Schiavo

It is pretty clear after all these days and the legal wrangling that Terri Schiavo will die soon. I will mourn her passing as much as I mourn that of anyone else I do not know. I don't mean to be cold, but I have no emotional stake in her life or death. It's that simple.

The politics is less simple. Perhaps thousands of people in this country are in conditions that are difficult to diagnose. In many cases, doctors disagree about those diagnoses based upon different interpretations of medical evidence. What bothers me is that not one member of Congress is a doctor qualified to evaluate the medical condition of Terri Schiavo. Furthermore, none are acting jurists qualified to evaluate the legal merits of any aspect of any case or appeal. Despite this, however, they weighed in with a vote just over a week ago.

President Bush followed Congress' lead and signed the legislation (which may well come under fire for possible spearation-of-powers violations). Gov. Jeb Bush has finally looked at the limits of office and opted out of the fray. People, if you think the government should do more, ask just how for you are willing to let government intrude upon decisions.

It's a sad state of affairs. And now, we are told, there will be a legal battle over how she will be disposed of. Her parents are fighting for the right to bury Schiavo in the ground, yet hubby Michael is gearing up for a cremation. This was just round one, and we could see something amounting to a state funeral by the time round two is over.