I'm approaching the issue of the Terri Schiavo case from a theoretical position rather than a personal one. From the point of view of my beliefs, formed by my life and my faith and my education.
I realized this week by reading the letters-to-the-editor that a lot of people are approaching this issue from a personal point of view. From having had to face a end-of-life medical decision from within their own family. And thus they are invested in the issue with a perspective that I'm yet to have. They have a personal vested stake in what the answer to this tough life question and their position on this subject has a lot to do with justifying their own decisions in the matter.
It follows that a lot of people, as our population ages, will be approaching the question from a personal rather than a theoretical POV. Eventually, maybe even a majority of people will.
We've already been down this path in the abortion debate.
In 1973, very few people nationwide had personal experience with abortion as the nation wrestled with Roe v. Wade.
Do the math and you will see that, in 2005, that's no longer the case. 40 plus million abortions since 1973. That's 40 million women. Add a partner in most of those cases who assisted in the decision either supportively or coercively. Add friends who provided advice, counsel, and financial and/or logistical support. Add some amount of parents who knew about the crisis pregnancy and did the same. It's easy to get to a number of over 100 million people out of 240 million people who were involved to some degree in the completion of an abortion. 100 million people for who the topic of abortion is not theoretical but personal and who have a vested interest in justifying their decision when the take a position on a theoretical topic. That's the math for abortion.
And that's becoming the math for end-of-life decisions as well.
That's not right or wrong. It just is. These discussions are now personal and not theoretical.
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