Terri Schiavo: Victim of Lethal Bigotry

Two years ago today, Terri Schiavo died, after her family lost a prolonged, contentious battle for her right to live.

Terri's brother Bobby Schindler makes some great points about the gift of life, the Culture of Death, and the media in his article commemorating the anniversary of his sister's death.

Saturday, March 31, will mark the two-year anniversary of my sister Terri Schiavo's death by dehydration. Not a day passes that my family does not think of my sister and relive the horrific images of her needless and brutal death at the hands of those who deliberately set out to kill her.

As hideous as it was, the truth is, long before Terri's case made headlines, the removal of basic care – food and water – was becoming commonplace. It continues to happen every day across our country oftentimes in cases, like Terri's, where the patient does not suffer from any life-threatening condition.

Much of the problem that exists stems from a blind acceptance of misinformation that has moved us from a firm belief in the sanctity of life to a "quality of life" mindset, which says that some lives are not worth living.

This shift, what I call lethal bigotry, began with the medical community, has infiltrated our judiciary and is taking over our nation. People are making decisions in place of God, while even many Catholic leaders remain silent despite the Church's teaching and the pope's constant reminders that God alone is the arbiter of life and death.

The sad fact is we have become a nation that spends billions trying to find the perfect body, while ignoring the condition of our collective soul; where altruism seems to be a thing of the past, and moral relativism has become a bona fide religion.

...Terri and others like her should be a constant reminder to all of us that caring for the disabled is never a burden, but is instead an act God's unconditional love.

"Lethal bigotry" says it all.

Terri was betrayed by a husband, a judicial system, and a culture that brands certain lives worthless and condones withholding food and water from the ill and disabled.

It still makes me sick to think about what she endured.

I recognize the sanctity of all human life, at all its stages, and in all its conditions.
Two years ago, President Bush said:

I urge all those who honor Terri Schiavo to continue to work to build a culture of life, where all Americans are welcomed and valued and protected, especially those who live at the mercy of others. The essence of civilization is that the strong have a duty to protect the weak. In cases where there are serious doubts and questions, the presumption should be in the favor of life.

As exhibited by the killing of Terri Schiavo, this goal is far from being reached.

The struggle for life to prevail, when engulfed in a Culture of Death, is a challenging but morally imperative endeavor.

Although today is a sad day, we can honor Terri's memory by continuing to work to build a lasting Culture of Life; keeping in mind the words of Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, that "an attack against life is an attack against God."