Home
♦ Contents
♦
Search
♦
Contact Us
About NCPD
♦
News
♦
Issues
♦
Access
♦
Resources
♦
How You Can Help
|
Home
♦ Contents
♦
Search
♦
Contact Us
|
|
The following letter to the editor appeared in Our Sunday Visitor September, 2003 Each day messages from people with disabilities remind me of the phrase: "Nothing about us without us." Our hesitancy to become involved in saving Terri Shiavo reveals that we do not always value the lives of our brothers and sisters with significant disabilities. The idea that "most of the criticism" of our failure to speak out comes from Terri's parents and the Catholic Media Coalition reveals the disconnect between the disability community and the Catholic media and leadership. This national office and many others have written press releases and letters which have been ignored. What other minority would fail to be considered and their leadership consulted if the value of the lives of their membership was being analyzed? Many within the disability community know more about expanding possibilities for someone with neurological disabilities than your average non-disabled ethicists. In Vatican City in 1992 I suggested that every rehabilitation might be seen as a minor recapitulation of His Resurrection. Caring Catholics may have little idea what Terri could accomplish if allowed to exit from her confining chamber. Many members of the nation’s largest minority – people with disabilities – do know! Too many of us with significant disabilities have experienced negative judgments and lost friends we were unable to save from "futile care" decisions, sometimes because they unwittingly signed living wills. Terri faces a painful death by dehydration and starvation, yet we are encouraged to complacently accept assurances from euthanasia enthusiasts that this is an appropriate end for human life that becomes burdensome to someone like Mr. Shiavo. Shame on us. Mary Jane Owen, TOP, MSW |
Home ♦ Contents ♦ Search ♦ Contact Us ♦ Accessibility at This WebsiteAbout NCPD ♦ Guiding Principles ♦ News & Views ♦ Disability & Church ♦ Disability & Society ♦ Creating Access ♦ Resources ♦ How You Can Help
|