What we have learned from the Schiavo situation...

The long struggle is over. Terri Schiavo is now gone. From here, we decide what the rest of us can learn from it all.

First, the easy part. Everybody should have a living will, some kind of official documentation of our wishes and who has the right to speak in our behalf.

But we have also uncovered two important facts.

1. The majority of Americans--both liberal and conservative--think the government should butt out of these very personal family decisions. The activity by the GOP was way out of line, unconscionable and unconstitutional. While the many legal decisions and the public polls showed a strong belief in personal LIBERTY, the Republicans were Hell-bent to undermine our freedom in favor of State domination.

2. We now see for certain who is really running this government. The GOP drive to circumvent both the law and liberty came from their complete subservience to the Religious Right. If there is any group in the country that hates freedom, it’s the Religious Right. We are seeing how extreme they really are. And the GOP is eager to bow to their crazed interests.

Why crazed? What was their motivation in the Schiavo case? A culture of life? Bullshit. Where were they when a Texas law (signed by then-Governor Bush, no less) was exercised to kill a young boy? An eight year old boy’s feeding tube was removed--against the will of his parents--because THEY COULD NOT PAY THE CASH anymore.

Culture of life?!? Schiavo’s husband was acting out of MERCY, and the right-wingers were outraged. The Texas doctors were acting out of GREED, and the right-wingers didn’t give a shit.

Beware politicians who thump their Bibles. For they take away liberty, and provide only hypocrisy.