Letters to the editor

Human life always holds value

Recently, I have been angered by legal developments in the case of a disabled Florida woman, Terri Schiavo. I suggest a change in the way we, as citizens of the United States, view human life. After suffering cardiac arrest in 1990, Terri suffered brain damage. Since then, Terri’s husband, Michael Schiavo, has sought to remove her feeding tube, which would result in her death from starvation and dehydration. Her family has said Terri’s eye contact and physical responses to loved ones indicate she is by no means a vegetable. While her case is both a frightening injustice to all people with disabilities and a pitfall of judicial activism, it is primarily a humanitarian concern. Is this how we, as U. S. citizens, view human life? Does any one person have the right to end Terri’s life simply because she cannot visibly contribute to society? That’s called utilitarianism. While many of us would never subscribe to such an injustice, I suggest our words and actions tell a different story. To my grief, I believe we do think this way on many issues — abortion among them. But we must consider the consequences of those ideas. We must carefully examine our thinking to ensure we never allow someone’s worth to be determined by his or her abilities or contributions. Who knows, we may one day find ourselves in Terri’s shoes, helpless and hoping that others see our intrinsic value. So, in your shoes, right now, where do you find human worth?

Stephanie Naus
junior, political science major