It's nice to see that Dr. Jeffrey Coleman has made such a wonderful, insightful contribution to the debate over the life or death of Terri Schiavo ("Life with little hope is still worth saving," March 24). Wait a second, he's no doctor.

Perhaps he and others should peruse this week's news to find countless reputable neurologists coming out of the woodwork to refute the theory that this so-called "starvation" is a horrible death sentence equitable to cruel and unusual punishment.

It's intrusions like Mr. Coleman's that have blown this case beyond the proportions of rational thought. People who have no knowledge of the situation surrounding Mrs. Schiavo, the court decisions that approve her right to die, or the medical condition she has faced all this time continue to insert their own opinion, be it theological or pseudo-medical.

While I can understand why Mr. Coleman may feel so strongly about what he perceives to be the truth in this case, he must ultimately face the fact that he is wrong.

Soon, the issue will be moot, and the Schindler family will have to realize that no political intervention will help their cause.

Unfortunately, they will then have to come to the conclusion that they have indeed lost their daughter.

And I hope the media storm troopers, privacy-defying politicians, and militant right-to-lifers can leave the family to deal with their loss alone and in peace.