Never-ending battle

And the battle over poor Terri Schiavo still goes on in the world of partisan politics.

My daily dose of Web-based news brought me this little tidbit that made me grit my teeth and vow once again to move to France, or some other similarly civilized country:

"House Republican Leader Tom DeLay condemned the state and federal judges who refused to prolong her life, and he warned that lawmakers 'will look at an arrogant and out-of-control judiciary that thumbs its nose at Congress and the president.' "

I empathize. I myself condemn the arrogant and out-of-control Congressmen and alleged president who thumbed their noses at legal precident and the judicial process, all in the interest of guaranteeing a continued influx of political contributions from the conservative and religious right.

And Tom continues:

" 'I never thought I'd see the day when a U.S. judge stopped feedling a living American so that they took 14 days to die,' he said."

Tom, I couldn't agree more. I am appalled that when legal authority is given to remove a feeding tube or other life support, that some drug can't be given to hasten the inevitable end of life. But then that gets into the realm of doctor-assisted suicide, an even stickier wicket.

He Who Puts Up With Me knows very well my wishes if I should ever be so unfortunate as to land in a permanent vegetative state. And I feel fairly confident that my family would not fight him on his attempts to carry out those wishes (especially since, many years ago, my father was instrumental in having his stepfather taken off life support following a heart attack that deprived his brain of oxygen for too long, leaving him in a state much like Terri Schiavo's). But one never knows what one's family will do in the face of grief. I really should get a living will and power of attorney in order. And if you're reading this, so should you.