The Truth About Terri

This next item is not really good news at all, but points to a common pattern among neo-conservatives in the U.S. The Neo-cons must assume that by the time the truth comes out that no one will care that they lied. They have done it with Iraq, they have done it again with the Patriot Act, they are doing it with Social Security, and they did it with poor Ms. Schiavo. They are wrong about the caring part, too. I care about truths, no matter when they come to light, and so do many others.

We all remember the tragic circumstance of Terri Schiavo. Perhaps even more of us remember the political fallout surrounding her alleged wishes to have life ended if, in fact, she should end up in a persistent vegetative state. The courts, and rightly so, sided with her husband, allowing him to fulfill her wishes. Her distraught parents, church leaders, and many Republican politicians circled their right-wing loonie wagons, trotting out a bevy of ‘Christian’ neurologists with the claim that proper rehabilitation could save Terri Schiavo. Others claimed that she was cognizant, and still others claimed that her state was nowhere near vegetative or persistent. When appeals to courts, the Legislature, the President, and the general public did not achieve their goals, they began accusing Mr. Schiavo of abuse and neglect, even suggesting that he attempted to murder his wife, and was trying desperately, seven years later, to finish the job. Tens of witnesses came forth in support of these ridiculous accusations, and not one of them credible, but all of them quite vocal.

Well, now the autopsy has been performed and the truth is known about Terri’s condition. The right-wing loonies are once again proven wrong by the facts; facts that, by the way, were attested to by Terri’s doctors all along. It is about time they learned their lesson, and in the future, should endeavor to speak out only after the facts have been presented. I know that is nothing more than wishful thinking on my part, but I will still demand it nonetheless. It is intolerable that we live under and amongst those whose religious fervor and control-freakism eclipse any sense of propriety, rule of law, or common sense. Like many other in events in recent history, the Religious Reich misdiagnoses both problem and solution, leaving me with no reason to lend any credibility to their assertions.

Why must they jump to conclusions? Why can’t they wait for facts? I’m tired of these religious wack-jobs crying foul when nothing is wrong. Below are a few links to news items related to this story.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8225637/

http://www.freep.com/news/latestnews/pm4605_20050615.htm

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/11901433.htm

To all the right wing nut-jobbers out there: please wait for facts before flying off the handle. You should apologize to Michael Schiavo and to the American people for all the pain, time, and money you caused the nation to squander over your idiotic zealotry. Shame on every one of you, especially the leaders, who should have known better and instead, pandered to their constituencies for votes and money.