Why do they call it a "living" will?

Amid fears that Terri Schiavo may not last through the weekend without intervention, it is worth knowing that the courts aren't the only ones ignoring laws on the books against euthanasia.

For the January 1998 edition of Homiletic and Pastoral Review, an experienced nurse from the Minneapolis-St Paul area named Mary Therese Helmueller wrote a chilling essay entitled "Are You Being Targeted For Euthanasia." The piece is making its rounds again in Catholic pro-life circles, and is definitely worth reading:

Your life may be in danger if you are admitted to a hospital, especially if you are over 65 or have a chronic illness or a disability. The elderly are frequently dying three days after being admitted to the hospital. Some attribute it to "old age syndrome" while others admit that overdosing is all too common. Euthanasia is not legal but it is being practiced. Last year the New England Journal of Medicine reported that 1 in 5 critical care nurses admit to having hastened the death of the terminally ill! I believe the percentage is much higher. I have worked with nurses who even admit to overdosing their parents...

There are three things to keep in mind. First, this was written seven years ago. Second, it gets much worse. And third, if you're still stupid enough to make out a Living Will after reading this... you've been warned.

(A tip of the Black Hat goes to publisher Fran Griffin, as well as pro-life activist Frank Kelly, for bringing this to our attention.)