The sad tale of Terri Schiavo (Jan. 26 editorial) is not, as you so quaintly put it, a 'right to die' court case. If anything, this is a right to murder case. The phrase right to die implies that the person doing the dying wants to die. There is simply no evidence that Terri Schiavo wants to (or would have wanted to) die. Rather, Terri's husband, Michael, who is hoping to remarry, wants to end Terri's life.
Terri's collapse in 1990 is tragic; her husband's recent conduct, not to mention the conduct of Florida's judiciary, is atrocious! Michael actually sued to win the right to kill his wife. True, he disguised his wishes as mercy, but that doesn't change the fact that he wants to end an innocent's life.
Whoever removes Terri's feeding tube is executing her just as surely as if he or she were to inject her with cyanide. The most convincing argument I have ever heard against the death penalty is that it is quite final and irreversible. Given the finality of capital punishment, opponents argue, it is unconscionable to execute someone unless his or her guilt has been established beyond any possible doubt. Why should the same standard not apply to Terri Schiavo? Should she not be protected so long as there is the tiniest ray of hope that she will recover? Should she not be protected as long as the possibility exists that she doesn't want to die? No one really even knows that Terri is brain dead, though this is often argued. For all we know, a healthy, active mind is simply being hidden by a damaged body (think of a quadriplegic, Helen Keller or Christopher Reeve without the power of speech). Does that earn her a death sentence?
I won't leave you in suspense; I'll let you know what I think about this. Terri should be protected from her murderous husband. Florida's governor, Jeb Bush, should use the power of his office to prevent Terri's murder, even if it means calling out the Florida National Guard to ensure her feeding tube stays in place. The judges who, in effect, signed Terri's death warrant -even though she has committed no capital crimes -should hang their heads in shame as they hang up their long black robes. Terri's parents should be applauded for their refusal to abandon their daughter to the murderous hordes, and Terri's husband should be shunned from polite society.
-Matthew R. Farren, a senior biology major, is in the Honors Tutorial
College. Send him an e-mail at matthew.farren@ohiou.edu.
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