A Culture of Life or Death: What Are We Becoming?

George C. Landrith

In recent weeks, we have witnessed the spectacle of Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) and other Democratic leaders comparing President Bush and Senate Republicans to Nazis because of disagreements over judicial nominations and Social Security reform. I am loath to make comparisons to Hitler or Nazis because it is generally done as Senator Byrd does it – to simply call names and disparage those with whom he disagrees. However, occasionally, such comparisons are fair, historically accurate and instructive. I will not call anyone Hitler or a Nazi, but the sad lessons of history should help us better understand the Terri Schiavo case.

If asked to name the most evil person ever – most people would name Adolph Hitler. The murder and atrocities perpetrated upon millions of Jews have, for good reason, made him and his Nazi party synonymous with horrifying evil. But the Nazis did not start their unspeakable horrors by killing millions of Jews. They began by killing the physically and mentally infirm. Because there was no outcry, they began rounding up and killing political enemies and gypsies. Buoyed by the shocking silence, they moved forward with the dark and sinister work of the death camps.

Rev. Martin Niemoller, a Lutheran minister in Nazi Germany, was sent to a concentration camp and narrowly escaped execution. After World War II, Rev. Niemoller described the horrible progression beginning with the infirm and concluding with millions of Jews. He also expressed his sorrow for being silent in the early stages when the Nazis “came for” others. He was ashamed that he had remained silent simply because they weren’t coming for him. He concluded, “…Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up.” Thankfully, in the Shiavo case, Congress and President Bush spoke up.

Nazi Germany went down the path towards a culture of death step-by-step – it began by killing the physically and mentally infirm and it progressed (or regressed) from there. Simply put, they began by killing sick people. But they were not that candid – they spoke euphemistically about their systematic murder. A Nazi form letter reassured the families of those they murdered, “In view of the nature of his serious, incurable ailment, his death, which saved him from a lifelong institutional sojourn, is to be regarded merely as a release.” Sobering words in light of America’s current debate.

Some say Terri Schiavo should be allowed to die, but that certainly is not the issue. A judge has ordered that under threat of imprisonment no one may feed her and no one may give her water. By court order Terri Schiavo is to be starved and dehydrated to death.

Perhaps, Americans are saying, “If I were in Terri Schiavo’s condition, I would want them to pull the feeding tube.” But what we might wish is completely irrelevant. The question is when we do not know what Terri Schiavo wanted – and we surely do not know – should government use its power to starve her to death?

Terri Schiavo’s heart beats. Her kidneys and other organs function properly. She even breathes and swallows saliva on her own. Her eyes move and follow people and objects. Her nurses say she had limited speech abilities before her husband stopped all therapy more than seven years ago. Her husband has refused to allow an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) so that her condition can be properly diagnosed. Thus, we don’t even know if Terri’ Schiavo’s situation is hopeless – if such a thing can be known with certainty. Numerous doctors say she could partially recover with the right medical treatment. Yet, government uses its power to impose death.

Many individuals in a lengthy coma and believed to be brain dead have recovered. They report that they were aware of what was going on around them, but could not demonstrate or communicate that awareness. One such woman appeared on Fox News and said that while in a lengthy coma and after having been diagnosed as brain dead, her feeding tube was removed. She recounted the terror she felt because she knew she would die but she couldn’t do anything about it. Luckily for her, her husband fought for her life and he was able to get the feeding tube reinserted. Thereafter, she came out of the coma and today she speaks persuasively that we must error on the side of life – not death.

Perhaps like Rev. Niemoller, Americans are simply shrugging their shoulders and thinking I’ll keep quiet because they’re not coming for me. If so, the culture of death will only grow in America. Don’t kid yourself that it could not happen here. In many European nations – Holland, England, Italy, France, Spain, just to name a few – euthanasia is routinely used to kill off infirm senior citizens and sickly newborn babies. Eventually, if we remain silent, when it matters personally to us, it will be too late.

Perhaps, Americans say that this is a matter for her husband to decide. But he is her husband in name only. It took him about seven years to remember that Terri did not want to live on a feeding tube. He has established a new life and lives with a new girlfriend with whom he has two children. An attending nurse testified that he repeatedly asked, “When is this b*tch gonna die?” and “Can’t you do anything to accelerate her death?” Why is government power being used to impose a death that only he seeks?

If Terri Schiavo were a dog, a beached whale, or even a murderer or terrorist, those calling for her government-imposed death would fight valiantly for her life and humane treatment. Why doesn’t Terri merit at least as much concern? We don’t know what she wanted. We don’t even know that she is brain dead. How can we value life so little as to say it is okay for government to starve her to death?

Other nations have walked down this path before – it leads to a dark and ugly place. Heaven help America if it silently approves of such barbarity.

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Mr. Landrith is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was Business Editor of the Virginia Journal of Law and Politics. He had a successful law practice in business and litigation. In 1994 and 1996, Mr. Landrith was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's Fifth Congressional District. He served on the Albemarle County School Board. Mr. Landrith is an adjunct professor at the George Mason School of Law. He is recognized as an authority on constitutional law and jurisprudence, federalism, global warming, and property rights.

george@ff.org