The Burr in the Burgh

In light of the current national discussion of euthanasia, you may wish to take a look at these helpful resources from Lutherans For Life. I particularly recommend "The Basics on Advance Directives: Thy Will Be Done," and "Before I Die: A Practical Guide for End-of-Life Issues." Every Christian should become familiar with these matters.

I am often amazed and delighted by the way the Pro-Life cause brings together people from widely different backgrounds. Bible thumping protestants and papists. Orthodox Jews and Evangelical Christians.

Nat Hentoff, a left-wing Jewish atheist who writes for "The Village Voice" is one of the more articulate voices in the pro-life struggle. I certainly don't agree with everything he writes, but his defense of Terri Schiavo is welcome.

I think of that famous photograph from the Yalta Conference in 1945 with Winston Churchill, FDR, and Joe Stalin sitting next to each other after discussing their post-war plans. Don't read any obnoxious subtexts in that statement. I'm not comparing anyone to Stalin, only pointing out that facing a great evil can bring together the most unlikely allies.

I keep telling people that I am 6 foot 2, and 230 lbs of pure muscle with a 175 IQ. But apparently saying something repeatedly does not make it so. The media STILL reports that Terri was on life support, which simply was not true. If food and water are "life support" then I'm on it and so are you. They continue to say that she is in a persistent vegetative state, which is, at least, controverted. Terri Schiavo has never had an MRI, a PET scan, or a thorough neurological exam. Doctors' reports are not unanimous.

Haven't you ever wondered why every major disability rights organization has filed a legal brief to save Terri's life? Perhaps it's because they know that once we classify severely disabled people as being better off dead, then we become no different than the Nazis who believed they could determine which lives have value and which ones do not.

When Ralph Nader, Jesse Jackson, George W. Bush, Pat Robertson and the Pope agree on an issue, maybe it's time to take a closer look. Could it be because this one is such a no-brainer that even people with wildly different political viewpoints and agendas cannot avoid being on the same side? Christians believe in something called natural law which is that God has written His Divine Law on the hearts of all people. I think everyone KNOWS this is evil. Everyone familiar with the facts, that is. But if one's conscience is seared in this area, then one will be calloused to Terri's plight.

People with disabilities have reason to be worried in America. If this does not make you nervous, it should.