terry schiavo

it's painful to me to read the misinformed stuff people are writing about the schiavo case. there are several facts that are frequently ignored: 1) brain imaging shows that most of her cerebral cortex has atrophied; 2) there is no argument that she had told to multiple people that she would not want her life to be prolonged in this way; 3) her husband did not decide her fate. instead, he asked the court to evaluate what she would have wanted and this is what court after court decided and upheld.

her father reports that she followed a balloon they brought into the room. her mother reports that terry has smiled in response to her mother's presence. videotapes were made and "carefully viewed" by the court, which found that her responses were not consistent or reproducible.

"...despite the irrefutable evidence that her cerebral cortex has sustained the most severe of irreparable injuries, we understand why a parent who had raised and nurtured a child from conception would hold out hope that some level of cognitive function remained. If Mrs. Schiavo were our own daughter, we could not but hold to such a faith.

But in the end, this case is not about the aspirations that loving parents have for their children. It is about Theresa Schiavo's right to make her own decision, independent of her parents and independent of her husband."

-- The 2nd District Court of Appeal, June 2003

i'm pleased that all the courts have come to the same decision, even in the fact of such intense pressure from the executive and legislative branches. it makes me confident that the facts are strong. i can understand how terry's parents' reason could be overwhelmed by their emotion, but i'm really disappointed by the actions of congress. it's not supported by the majority of people in the US. is it a congressional kowtow to the religious right? that's the only explanation that makes sense to me.