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Thursday, March 24, 2005
Finally, some sympathy

I feel horrible for everybody involved in this Terry Schiavo fiasco. Her husband and parents have had to deal with a nightmarish ordeal ever since she had her heart attack and suffered brain death fifteen years ago. It's something no one would ever want to confront, a loved one essentially taken away in the prime of life. I can sympathize with the parents not wanting to let her go, but for them to drag this thing in front of dozens of judges is just wrong.

Again, their intentions are honorable, and undoubtedly stem from love for their daughter. But they allowed allegedly small-government, free-market conservatives to make political hay out of their daughter. She makes for a vivid prop for these compassionate men and women, who honor life so much by sending youth off to Asia to kill and be killed, and America's working poor to struggle with no medical insurance. As Jon Stewart pointed out this week, at least we finally know just how bad your health has to be before Congress and the president give a flying fuck about you. I hope it never comes out that Terry Schiavo had an abortion when she was 17, although I'd love to see these hypocrites try to spin it.

So, we need a scorecard to keep track of what sort of life is valuable, and what kinds aren't.

American 22 year old soldier: Fuck you, buddy.

American 22 day old fetus: Help me, Jesus!

45 year old who killed his family with an axe: Fuck you, buddy.

Elian Gonzales: Help me, Jesus!

Working mom with no insurance and appendicitis: Fuck you, buddy.

Brain dead woman from a state with a lot of electoral votes: Help me, Jesus!

African caught in tribal genocide: Fuck you, buddy.

Iraqi caught in American bombardment: Fuck you, buddy.

Mexican dying in the desert trying to emigrate: Fuck you, buddy.

Chinese suffocating in a shipping container: Fuck you, buddy.

I suppose it is callous to point out that some life is more important to our Moral Christian Cabal than certain other types of life. It's plainly the truth, though. I am American, but I cannot buy into the notion that American lives are more valuable than others. Would I rather save 9 year-old kid with liver failure than some rapist in prison? Of course! Even the death penalty makes me ambivalent. Sure, I like revenge as much as anyone, but since it isn't a deterrent to crime, what's the point? It's an uncivilized act of revenge, dressed up in pretty state-sanctioned wrapping paper. Let me say this again: I have no moral qualms about ending the lives of our worst criminals. I would like to see it extended to cases of gross white collar crime, a la Enron, Tyco, etcetera, ad nauseum. You put Ken Lay in Old Sparky down in Austin, I'll bet Wall Street falls into line in about half a fiscal year.

But what of poor Terry Schiavo? First of all, I am getting a living will now. Terry did not have one, and we are left where we are. In cases like these, the spouse makes the decision. Michael Schiavo claims his wife had commented that should she be incapacitated in such a way, that she would not want to be kept alive artificially. I just can't think of any reason why he would lie about this. Even if there was some sort of huge insurance payout, is anyone really trying to claim that he is this cold-blooded? He loved his wife. Michael Schiavo is not Scott Peterson, and it absolutely sickens me that certain groups are trying to portray him in such a light. Keeping his wife alive is a selfish decision from every angle. His wife is gone, the person who was Terry Schiavo is dead. It's tragic, and he isn't even allowed to grieve and try to gain closure, while at the same time being painted as a killer by people who should know better.

Allow Terry her dignity. Let her die, and be at peace.

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posted at 9:39 PM

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