Have a Terri Schieavo Day
By: Jon Ekblad 04/01/2007
On March 31, 2005, Terri Schiavo died. Something about moral integrity died with her. For 13 frightful days she was on a death watch, suffering starvation and dehydration, having committed no crime. All attempts to spare her life, by the state, federal legislative and judicial branches were rebuffed/denied.
The dangerous legal precedent that emerged is frightening. If a disability robs someone of the ability to communicate, will that person’s continued existence be at the mercy of another’s whim? What if just such a disability were to strike you or me?
When the confluence of government branches results in the official decision by our country to perpetrate Terri’s death just because she was unable to communicate, we have simply gone too far. This death-embrace gravely threatens all disabled people and, in effect, imperils everyone. Power brokers are hurling our society toward the whirling blades of the tree chipper, and divine judgment may well disintegrate us and spew us out.
I work daily with disabled people. Often their disability is so intense that mere survival each day is a significant challenge. They rarely appear on the lobbying radar screen. Their worth doesn’t originate in what they do or contribute to society; rather they are valuable simply because they are persons, individuals who share God’s image with the entire human family. I’m calling for a Terri Schiavo Day every March 31, to remember her and those among us who struggle each day with profound disabilities. Let’s not forget!
Jon Ekblad
Victory