I should start off by saying I hope to keep this post as apolitical as
possible. I have to admit that I have not followed the Schiavo case
closely at all. I am not qualified to comment on whether or not her
husband, parents, or the courts are making the right decisions. This
post isn't about the morality of "right to life" vs "right to die,"
proponents, but about the morality of our priorities.
It's all below the fold, copied from my blog on http://giveorange.org
Today, more protesters were
arrested and, "About a half-dozen people in wheelchairs later got out
of them and lay in the driveway, shouting 'We're not dead yet!'"
Today, one easter service included the following in the sermon:
Imagine the young woman that's been trapped in a hospice
for 15 years... One day we're all going to go through the valley. ...
Some day, somehow, each of us are going to face that last
enemy.
The sermon was preceded by distribution of a flyer to congregates
prepared by the Lutheran Church outlining, ""things that each of us
can do to help save Terri Schindler-Schiavo."
Today, between 16,000 and 24,000 children died of hunger related illness. Today,
about5,000
people, mostly children will die from the treatable and probably
preventable disease, malaria. Today,
6,000 children will be made orphans by AIDS.
Latest WHO estimates suggest that 10.6 million children will die
prematurely due to preventable disease. Often these disease are
exasperated by hunger.
The deaths are mainly from pneumonia (19%), diarrhoea
(17%), malaria (8%), measles (4%), HIV/Aids (3%) and injuries (3%).
Premature birth (28%), sepsis or pneumonia (26%), and asphyxia (23%)
are the most common causes of very early death
These stats come from several sources and may not add up perfectly,
but the zealous nature of the Schiavo protesters remind us, whether we
agree with them or not, that ONE preventable death is too many.
I don't want to forget all the great organizations and individuals
that do so much to change this pattern of suffering -- they are out
there everyday showing true compassion without
cameras gathered around.
However, where is the zeal, where is the 24 hour vigil, the media
circus for the thousands of children dying today? Where are the
children risking
arrest to bring water and food to others despite all legal and
physical obstacles. When will those children stop being "10.6
million" to us, and start being "One," with just as many fighting for
them as for Terri? When that day comes, we will finally move closer
to the hope we glimpse on Easter, the hope for the day when...
They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the
sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the
center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to
springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from
their eyes.
Rev. 7:16-17