| TEN has decided it was time to weigh in on the | | | | government has a right to take that away, especially |
| Schiavo case. It seems that much ado is being about | | | | for those who do not have a voice. This position of |
| nothing, but in this case, nothing appears to be Terri | | | | removing her feeding tube so that she can starve to |
| Shiavo’s mental capacity. Doctors are divided | | | | death over a period of weeks is the most cowardly |
| on how serious her condition really is, but we can at | | | | court supported decision I have seen in years. If you |
| least all agree that Terri will never have again led a | | | | want to condemn her to death, then at least do it |
| normal, healthy life. At best, with extensive medical | | | | with mercy and kill her more humanely. Instead, we |
| treatment and proper care-taking, Terri’s | | | | have a list of 21 Senators who would rather not face |
| condition would make Christopher Reeve’s | | | | the issue head on, but instead agree to this barbaric |
| look like a summer cold. In fact, out of all the | | | | treatment of a human being. |
| comments, public opinion polls, and a revolving door | | | | Voted to remove the feeding tube |
| of pulpit politicians, not one has actually come out to | | | | J.D. Alexander (R) |
| continue Superman’s legacy. We mourned his | | | | Nancy Argenziano (R) |
| passing, commented on how much we proved that | | | | Dave Aronberg |
| the disabled had a voice, had a chance, yet we have | | | | Mike Bennet (R) |
| forgotten the lessons he courageously proved to us. | | | | Larsenia Bullard |
| That being said, let’s not sugar-coat anymore | | | | Skip Campbell |
| what is actually happening. Terri Shiavo is being legally | | | | Lisa Carlton (R) |
| murdered. Think I am being too harsh? Terri is not a | | | | Paula Dockery (R) |
| vegetable. She was able to maintain limited | | | | Steven Geller |
| awareness while never have anything more than | | | | Tony Hill |
| limited care. Her husband and legal guardian want to | | | | Dennis Jones (R) |
| abide by her wishes when she was a normal young | | | | Jim King (R) |
| woman. What young person ever seriously thinks | | | | Ron Klein |
| about how they want to be treated if ever such a | | | | Evelyn Lynn (R) |
| tragedy would befall them? Almost every single | | | | Gwen Margolis |
| hearlthy person has made a comment in their life | | | | Les Miller |
| after seeing a disabled person of, “Well you can | | | | Nan Rich |
| just kill me if that ever happens”. I am sure many | | | | Burt Saunders (R) |
| people have said the same thing looking at Terri | | | | Gary Siplin |
| Shiavo’s case themselves. | | | | Rod Smith |
| That, however, does not give anyone the right to | | | | Frederica Wilson |
| actually take your life away should it happen. I do not | | | | We must never forget that these Senators have |
| fault the husband, as some Republicans have, for his | | | | chosen the path of least resistance, despite |
| decision to want to end her life. I have to take the | | | | it’s cruel nature. They have sanctioned a crime |
| benefit of the doubt and assume he honestly | | | | against human rights. When she passes, she will have |
| believes his wife would want to die even now. I do | | | | earned her spot right next to Christopher Reeve as |
| not fault the husband, as they family has done, for | | | | someone taken from us too soon. While she may |
| moving on with his life, getting married and having | | | | not have been able to verbally communicate her |
| kids. But he has let go. He has moved on. | | | | wishes, she has stayed alive for over 15 years in her |
| Terri’s parent’s have not. They are | | | | conditions, fought off serious infections, do not |
| willing to care for Terri. She does have a chance to | | | | recisitate orders and sub-par medical care. While she |
| improve her conditions and quality of life. That is a | | | | may not have been an activist, she has proven that |
| right that any human being has. No man, court or | | | | she is a survivor, and worthy to be our super girl. |