I was sort of hoping to have a handy link to BlueOregon or some other blog where someone eloquent and wise would say what I want to say, but say it all nicely and make me wish I’d written it. Instead you’re stuck with me. I apologize in advance.

I have been watching the appalling display in Congress very closely the last few days, with regards to Terri Schiavo. Here are my thoughts:

Is it wrong for her husband to want to take out the tube? No.
Is it wrong for her parents to want to keep their little girl alive? No.
Is it wrong for Congress to want to make political hay out of her? YES.

I’ve been keeping an eye on Blogistan to see what shakes out, and here’s what I’ve found:

* Sun Hudson died in a very similar situation, and died because Bush signed legislation that caused the situation to even be possible. Some thoughts on that bill, by a co-author.

* Word on the street is that Santorum has added another revolting notch to his belt of arrogance, having drafted talking points for this most grandstanding of weekends past.

* Most of America disagrees with the stunt Congress tried to pull.

* So does Representative Wu, the only one from Oregon who actually voted. Please thank him if you can. (Most of us only contact a congressman when we want them to do something, or to complain about what they did. Let him know he done good-if you think so-would you?)

I feel really bad for Terri’s parents and siblings, I do. And I can’t even imagine how hard it would be to be her husband and keep saying that yes, he wants her to die. I can’t fathom how hard it would be to come to that decision in the first place, let alone going around and having to say it again and again.

I have seen people come down for and against just about every facet of this case, but I don’t know that it’s all about “right” and “wrong”. I think it’s about Terri, whether you think she should live (if you can call her current state living, which I can’t) or not, and neither opinion is necessarily “right” or “wrong”. I don’t think it should have anything to do with how ‘good’ an issue she is, or what you can gain (or what you can divert attention from), it should have to do with the very simple issue of: If this were your sibling or child or parent or spouse, what would you do? If it were you in that bed, what would you want them to do for you?

I am reasonably certain that the majority of my parents (divorced and remarried, I have four all told) think she should live, as her parents wish. I am also reasonably certain that none of them think Congress should have stepped in. I personally think she should be allowed to pass and go on to that “better place” all the people who want her to keep the feeding tube keep talking about. And here’s where it gets a little sticky.

Passing the law tells me that Congress thinks it can do whatever it wants to do (even the judge still has some choice in the matter, apparently, till they pass a law that makes him hear the case), including intrude on family issues, which makes me wonder what sort of convenient spa weekend they sent the Sanctity of the Schiavo’s marriage off to so they could vote this in. In essence, Congress has kicked in my bedroom door, which scares the hell out of me for one big reason (and a squillion smaller ones): Oregon’s Right To Die Act.

We all know that the DoJ was itching for years to obliterate this abomination, this crime against human life (eyeroll), and they couldn’t because people stood up and said “Hey, the state wants to, they aren’t forcing anybody. Back off!” And even when they tried to force their way in through some imagined loopholes, they still got the shaft. When will they realize they have somehow obtained the power to stomp on the rights of Oregon just as soundly as they have stomped on the rights of Florida? And more importantly, when will we (the people) (yeah, we ARE we the people, aren’t we?) stand up and tell them to sit the hell down and shut the hell up and give them an unequivocal reminder of who exactly it is that they work for?

I hope this will be an issue that turns into the cattle prod in the apathetic ass of American voters; I expect it will blow over in plenty of time to watch Survivor. Please prove me wrong.