And I say that not to just Ms. Schaivo, but to all of those who suffer the same fate. May all of them know true peace. This is not the time in my view for using this woman as a media pawn. She has suffered enough all these years, and it is time to let her go with dignity into the arms of the angels whom I have no doubt will take her to a place where her soul will be forever alive. As a Christian, I have not responded here to all of the diaries on this situation, but as this woman now nears the end of her life I can do nothing but wish her peace, and hope that her family has learned a great lesson from all of this...
Of course, that does not mean that I have changed my mind about how despicable I believe her parents acted in concert with a Congress that more and more is showing their total lack of empathy for the human condition and the tenets of our constitution, and the media that supports them.
What they did by placing their daughter in the middle of a media circus to me was/is reprehensible. Those in Congress who perpetrated this blatant act of violating individual rights should be censured. Those parents who are outside the hospice who send their small children to violate a court order and use them to further their warped religious agenda should be arrested for endangering the health and wellbeing of minors.
These people in my view are false Christians. They do not understand the true will of God or freewill. They are selfish people, who place their religion on their sleeves and use it as a badge. And because of that, they have ruined many lives, and actually stood in the way of God's will. They are truly nothing like the Christ who preached mercy.
I have not been on any one side through all of this (because as a parent who loves my child, I can actually empathize with how hard it would be to let go of my child as much as I would know it would be what is best for him.) I have been on the side of giving this woman ( and all who suffer) peace in whatever way to best achieve that. After reading that she supposedly had an eating disorder, I then wondered where her family was when she was starving herself, now that they seem so eager to feed her. Is it out of love? Or is it out of guilt because they allowed her to slip into this semi state of life, that they cling so tightly to this dying woman now?
It is selfish in my opinion to continue this any longer. Her parents will have to accept it and realize that she will be at peace. After losing my mother to cancer at the age of 17, I know from experience that it is very hard to let go of someone you loved with all of your heart. However, it is necessary when the one you love has suffered and wishes to be at peace.
To be honest, I have no opinions about the husband, or any other opinions about the parents but these. I don't know enough about the lives of these people prior to Ms. Schiavo's illness nor do I see it as my business to know such things. What I do know however, is this: She like many women in this country believed it was better for her to starve herself than to eat, because the perceptions in this country are such that if you are over 100 pounds you are considered fat and ugly.
Perhaps now that this woman will hopefully find the peace she so desperately needs for her own soul, we as a nation (including all those RWers who always cry about believing in the sanctity of life), will work to save other women from this insidious disease before it strikes them to the point that they too wind up like Ms. Schiavo. Perhaps Congress should get busy on some legislation that actually addresses the ROOT problem behind this entire situation, and the situations of so many people in this country who deal with such tragedy everyday.
I believe that would then be a fitting tribute to Ms. Schiavo and all young woman who believe they must starve themselves in order to be acceptable in the eyes of their families and friends. I hope this will also alert this country to just how dangerous the RW is in this country, and bring us to a point where their selfish theatrics will no longer interfere in the lives of our citizens. Rest in Peace, Ms. Schaivo. SHAME on all the rest of you.