Why We Must Always Remember Terri Schiavo

Three years ago, at 9.05 a.m., March 31st, 2005, Terri Schiavo was forced to succumb to the culture of death.

Perhaps one of the most disturbing aspects of this culture of death is its proponents' stomach-turning sanctimoniousness -- that death is good. Death is so good, in fact, that they'll obligate you to die of starvation and thirst. They'll deny you food and water because it's in your best interests. They, by golly, know what your best interests are.

That's why we need to remember Terri Schiavo -- as a polite way of thumbing our collective noses at the pious agents of death masquerading as paragons of light and love. There's nothing at all loving, or even decent, about deliberately allowing someone, whoever they are, and in whatever condition they may or may not be, to die of thirst.

Just think about that for a minute -- almost everywhere, deliberately allowing an animal to die of thirst and hunger would be considered cruelty -- as it should be. (Imagine what PETA would do!). But for Terri, and thousands like her, the playing field was different.

But alone, politely thumbing our noses isn't enough. Unless we remember Terri and her death, the playing field will continue to increasingly tilt against people with disabilities.

We must do more than remember -- we must get more involved.

There are many ways of speaking out. Speak out by helping us.

We could use your help here at the ISDB. Give us a call. I know Bobby Schindler at the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation could use your help. Give him a call. There's so much more we could do if we could rely on more hands, energy, and resources.

Think about it. It's a good way to remember Terri. 

Don't forget that Terri's Day is next Monday, March 31.

Don't forget. 

In remembering lies the seed for action and change.