We do not know her husband, Michael, or her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler.
Most important, we do not know the medical details of her case or the law in Florida that governs end-of-life issues. We are neither doctors nor lawyers nor judges. Given all that we do not know, we would not presume to decide whether a feeding tube should be used to continue to keep Terri Schiavo alive.
It troubles us, however, that the Congress, most of whose members do not know any more about Terri Schiavo or her case than we do, would presume to make that judgment. It troubles us a great deal.
Most people who have reached middle age know that medical decisions at the end of life can be anything but clearcut. Many have helped their parents to die and have agonized about doing the right and humane thing.
Of course, life is sacred. Of course, a person must be given every reasonable chance to recover from a sickness or injury.
But when people have expressed a desire not to be resuscitated or not to have other extraordinary measures used to prolong life beyond what would occur naturally, especially in the face of gravely ill health, those wishes must be respected as well.
When the patient has not left binding legal instructions, it falls to family to decide. When the patient's spouse and parents disagree, as in Terri Schiavo's case, the courts must resolve the dispute.
The courts in Florida, which, unlike Congress, have heard the evidence and the law, have decided repeatedly in favor of Michael Schiavo, who insists it was his wife's wish not to have her life prolonged as it has been in recent years. Michael Schiavo has asked doctors to remove Terri's feeding tube and they have complied.
Yet Congress over the weekend passed a special law ordering a specific federal court in Florida to hear the case and conduct a new trial of the issues. We believe this action shows an arrogant disregard for the Constitution's separation of powers (Congress is not the courts) and federalism (Florida's courts have ruled).
But it mostly shows disrespect for a husband's effort to carry out his wife's wishes under some of the worst circumstances imaginable. We can't help but believe that this is wrong.
