Knowing What We Don't Know

We all know that O.J. is guilty. We know it beyond a reasonable doubt. We know it because we watched the nightly news for what seemed like half of our lifetime. Each evening we got an in-depth two minute report in which a lovely, well-augmented/endowed, lip-glossed beauty explained exactly what testimony occurred that day (with the exception of Greta Van Susteren duly noted here as she is none of the above.)

Although the members of the jury had eight to ten hour days of mind-numbing testimony for weeks on end, we got it in the condensed version and therefore we knew with certainty what was the real truth. Well, it’s possible we got it right on that one.

Now, despite my resolution to the contrary, I come to le’affaire Schiavo. We (I speak euphemistically here) know that she is alive and responsive or maybe in a persistent vegetative state with no hope of recovery. We are absolutely certain that with therapy which has been denied for the last fifteen years, she will recover. Or, maybe we know that Michael was an abusive husband who was responsible for her condition and now wants the possibility of testimony removed. Could be we know that Judge Greer is a euthanasia supporter who wants to exercise his exclusive judicial power. Or, maybe we know that fifteen state courts, eight state appeals courts, five federal district courts, at least three times in the State Supreme Court and once or twice in the US Supreme Court the case has been examined?

We know that a reputable neurologist has said no way. We know that dozens of reputable physicians have said maybe. We know that no MRI has been performed or maybe there have been CAT, ECG, PET and MRI tests all of which have shown no cortical activity. Or, maybe we don’t know what we don’t know.

Each evening I grapple with what the news reports. I watch the fools who stand outside the hospice with emphatic signs protesting the injustice of it all. I ponder the question of why she must die of thirst and starvation rather than from a more humane termination such as might be provided for the beloved and faithful family pet that has been diagnosed as having no hope of recovery. I wonder what I would prefer and when hope should be abandoned. I wonder how the law of the land, which is only law and not emotional preference, can possibly deal with how to make these decisions.

And through it all I wonder about all of these people who have such great assurance about knowing the proper course of action without knowing what they don’t know.