A Culture Of Life

By BlackJack

Terri Schiavo is at the center of a battle between the so-called pro-lifers and her own husband.

I''ve often wondered at the bizarre and contradictory stance of the so-called Pro-life Christian right. While protecting the fetus at any cost - even the life of the mother - they are most often at the front of the line defending the Iraq War where hundreds of thousands have died.

As in most cases they use the media, both mainstream and right-wing, to broadcast a message that triggers emotional response while avoiding productive discussion or intelligent thought. The messages often wholeheartedly avoid the truth as well. The Terri Schiavo case is a current example of this strategy.

The right-wing has turned this into a battle of good and evil - of right to life. Terri''s husband Michael is being portrayed as a selfish, evil man set upon the destruction of Terri''s life. Her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, are the underdogs fighting for Terri''s life. I''m sure they''re wonderful people who are grieving over the daughter who''s already left them. But lost in this battle is the very personal decision made by Michael and his rights to make this decision.

Terri suffered severe brain damage in 1990 when her heart failed and stopped beating briefly. Her doctors at the time determined that the event was caused by a chemical imbalance due to Terri''s eating disorder. Terri suffered from Bolemia.

Now her court-appointed doctors say she is in a persistent and permanent vegetative state with no hope of recovery. Her parents argue that the doctors are mistaken and that there is a change that Terri could recover. They''ve gone searching for 3rd and 4th opinion. Grief experts recognize this as a stage of the grieving process called denial.

The Schindler''s are receiving the support of the Pro-life movement and it''s vast network of activists and lobbyists. With their close connections to the current administration this group was able to take a family issue and make it a national emergency. Federal courts were given jurisdiction to review Schiavo''s case after Republicans in Congress pushed through unprecedented emergency legislation over the weekend aimed at prolonging Schiavo''s life.

I''ve heard very little from those with actual first-hand knowledge of Terri, Michael and their families. I''ve heard precious little from experts in Hospice care and those who understand dying and grief. I''ve heard much from beaurocrats, marginal experts and talking heads. Maybe we need to understand the horrible position this family is in and back ourselves out of it. Why is it so easy to find the evil in others but so hard to find the compassion in ourselves?