We should all keep in mind that, when we strip away the politicking, the protesting evangelicals, the appeals, the late-night sessions of Congress and Presidents in their pajamas, the tearful appeals, the armed crazies sprouting from the woodwork and the over-hyped, semi-jingoistic news coverage . . .
. . . that a woman in Florida is slowly dying, a woman utterly dependent on those around her for everything, and no one is really certain that this is what she wants.
The ultimate Democratic values are necessarily protection of freedom and the right of self-determination - it's why Democrats have supported the right to die and the right to refuse medical treatment.
So tonight, if you are at all religious or spiritual, say a prayer for Terri Schiavo, and for all of us, that this is what she wants and the right thing is being done - or for forgiveness if the opposite is true.
And while you are at it, say a prayer for the 1528 Americans who have died in Iraq since the war started, and for the soldiers that will die before it ends. No one is protesting to bring them home. No one is appealing to the Supreme Court to save their lives. No one is taping their mouths, carrying placards, driving all night to the Governor's - or President's - mansion to argue for them, no church masses are being held to help bring them home faster. "They knew the might be sent to war" is a wan, weak, inadeequate and insulting thing to say when they fight for us, but no one fights for them.
If Terri is worth fighting for, then so are they.