March 26, 2005
Creation In All of Its Diversity
Star lilies Lilioukalani Gardens Hilo Hawaii...
Hawaii has been a place for me to sit back and stare mouth a gape in wonder of God's amazing creative capability. God managed with a word to speak into existence the full spectrum of the biosphere, onto this 4300 square mile island. From glaciered snow bound peaks, to the barest volcanic deserts, from grassland to rainforest and all that can be conceived its here for us to enjoy... a visible symbol of that oft used and seldom understood word
Diversity...
As we have watched the tragic unfolding of the Terri Schiavo case, there is something that has bothered me. Something that I haven't seen much written about but its been talked about in my presence between Woody and I. For we are a family that has seen its share of "disabled" people within its grouping. From obvious physical disabilities to the not so obvious, to the really misunderstood mental and emotional issues that have been the scourge of both sides of the family. We are a "diverse" group of there ever was one... But at a time when "diversity " is celebrated. I have wondered this week if the world really understands that diversity is more than...
The color of your skin...
The size of your body...
The place where your Grandparents were born...
The faith that you profess...
or the sexual preference you embrace...
Diversity can include...
weather you have two eyes or not
weather you can hear or not
If you have two arms or legs
and do they work in the "normal" way
Diversity is about celebrating the differences in the way we
Look
Love
Think
and express ourselves
and it cannot exclude anything that you might think is different...
Or so I have been taught....so let me get this straight...a woman that does not think walk speak or eat the way I do should be starved to death? I dont get it.
Neither did David Shuster of MSN. Now I laugh at the "paid to blog" media bloggers as I think that this isnt what blogging is about and so much for my diversity training, but this guy finally turned the mike over to the people to whom this is a CRITICAL issue... a representative of disabled people in America, to get their views on this. I will post the interview in its intirety for archival purposes and include the link
HERE Disability groups on Schiavo (David Shuster)
This week, we've all been following the twists and turns in the Terri Schiavo dispute as well as the effort by Congress to change the outcome in federal court. My previous blogs make it quite clear what I think of the horrifying political opportunism displayed by our lawmakers.
However, one can disagree with what Congress did and still believe that Terri Schiavo should be protected. To that end, I'd like to turn over the rest of this blog to a group of people who deal with these issues every day. "The Arc of the United States" is a leading advocacy group for disabled americans. Steve Eidelman is their executive director and has submitted an op-ed to newspapers across the country. He writes, in part:
"For people with disabilities and their families, the Schiavo case represents a slippery slope and raises the possibility that the right to life of people with significant intellectual and or physical disabilities might one day be questioned...
"... Today, there are thousands of people with various physical and cognitive disabilities who use feeding tubes as their normal means of getting food and water. For these people, a feeding tube is not life support or heroic intervention. It is a simple way of getting hydration and nourishment. When they are hospitalized for any reason, however minor, they risk having their normal means of eating and drinking be classified as as "extraordinary treatment" or "life support."
"...The disability community has grappled with these issues in the past and has come to the conclusion that in such cases, it is best to assume that life is preferable over death. Is that not what the Schiavo case is all about? Laws governing surrogate decision-making vary among states and are often the result of well-funded advocacy from a narrow group of professionals. In most cases, disability organizations were not included in changes of statutes on the state level, and the drafters of those statues did not take into account the views of those with disabilities..."
"...Our society must stop using the term "persistent vegetative state." Too many people with significant disabilities have been called "vegetables," and this must stop. It is beyond demeaning; it is dehumanizing. In fact, some of the people who use the term most freely are doctors, and what comes next is a discussion of the death or warehousing of the individual labeled that way."
"...When a person has serious disabilities, the debate should not be about whether or not they are going to "get better" some day. For millions of Americans, disability is a fact of life,every day of our lives. People with disabilities have wonderful lives. And some have lousy lives. In that way, they are just like other Americans. Just because a person has a significant disability does not mean that they do not love their life. It does not mean that they should be assumed to be better off dead."
"...It is time for a call to conscience to both the Right and the Left. Guardianship should not be a "Death ship". People like Terri Schiavo are persons under the law, and they deserve constitutional protection."
"...The disability community is grateful that so many in Congress supported Terri Schiavo's right to live, even though we are concerned about the precedent they set. We would like to see them follow up with the same level of concern for making sure we can provide care and support for the millions of Americans with disabilities by supporting Medicaid Community Attendant Services and Supports Act, which would allow people receiving Medicaid funding to have a life, not just stay to alive. We call on them to ensure continued appropriate funding of Medicaid and other programs that people need..."
"...Terri Schiavo's case is every family's nightmare. Disability doesn't have to be a nightmare. Even if our nation disagrees on how we define compassion, we must certainly agree that all lives are equal under the law."
Amen. Thank you Steve Eidelman from "Arc of the United States" for your group's articulate and thought provoking op-ed.
Comments, questions, questions for the hardball blog cast: DShuster@MSNBC.comFriends, as the daughter of disabled people, the god daughter of a disabled woman, and as a person that has, up until its absolutly has to be, chosen to not call her "thorns in the flesh" disabilities, but certainly this will likly be the case one day... this thing scares me. I fear the Life at any Cost people for I know that sometimes death is pereferable, and I fear the Quaility of Life people for who the heck are they to choose for me and mine what is quality or not. With the Schiavo's, where there has been so much argument, there can be no peaceful resolution. The fight will carry beyond Terri's blessed grave, Im sure...
Let us each and everyone prepare for this sort of event. I propose that just as young men have to register for selective service that we all file a living will with the state. I hate to get the state involved with one more thing but by heaven they will get their fingers into the pie if you dont have you wishes and intentions in writing! On our Drivers licence we notify the state regarding organ donation, it would be a simple matter to dictate a few directives. We as a nation as a people need to deal with this issue.
As Mr Edelman stated in the interview, we must respect those in our community that are challenged by a disability. They are people and deserve our respect for getting through the day and living. I think we all understand how difficult life can be let alone having a major difficulty that complicates matters.
Embrace diversity. All sorts of diversity. One day, as you look at life from the bounds of a medical appliance, you'll be glad that you did.
