Our Courts and Death

Our Courts have a long history of embracing death over life. Back more than a century ago the Court made rulings allowing slavery and many died. The Supreme Court ruled for abortion in the 1970's and new life ends everyday in America. Recently the Florida Supreme Court ruled that Terri Schiavo, a Florida woman in a brain damaged and vegetative state, should be allowed to die by a medical order of her husband, and the US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal. When one digs into the facts of this latest case, you have to start asking why do our Courts prefer death over life. Why do they favor a man who has abandoned his wife to live with another woman and create a new family? Why do they look down on the parents who gave life and have cared for and loved their daughter to this very day?

In this case the law was abandoned long ago. Terri has left no instructions that she wanted the type of actions her husband, Michael, is trying to take. Michael may have many motives for denying care to his wife and bringing her life to an end. There is the question of whether Terri's faith would have allowed her to take such action. The undeniable truth is that Terri has two loving parents that have not given up on her, and that are trying desperately to gain a right that should have aways been theirs. For the Courts should not be judging this case as an either or decision. The Courts' role should be to give Terri the best chance for life, comfort and care.

Again the question comes forward, why do our courts embrace death? Why does our Supreme Court run so often from making true decisions. They run from the Terri Schiavo case because there is a living, breathing woman with a name involved. Better to let that decision be made by another Court. Its easier to take on a case like that of Oregon's assisted suicide law. This is a completely different case from that of Terri Schiavo. This a case that involves terminally ill patients who have received medical information and advice and are making their own decisions. More importantly, this case does not have a single innocent face attached to it. Unfortunately, is there any doubt how this case will be judged? Bet on death, because in cases of life over death in our Courts, death always trumps the pursuit of life and liberty.