1:30am March 21, 2005
President Bush has signed into law a bill passed by Congress to enable a federal court to review whether Terri Schiavo should be kept alive via a feeding tube. State courts have so far ruled in favor of Schiavo's husband, Michael, who says his wife would not want to continue living in her state, and against her parents, who want to keep her alive. Michael Schiavo has moved to have the law declared unconstitutional.
Acording to reports, investigations show that at family funerals and in discussions about others who were in a state requiring some form of life support, Terri Schiavo expressed her desire to friends and relatives not to be connected to any form of life support. So no matter what politicians think, this matter has been addressed in the courts, and that is where it belongs. By interceding in this matter, Congress and the President have set a precedent that will cause millions of other families in similar situations, where there is no written statement of wishes in proper legal format, to have differing opinions on how to proceed, and can now request the United States Congress and the President of the United States to get involved. Having now set precedent, it will be difficult for Congress and the President to refuse, as, sadly, the Schiavo family is not the only family to have such issues.