As moments pass and Ms. Schiavo's death draws ever nigh, all but God's miraculous intervention portends toward a sad, unfortunate outcome. When the announcement arrives, I fear that an important part of what has made America special, great, and blessed from it's civic dawn will die as well. This government of the people, by the people, and for the people has fatally failed one person -- one for whom this protective system seemed uniquely able to shield and preserve. Was she the first? Certainly not. No more than she will be the last. Yet for all our advances, for all our sensitivities, we absolutely failed to rise up and affirm life and protect hers.
I'm naively disappointed in my national leaders in the excutive branch. Not that they didn't do anything. But that didn't do more. From afar, I in my simple mind believe that this is a proverbial hill upon which to make a Custard-like stand: "The world be galvanized and I be a fool...I'd rather die here so that she may live than to live in a world that places no value on lives like hers."
They alone -- not the judges nor the legislators -- have sworn to protect, preserve, and defend the Constitution. Instead, they abdicated constitutional determination over to the branch who's responsibility is only to interpret law, not create it. We have a civic structure that is out of balance, and in dire need of checks from the executive and legislative branches. We need bold executives and legislators who will stand shoulder-to-shoulder against activist judges who would declare wrongly when life begins and ends, and defiantly say, "Not. On. My. Watch."
Yet, that is not happening. Cards are dealt. Liberals with nothing to lose have pushed all their chips in the pot saying silly and dangerous statements like the government was never intended to legislate over personal matters. Isn't everything a personal matter, once the stock is reduced over a simmering heat? Over on the right side, rather than building a solid hand using the fulness of the system that's been established to free people from tyranny, our elected officials disregard the basics of Sophomore-level Civics and instead try to bluff their way to victory. In the end, our republic will be weaker, Terri Schiavo will be dead, and a family will be devastated.
March 27, 2005 2:17 AMI don't wanna see Schiavo die either, but the executive branch, which has repeatedly overstepped it's bounds over the past four years, is actually doing the right thing for once. It's not George or Jeb Bush's job to play God. The precedent set by that, by the president overstepping the laws of the country because he thinks something is morally right or wrong, is horrifying. I'm sure Hitler thought he was doing what was morally right. That's what is so scary about allowing anyone to have that much power, and that's why this country cannot ever give a man that much power.
Posted by: johnny at March 27, 2005 9:33 PMTo equate an executive stepping in and forcing a constitutional show-down (which would in effect affirm the democratic process) in an effort to save a woman's life with the actions of a dictator to completely undermine their political system and ultimately kill millions of people is not only wrong-minded, it's reprehensible.
Posted by: Bryan at March 28, 2005 9:47 AM