:: sigh ::
I sure have written that ( ::sigh:: ) a lot lately.
Basically, I don’t have a lot of words to say about the Terri Schiavo case any more. I’ve pretty much said everything I felt needed saying either here or at BlogsForTerri. I think I can say I’ve done all that I can, for what it’s worth, sitting here with a computer and a phone in Alabama, and there’s not really anything else I can do at this point. I don’t think there’s anything anyone else can do, either.
I’ve been trying to think of something to write for a while; something profound, maybe something written by someone who has a better way with words than I, but I realize words are just that–words–and sometimes they just ring hollow. I’m not one to make public displays of my spiritual thoughts or beliefs, either. I guess you’ll have to find that elsewhere.
I will say this though–I really do believe this is and always has been in God’s hands, no matter how hard we have tried to make things work out a certain way. As passionately as I feel about this miscarriage of justice (I’ll just call it that, for the sake of brevity), unlike others I haven’t shed a tear or felt despair because I am certain there is a REASON for this that no one on either side of the issue can explain just yet. Does that make me
“insensitive” because I don’t cry for Terri and the Schindlers? I hope not. I really do believe that something positive can come out of everything, if we look for it.
I hate that Terri is dying in this manner–that I cannot accept. I hope that this forces a real discussion of what “dying with dignity” and “right to die” really means–because this is an atrocity. I hope that this has made people think about what defines life and what value we place on it–and why it is acceptable to place a lesser value on life at the “ragged edges.” I fear for the disabled in this climate–if there is anything in this that makes me near tears, it’s thinking of all those who have had their lives devalued by this whole process, with so many saying they wouldn’t want to live “like that.” I’m tempted to start writing about why that is so wrong on so many levels, but that’s for another post. Even so, some people just won’t ever get it, particularly the young and healthy and those who have never faced adversity.
At this point, what’s done is done and this certainly appears to be the end of the fight for Terri Schiavo. I take solace in the fact that Terri’s soul and spirit will live on and remind us that there’s a lot of work to be done, because the fight for the right to life, no matter how tiny or imperfect that life is, still remains.
A note: THIS is what I have thought all along about the practical issues surrounding this train wreck (lousy lawyering).
Michelle Malkin has a pre-post-mortem roundup and some advice: Pray. Just pray.
Gun-Toting Lib says:
God Bless you, Beth, for how hard you’ve worked to attain a positive and JUST result on behalf of Terri. We may have never met if it weren’t for Terri… you, I, Cao, lesbien–, ticklebug… many of us were brought together to learn we can all rally for a common cause. It’s not over for Terri yet but we can pray for a miracle… we still have THAT.
WA Mom says:
Beth - are you still here?
Eric says:
“If we ever cease to be one nation under God, we will be a nation gone under” - Ronald Reagan
We’re still one nation under God.
You done good, Elizabeth
Hennessy’s View » Read This says:
[...] n for pointing this out. The Bull Moose demands reading, too. (Thanks to Dean Esmay) Beth sighs. We all sigh with her. I think of the Marys standing beneath the Cross. Waiting. [...]
Bill Hennessy says:
Beth,
Your words are actually quite profound. At least to me. Purpose is an odd thing. It seems almost synonymous with certainty, but it never is.
Look at how many different people have come together to save Terri. Look at the adversaries we’ve made. I’ve alienated Steven Taylor, Jeff Joyner, and Bill at InDC. Steven Taylor took offense to me; the other two were intellectual cowards throughout this thing.
Still, I feel close to people like you, Billmon, College Pundit, Michelle Malkin, and bunch of other people I will probably never meet. Close like the people who are connected by a common tragedy. A plane crash. A gross miscarriage of justice. A victory of theory over what is. A loss. A prayer.
Thank you for your fight in this battle. You’ve been beautiful.
An_American_Housewife says:
Thank you, Beth, for being here and putting up a fight for Terri. Yes, it is in God’s Hands but we still have to do the footwork and YOU certainly have done a lot of that lately so I say thank you. You have helped ME in so many ways with what you have done; blogging, posting, writing, researching, etc. You have opened my eyes up and have helped change my mind about the whole thing. You made me look at something I wanted to close my eyes to because it wasn’t “pretty” to look at.
And I believe that what you and everyone else has done for the cause of Terri WILL not be forgotten, there will be some action taken and we can keep helping with the footwork.
An_American_Housewife says:
HAVE done…..not has done, sorry:oops:
Beth says:
I’m still here, WA Mom!
Bill, you know, I’ve thought a lot about some of the good things that have come about. The different people coming together is the thing I noticed already–I’ve gotten to know some people better, and even more striking to me is some of the people I’ve “met” that I would probably never have otherwise. The liberals and the evangelicals who worked so hard on this have REALLY opened my eyes and my mind. After all the mud-slinging of the last couple of years between different groups, it’s good to see people coming together despite our other differences. And yes, this has opened my eyes to some other things too (namely the narrow-mindedness of the people on the left AND right who think this was all about “religious nutcases”–that thinking disgusts me).
Maybe this is a first step to bridging our differences and opening some dialogue between the left and right–I’ve seen some really touching outreach that might not have existed if it weren’t for this. Who’d have thought Hugh Hewitt would ever have featured a liberal lesbian on his blog one day?! Who’d have thought I’d have someone labeled a liberal lesbian on my blogroll? Not to mention Liberals for Terri, GUN TOTING LIB (well, he’s not much of a stretch), etc. Now we can actually discuss issues with “The Other Side™” without preconceived notions–or at least with some on each other’s opposite side.
Thank YOU Bill. And thank you to all of my other allies in this–Terri has truly given us the gift of teamwork and friendship! :grin:
RagingArmadillo says:
Beth,
I have been reading your web site for 3 days, and have snarled and huffed at you at some of your posts. I’m not much interested in getting into arguments or fights, and while my beliefs on a lot of issues differ vastly from yours, I have to say that I appreciate what you wrote in this posting.
As a country, we seriously have to look at the issue of “the end of life.” We (collectively, as a society) have chosen to ignore it. Looking at it as a child of baby-boomers, I fear for their generation if nothing is learned from this experience. People need to put down on paper what they want for themselves. If this nation has learned nothing from this experience, we have wasted opportunity.
While you and I might differ in our beliefs, we have at least given them thoughtful consideration and put them in a place to be shared- whether amongst friends or on the internet. Keeping the conversation going is vital. We all might not agree, but thought and the freedom to debate and raise our collective consciousness is imperative, and is one of the things that I hold dear as an American.
Take care-
Gun-Toting Lib says:
“GUN TOTING LIB (well, he’s not much of a stretch)”
LOL Beth… ! I’ll take that as a compliment ;-) Hey, are you the one who ticked “I nominate the G-TL for President”? I bet you were… hehe. I’m gonna keep workin on ya… come to the DARK side, Beth… come to the dark side.
I bet you did read my last post or I can hardly imagine you saying such a thing :-)
Just playing with ya. I’m very proud of you and everybody in this discussion. The Eagle needs both a left wing AND a right wing to fly. God Bless you all and may Terri experience a miracle. If not, she has given us one and may she rest in peace.
Bill Hennessy says:
I’ll try to be brief. You nailed it. It was the lesbien thing. (Hey, I’m a guy.) I’m also an actor and a writer, and I get off on “connecting” with people who aren’t right wing Christian activists (although I am). But I clicked through some links and found myself on a Lesbiens for Terri site. How cool. How much more compelling than Christians for Life. (go figure)
I hope Terri’s passionate death pulls together some ideas that I considered ridiculous last year.
I want to grow.
I want to make it better.
Gun-Toting Lib says:
Oops… typo. Meant to infer that you “DIDN’T read my latest post on my own blog” :roll:
Ticklebug says:
Beth, I’m new to your blog, so you must forgive me for my ignorance. But if you are the same Beth who runs the “Blogs for Terri” site, than I would like to commend you on your hard work and effort to bond us all together and fight for Terri. Even though the end results may not be as successful as planned, Terri’s life is well worth the fight and our perseverance.
If you aren’t the same Beth, I still commend you for having fought for her on your blog.
You know, I never thought I’d ever have a positive interaction with Cao being that I’m a Liberal, but with the Terri case, I’ve gotten to see the better side of my Republican “opponents” so to speak.
Anyway, thanks again!
molli says:
I have a picture of what Terri schiavo might look like now.:cry:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Marys_2_cents/
please pass it on.
mmi
Kender says:
In the above comment click the name “molli” instead of the link to get to the picture she mentioned.
Paul Deignan says:
In hopes of lifting your spirits, can I share a thought?
“An unexamined life is a life not worth hoisting on others as an example.” — Deignan, 2005
Alright, the quote is derivative. But I hope you can see something to it.
During this time of trial, those that live such thoughtless lives moved as they always seem to–cows to an eventual slaughter. Meanwhile, we have had the opportunity to pierce through the herd with some urgent words of sense, …. “Hey, mooo, moooo, see that chute coming up? Moooo, moooo, the cow ten up just got a metal plunger through the head. Mooo, mooo, moooo, might be a good time to move in the opposite direction. Moo”.
Zeke says:
Like you my Digital Goddess, I sit in awe wondering how this travesty can happen in the USA. I’m at a loss for words but my emotions are still on overdrive. How can the courts and the elitist be against life especially when Terri has hurt nobody nor committed no crime. I will never understand why this should be allowed to happen for as long as I live.
Paul Deignan says:
Zeke,
Let me give a hand.
Governments are composed of people. Rules are what we make of them.
When pushed, the proper response is to push back. All systems work this way. There is no free ride that should be expected.
Remember, this nation was born and evolved through sacrifice. We must sacrifice to achieve a more noble end. Nothing is assured in the struggle but meaningfulness of the struggle itself as we create it in the process.
Take heart. Example is the most powerful motive force. Follow me.
Moooooo!
Paul Deignan says:
So what tony means to say is,
“For me, this is all one big partisan opportunity to score a point against the GOP.”
Way to go tony! Now mooooooove along. We got a special surprise for ya’ behind that barn door there.
Susan Nunes says:
Big difference between DeLay’s dad’s situation, where the family agreed upon “pulling the plug,” and the Schiavo case.
Big, big, big difference.
steve says:
I always love your blog. Trade links?
Beth says:
Tony is deleted and banned…sorry I was late in my janitorial duties. :wink:
I guess these trolls think I was kidding in my “Notice to Trolls” post. I was nice enough with this one to merely delete/ban rather than attack him viciously…it IS Easter, after all. What a farking idiot.
Eric says:
Hey Steve, my blog’s better.
Muahahahaha
:mrgreen:
Paul Deignan says:
In order to explain the big picture, “Why did this happen?” question, please let me offer this post mortem.
The Point says:
Schiavo Case Update
Talk has now shifted from trying to save Terri to knowing who will have the responsibility for her funeral. She’s not even dead but it’s almost as if she was. I consider it safe to say no politician, even in
The Owner's Manual says:
#77 Best of Me Symphony
In the spirit of The Scarlet Letter, Spirit Fingers advises that adultery could be difficult in these groom outfits.