As with many of us I expect, I have begun to follow the case of Terri Schiavo more closely over the past week. I still do not consider myself an expert on the facts of the case but I was called as an expert witness the other day.
While driving my oldest daughter around town she asked me to explain what all the fuss was over starving someone.
As I began to explain I could feel nausea in my gut. I explained that Terry Schiavo is in a coma (which I learned later is not true) and her husband wants to relieve her suffering by removing a tube that feeds her. I tried to be as even handed as possible in my explanation but when it came right down to it I was explaining to my daughter that a judge is going to order the starvation of a helpless victim.
My daughter, even at the tender age of 11, was incredulous. She immediately asked an interesting question, "Why is it her husband's decision? He's not even related to her."
I'm not one to extol the virtue of blood over love in the realm of family bonds (a la Dennis Prager) but in this case I thought my daughter had raised a pretty fair question. Why is the life of Terry Schiavo in the hands of someone who has no life long blood relation to her?
It seems from this article that Terri Schiavo's brother is more concerned with her life than here husband.
...and a little child shall lead them.
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