Liberals oddly silent in Schiavo case

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Where is the outcry about the Terri Schiavo case? We have liberal activist judges trying to facilitate her starvation, conservative politicians trying desperately to save her, and silence from liberal media and civil liberties groups.

Terri suffered brain damage in 1990 when her heart stopped beating. No exact cause is known. An eating disorder or some unknown agent, possibly given by her husband, are possible explanations. Michael Schiavo has fathered two children with another woman yet remains married to Terri and continues to fight to have her starved. Terri Schiavo's parents want to take over her care and keep her alive.

What I find astounding is the complete lack of compassion and support this woman is shown. I think back to the huge outcry about the video of Saddam Hussein being shown with a tongue depressor in his mouth or when a few criminal Iraqi prisoners were mistreated by misguided soldiers. Yet when a handicapped woman is about to be starved to death, there is complete silence. Why isn't the American Civil Liberties Union trying to protect this woman's right to live? They will come to the aid of a known terrorist, killer or rapist if his "civil liberties" were violated by some obscure technicality, but they won't try to protect Terri Schiavo. Imagine if Saddam Hussein is found guilty and sentenced to die by starvation. The world would condemn this act as heinous, and rightfully so. The world's worst dictator does not deserve that treatment and neither does Schiavo.

Liberals are generally regarded as more compassionate and having the highest regard for life and liberty. Why, then, is it mostly conservatives fighting for her life? Why are liberal groups silent or conciliatory about her starvation? Those are questions we need to answer for ourselves.

Brett Goodrich

Waterville

bgood1@adelphia.net