Enough is Enough

OK, yesterday I was able to make light of the situation, be sarcastic, even work in a reference to Mr. Romance, but man, enough is enough - it's serious time. People need to let Terry Schiavo rest in peace. I understand the concept that no parent should be forced to outlive their child - I can appreciate what the Schindler family is going through - it must be absolutely miserable to have to let their daughter go when there's still a flicker of life left.

But then again, there's only a flicker of life left. This woman has not been able to have any meaningful interaction with other humans, let alone EAT, in 15 years. Fifteen years ago I was driving an '82 Ford Fairmont and tight-rolling my jeans - so much has happened in that time, so much life has been experienced, and Terry Schiavo has laid in a bed, staring at the wall, mumbling incoherently, receiving her sustenance through a tube - a FUCKING TUBE - for 15 excrutiating years, as life has passed by. And the man who married her, who loves her, who watched her suffer with an eating disorder, wants to let this SEVERELY BRAIN DAMAGED woman that he loves die in peace, just like the state courts said she could SEVEN YEARS AGO.

Why do I write in CAPS, which is the typing equivalent to RAISING MY VOICE? Because some people just don't get it. I see the images on CNN.com of "protestors" with red tape over their mouth with the word "LIFE" scrawled across, holding signs reading, "There is a Higher Law." What does this mean? Don't these people have something else to do with their time? Isn't there another way to make a difference and get your pont across than to latch on to this lost cause? What point are they trying to prove?? The family claims that she can make a meaningful recovery with treatment - so why was this treatment not applied during the last 15 years?

Now I read that Terry's parents are trying to get the Florida State Legislature to take up a bill to restart food and hydration for their daughter. Um, I'm no political expert, but I would think that a Federal Appealate Court decision upholding a previous ruling issued by that state would somehow supercede that state's legislature from passing a new law that contradicts that original ruling. Isn't that what "unconstitutional" means? If I'm wrong, please call me on it, but I think I'm somewhat on track.

Look, I agree that life is a precious thing. However, so is liberty. And I think that the pursuit of happiness can be tossed in there as well. Yep, those are our unalienable rights as Americans: Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness. Now ask yourself - how happy would you be if you weren't given the liberty to put an end to your life as a vegetable with no chance at a meaningful recovery? Is that the American way?

CNN.com also reports that there has been a boom in living wills since the Schiavo case kicked into high gear. Of course by some twisted logic, if Terry Schiavo had a piece of paper that said "if I ever fall into a vegetative state with no hope of a meaningful recovery, please pull the plug," I imagine these "right to live" folks would back off and we wouldn't hear anything of it. But since her wishes are not notarized by a lawyer, we, the American people, have a duty to keep this woman alive? I am at a loss here, folks.

Consider this an open memo to my family - I love talking to people, eating cheeseburgers, playing video games, and the like. That being said, if I am ever in a vegetative state with no hope of a meaningful recovery, I implore you to end the misery. It's my belief we'll hang out again in some afterlife - by keeping me clinging to some form of living, you'll just be prolonging the pain.

Sorry to be a downer - it's just too bad others can't come to terms with this and let this woman rest in peace.