A humanity issue & death

The Terri Schiavo case certainly is a tragedy and I have great sympathy for her and her family. This case however highlights an issue far larger and much more important to American society than her specific tragedy. That issue is whether it is right and lawful for governmental authorities to kill citizens that are determined to be living lives that are not consistent with the norm.

Although religions have dealt with this issue in the past this is a humanity issue that is not particular to any specific religion nor is this issue specific to any political ideology.

There is a large group of people, commonly referred to as baby boomers, that is approaching retirement age. These people will no longer be contributors to the U.S. Social Security fund and will instead become consumers of U.S. Social Security funds. Also as people age the need for medical services and technologies increase and as medical technologies and medications improves they also get more expensive.

There is little disagreement that America is a benevolent society, but the question now is to what extent can America afford to be as benevolent as it has in the past. This is the basis for many debates in this country. Is this also the driving force behind the determination by many parties to cause Terri Schiavo’s death?

I am particularly scared of the precedent set in this case because I am disabled, but all of us should be afraid, particularly the baby boom generation. The precedent in this case, although Terri is alive, has already been established and the courts have either upheld this precedent or simply ignored it.

Now that this precedent has been set will American society use it to rid itself of consumers of social resources such as disabled people and retirees? Will an age of death be established to conserve Social Security funds?

William F. Egerter