As Terry Schiavo is ending...

I would argue that the term "life support" is a red herring in this case. While, as I say, Terri is on life support in the broad sense of the term, saying that she is on "life support" evokes in listeners the same response as if referring to the narrower definition of a person on life support: someone who is essentially dead but for the machinery that keeps their body functions working.

Here's the thing: the Pope is hooked to a breathing tube, and now he may have a feeding tube installed as well. Is he on life support? Yes--arguably more so than Terri Shiavo. But we wouldn't suggest that his feeding and breathing tubes would be removed, because the Pope's mind is still functioning and he can communicate (granted, they say these tubes "aid" the Pope in breathing, but it seems to me they would probably do most, if not all, of the work). So this is really about Terri's mind and her husband's word; "life support" as a term in this case is little more than rhetoric.

[via The Eagle and Child]