Human rights issues

Essay by isaysoUniversity, Bachelor'sA-, June 2005

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The policy that catches my attention most is human rights. Even in the midst of a divisive war, a health care crisis, and the continued erosion of our civil liberties that the legislative branch of our government still has time to ignore the separation of powers and interfere with a legitimate state court's decision. One subject that caught my attention was the Terri Schiavo saga in Florida. Mrs. Schiavo is a patient who is in a vegetative state who has had her feeding tube reinserted by order of the legislature and governor. This was not an issue until her husband wanted the feeding tube removed permanently. This is an ethical issue where government, medical, and religious decisions are brought into the subject matter, when it wasn't necessary. As a health care practitioner, we know what happens to individuals who cannot feed themselves. They eventually become dehydrated and starve to death.

It was stated that the feeding tube to be removed was a "right to life or right to die" issue given by Mrs. Schiavo to her husband. To some though, it may seem like a choice of euthanasia instead - killing off the unwanted for what? MONEY. This is totally immoral. Who am I to make such statements? That is just my opinion and my opinion may differ from what others may believe.

This issue bothers me because the judgment was not Terri Schiavo's choice, but her husbands. What right does he have to take her life? That is for God to choose, not his. She was alive and perfectly well for someone in her condition and the decision was left hostage and not willing to let her parents have guardianship over their own daughter as they so desire? It seems like this man is either being spiteful or...