Who said the Americans don’t do irony?

There’s a case limping its way through state and federal legislatures in the USA at the moment concerning Terri Schiavo. In case you’ve missed it, Ms Schiavo has been in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) since suffering a heart attack in 1990. Her husband, who over the last 15 years has tried every possible medical method to assist her recovery, has had her feeding tube withdrawn claiming that they had an agreement neither would prolong the life of the other if there was no hope of recovery. Ms Schiavo’s parents disagree and want her kept alive.

It is a difficult and highly personal matter which should not really be the centre of a media circus. But sadly, since fundamental Christians in the US are under the impression that they have the right to interfere wherever they like it has been headline news. Bush (after a brief conversation with God no doubt) even cut short his weekend so that he could sign legislation passed by the senate enabling them to meddle in the case, though the courts have since decided that this was unconstitutional. Oddly it was Bush who signed legislation in Texas giving hospitals the right to remove feeding tubes if relatives are unable to pay for continued treatment. Is that the caring, compassionate conservatism he was talking about during the election campaign? I guess he forgot about it in all the excitement.

What hasn’t been widely reported is that Terri Schiavo suffered the heart attack because of an eating disorder. In a society which puts thinness above all other female virtues, isn’t that what the media should really be focussing on?