I am been thinking about what I should write here, because I don’t want to just repeat everything I’ve been saying. So I’ll touch on some of the things that were commented about.

First of all, I think I am being misunderstood about this issue – to me, this isn’t about spouse vs. parents, but about life vs. death. I do think Michael Schiavo should have – as her spouse – been given legal guardianship of Terri. However, he was showing in his actions that he wasn’t to be relied on for the job. It’s like a mother who has an infant, and just stops giving the baby a bottle (bottle=feeding tube?). Shouldn’t the government take the baby away from its mother? About my life, I would want my husband to have legal guardianship over me in the event of this happening. I would trust that my husband would not want to kill me. However, this is not a perfect world and sadly there are people whose intention is to kill.

Likewise, this situation is not about whether someone in this condition should live or die, but whether someone has proven that there is no hope for recovery. Terri was never given a chance for therapy – and that’s what I was speaking out against. If Michael Schiavo had tried all kinds of therapy and she had not improved, then I can see his point. However, she wasn’t offered therapy or even sunshine, and her husband wouldn’t let her parents take full responsibility and give her therapy. I could point out the reasons why I think she could have had a chance at improving, but I believed that I’ve done that before.

As for the government: I don’t have a problem with a government’s involvement when someone’s life is at stake. And it was not her parents who first involved the government; it was Michael Schiavo who has been fighting to remove the tube. If this was a perfect world, then the government would have no need to get involved in family situations ever. However, I am sure glad it does decide to get involved in cases of abuse and neglect, among others. Sometimes sadly parents and spouses can’t be trusted because we are all human prone to sin. I am glad there is a group to step in when one’s sin is putting another life in danger.

As for my own opinions on marriage: I have said before that sometimes I wish families would stay out of my own dating life, but that’s because I don’t feel this is a life and death situation. Paul isn’t beating me or plotting to kill me (are you?). As I pointed out earlier, this is about life vs. death and not parents vs. spouse. If indeed the husbands have the right to do whatever they want with their wives, I’m sorry for all the wives out there whose husbands are abusive. As for me, I hope someone fights to give me a chance to live – whether it’s my husband, my parents, my neighbor’s sister’s cousin’s roommate, whoever. When I marry, I will not expect to be my husband’s property but his partner. And if I collapse like Terri, I will expect my husband to be my legal guardian, and I will also expect someone else to step in if he abuses that right.

I hope Terri’s resting in peace in heaven right now, and that her parents will be able to find peace and forgiveness in this highly-controversial situation. I think it’s rather humorous that when a heavy subject is being debated, everyone is suddenly afraid to attribute their thoughts to themselves. Thanks David, Beth, Frankie, and Nichole for not being afraid to stand up for what you believe.