Thought I'd weigh in on the Schiavo case -- briefly, because I don't have a whole lot to say about it. Let me start by saying that until very recently (like, last night), I knew next to nothing about the case. I'm usually at work or asleep when the news is on, and when I'm in the house I'm generally at my computer doing something or other for Scary-Crayon. I wouldn't even have known about the case at all were I not a fairly regular reader of Dawn's blog, but of course the information one gets there is highly biased. Some things mentioned with respect to the case are flat out untrue; others are intentionally misleading and downright strange (there was a very cruel letter to Terri, supposedly penned by Michael Schiavo but actually written by Dawn's mother -- I still haven't been able to figure out the purpose of that, given that this "satire" appears to be lacking in satirical value). So first things first: before you bother forming an opinion about the case and getting all emotional, get the facts first, because there are some really important ones that you're probably not hearing.

Like the apparent fact that Terri's present state was the ultimate result of her bulimia. Now, I'm not saying that Terri deserves to be the way she is now because of that -- I'm not blaming her and saying this is her punishment or anything -- but do you really think that someone who was so self-conscious about her image that she would purge herself into a heart attack would want to live as she is now? And then there's the fact that her cerebral cortex is all but gone, having been replaced by spinal fluid. She's like two steps away from being braindead, folks. There are other important things about the case that you probably haven't heard -- that maybe people don't want you to hear -- so if the case at all concerns you, bone up on the specifics from what appears to be an informed and unbiased source.

So my take. At first, having simply read Dawn's posts on the subject, I thought they should just let Terri's parents take her home and care for her, if that's what they wanted. (To a certain extent, I still believe that maybe that would be the best course of action -- more on that later.) I believed Dawn when she wrote that "anyone who's seen one of the videos of Terri knows that this woman clearly loves life," and thought it rather strange that her husband would fight so hard to have her put to death. But then I watched the videos myself and want to know what the fuck the people are smoking who claim that these clips "clearly [show] that Terri Schiavo is responsive and not in a 'permanent vegetative state.'" With one of them -- I kid you not -- I was convinced that I was watching a static image until she blinked a few times. Other videos showed her moaning, as if that proves something. Zombies moan. And as far as her supposed "response" to touch? Stress balls do that too. Also, keep in mind that the longest of these videos, which people say shows Terri interacting with her mother and trying to speak, was filmed four years ago. Maybe then there was something left -- I dunno -- but her brain continued to deteriorate in the past four years. And people may paint me as harsh for saying these things, but having watched those videos, I'm fairly certain that nobody's home in there -- that Terry Schiavo has already gone to a better place. And maybe that's the conclusion that Michael Schiavo came to after spending years and years by her side, watching her just sit there in this state and not do much of anything. And if that's true, and Terri is already gone, it's probably best to lay her body to rest as well.

However, given that Terri's pretty much gone, it doesn't really make a difference if the body is kept alive either. I'm tempted to say that if it makes her parents feel better, why not just allow them to care for her indefinitely? Perhaps because it seems a little cruel to keep this virtually dead woman alive for the sake of her parents (and, of course, to use her as a pawn for advancing the conservative agenda). It seems selfish of her parents to do that to her for their own peace of mind. I'm not saying hope is a bad thing, but what I think they need more than that is closure. They won't be able to have that as long as Terri's still blinking and somehow thereby convincing them and tons of other people that she's actually responsive and alert and "loves life" and whatnot.

I agree with Matt Conigliaro when he writes, "The 'right' decision would be whatever decision Terri would make." I don't think she'd want to go on like this. I know I wouldn't, and in case something ever happens to me such that I end up in what appears to be a waking "permanent vegetative state" you have it right here in writing to end my misery stasis. Don't even bother starving me; smother me with a nice fluffy pillow. (Leave me be for a while if I end up in a coma, though!) But this isn't about me, it's about Terri -- and I think that very few of the people so adamantly speaking out about the case actually have Terri's best interests in mind.

For some rather insightful posts about the sitch, check the links in De's recent comment on the subject.

P.S. Despite the timeliness of that comic, I swear I wasn't even thinking of Terry Schiavo when I drew and posted Dusty Plastic HELL: Hot Flash #26! However, I do confess to laughing at a few of the "uses for persistent vegetards" listed in this article -- particularly #43 and #65. Of course, #1 is a given.