What happened to Mr. Schiavo's wedding vows to Terri, "In sickness and in health".

Furthermore, what is artificial life support? Terri breathes on her own, and maintains her own heartbeat. No machine is doing that for her. She is being fed and hydrated by a tube. It is true if you remove the tube she will starve to death in about 14 days. It is also true that if you didn't eat or drink for 14 days the same would probably happen to you. What is artificial about that? Food and water are essential to life, so all they are doing is feeding Terri to keep her alive through a different means than you and I receive sustenance. If Terri Schiavo would have received a pace maker to keep her heart beating and did not have brain damage, would they disconnect the pace maker because it is artificial life support? I don't think so. If we disconnect the feeding tube does Terri die ? No she lives until she starves to death, something that would happen to you or me if we were denied food and water.

There are those who are saying Govenor Bush and the Florida State Legislature are playing god here. I submit to you that I think it is Mr. Schiavo and the Florida courts who are playing god here.

I see no evidence that Terri ever stated that she would want her life ended under these circumstances. I see no evidence that Terri is in a continuing vegatative state. As a matter of fact is see evidence via video clips and pictures that contradict that theory.

In my opinion, the Schindlers are not responsible for Terri's condition, and as caring, loving parents, their motives are clear, I am not so sure that Mr. Schiavo is not responsible for Terri's condition or what his motives are for ending her life.

Terri Schiavo's parents should be awarded guardianship of their own daughter, a daughter they conceived, bore, and raised. If Mr. Schiavo wants to go on with his life with his live in girlfriend, their child and the one soon to come, so be it. If it is public criticism that he fears I suggest to you that it already exists, and will be far worse if Terri's feeding tube is diconnected and she is allowed to starve to death.

A death that we wouldn't wish on a dog never mind another human being.