Remembering Terri

On this day in 2005, Terri Schiavo died, after being deprived of nutrition through a feeding tube. This action followed the very questionable decision of doctors that she was in a "persistent vegetative state." It was also at the urging of her husband, who by that time was already living with a common-law wife, through whom he had children. At the time, and even now, Florida law (765.309) prohibits euthanasia, and Federal law (Title 28 35.130(e)(2)) prohibits the refusal of food and water.

Thanks in large part to the incompetence of the Governor of Florida, and the President of the United States (both named "Bush"), and the current trend in the judiciary of "legislating from the bench," the Terri Schiavo case proved without question, that this Republic is no longer under the rule of law, but under fiat. There is nothing to prevent our leaders from doing as they wish (including going to war without approval), in violation of that law. We have done nothing to stop them.

The fault, to paraphrase the Bard, lies not only in our government, but in ourselves.