How Far We Have Fallen
I am an opponent of the death penalty whenever we aren't absolutely sure that the person is guilty of a capital crime. I certainly oppose the punishment of innocent people. But in Florida they are about to put an innocent woman to death.
The courts have heard the appeals, and rejected them. The governor has tried to grant clemency, but the courts overruled him. Her parents have pleaded for mercy, but their cries fall on deaf ears. And the media, which normally can be counted on to side with those sentenced to die, are silent or speak favorably in this particular case.
I do not speak of a criminal, but of Terri Schindler-Schiavo. Terri is a severely handicapped woman. Terri's "crime" is to live in an age when we have so devalued life that courts (and many of our fellow human beings) think they do us a favor by ending it.
Terri is not kept alive by machines. She breathes on her own, and has ever since her incident in 1990. Being paralyzed, she does need help to eat. She is fed through a tube, although her parents believe she might be able to eat normally if given a chance.
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/7486/CWA/life/index.htm
From:
About me: “'But I don’t want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked. 'Oh, you can’t help that,' said the Cat. 'We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.' 'How do you know I’m mad?' said Alice. 'You must be,” said the Cat, 'or you wouldn’t have come here.'” -Lewis Carroll