Not Dead at All?

Here is an article in Slate about the Terri Schiavo case. Before reading this, I was definitely on the "just let her go" side of the issue. I didn't realize that she required absolutely nothing other than a feeding tube to keep her alive. Though I believe there is a big difference between the removal of life-sustaining care (letting someone die) and actively killing someone (homicide), I was moved by the following quote:

I hope against hope that I will never be one of those people in the shadows, that I will always, one way or another, be able to make my wishes known. I hope that I will not outlive my usefulness or my capacity (at least occasionally) to amuse the people around me. But if it happens otherwise, I hope whoever is appointed to speak for me will be subject to legal constraints. Even if my guardian thinks I'd be better off dead - ?even if I think so myself? - I hope to live and die in a world that recognizes that killing, even of people with the most severe disabilities, is a matter of more than private concern.

Freedom indeed

"I'm a fantast has inexhaustible enthusiasm to imagine. However,I hope to be a practicer more. Well, go do that you want! If you possess independent personality, you just get freedom indeed."

So writes Jowe in Beijing. I love that last sentence. In fact, that's my new motto!