The fear of strange bedfellows

Inclusion Daily Express -- Unlikely Alliances And Foes In The Schiavo Debate (Oct. 22, 2004)

This article from late last year looks at the reasons why some people and groups are afraid to help save Terri Schiavo's life.

It reminds me of Ralph Waldo Emerson's famous quote, "Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds." Well, small minds that are viciously closed off we probably can't reach. But small minds that are only scared of seeming to be inconsistent can be expanded. Let's try lending them courage and encouragement, eh? I'm not saying we ought to try to lure people to the cause and use them. Ugh. Not acceptable in my book. But I'm all for calling an intelligent truce or two.

The article also points out something that has gotten a wee bit buried of late. Disability rights groups have done some heavy lifting in the past, but now that the press has got its teeth into the pro-life vs 'right-to-die' battle, the disability groups are having difficulties getting the attention they used to get.

This brings me to another quote I heard lately. "We are human beings, not human doings." It fits here. I think I heard it from someone from Catholic church trying to explain the church's position on the sanctity of human life.