Posted on 03/29/2005 8:58:34 AM PST by Long Cut
We, the Witness Protection Program For Freepers, aka the Wild Turkeys, aka the Coalition of the Sane, have through mutual discussion and rigourous thought, determined that:
1. The discussion threads regarding Terri Schiavo (hereafter referred to as "TS") have become too full of innuendo, rumormongering, hyperbole, hysteria, namecalling, paranoia, and general poor behavior to warrant participation.
2. Said threads have degenerated into "echo chambers", wherein the same, common thoughts are continually posted again and again, and the same old disreputable, unconfirmed and/or false urban myths are propagated.
3. Anyone who joins in said theads with alternative viewpoints to the most extreme posts are routinely driven away with slander, accusations, and vile namecalling.
4. No data or evidence contrary to the "prevailing opinions" are accepted, considered, or discussed; and in fact are rejected outright in most instances.
5. That the continued calls for armed insurrection, military or paramilitary involvement, impeachements of politicians and judges, and death threats are embarassing, stupid, shortsighted, doomed to failure, and contrary to most if not all conservative thought prior to this case, as well as damaging in the extreme to FR and the conservative movement as a whole.
6. That such emotional, hyperbolic, and propaganda-driven hysteria is in fact contrary to all conservatives USED to stand for.
7. That the holding up of swastika and other Nazi imagery towards the police and the Bushes, the use of children as political props, and the disruption of the peace at the Woodside Hospice can only reflect badly on conservatives in general, and should be discouraged.
8. That the pursuit of this issue to the exclusion of all others by the GOP has damaged, perhaps beyond repair, the pursuit of other important issues as well as the reputation of the GOP, FR, and conservatism.
The WPPFF is NOT of one mind as to the case of TS or its correct outcome. In fact, wide disagreement exists within our little group. However, we are united in our wish that reason and sanity be respected in the discussion, as well as the rights of all parties involved or participating. We wish to discuss this as adults and intellectuals, as conservatives and as FRiends, not as children screaming past each other on some playground of hysteria. We wish for facts and evidence to be provided, discussed reasonably, and considered fairly.
We reject all accusations of Naziism, "death cultism", or other slander as methods of debate. We reject the practice of "spamming" multiple threads, of posting unending vanities, and the posting of propaganda and calls for violence. We reject, in fact, all unseemly and childish behavior which has come to characterize this case on FR.
We DO invite others to come and reasonably discuss the issue. We have no problem with FReepers who wish to debate in a rational and fair manner, and with due respect for their fellow FReepers. We have NO problem with those whose views are formed by religion; however we reject "preaching" or "being beaten with a Bible" as legitemite debate tactics. Not all of us are Believers, and such tactics only cheapen the source.
If a FReeper finds this an acceptable meansd to discuss this and other issues, they are welcome to join in and participate. Those who find pleasure in attacks, flame-baiting, slander, stalking, and personal atacks will be ignored, and their egos will go unfed.
We assume this thread to be a zone of sanity in an overheated atmosphere. Thus, a general amnesty is in effect. If posters conduct themselves within the guidlines above, we will be happy to discuss and debate with you. If a poster wishes to apologize for past slips of the tongue, or for possible "over-the-top" statements to another, it will be graciously accepted, and your company welcome.
Please bring a sense of humor; we feel that too many have been taking themselves too seriously lately.
Let the discussion begin!
Signed,
The WPPFF, aka The Wild Turkeys, aka the Coalition of the Sane.
Whew! Made it. 500 post catchups are hard to do.
They were giving the video away to people who gave nothing, as well.
They wanted to get the word out that she wasn't a vegetable.
How awful.
I would post "LOL", if it weren't so tragically close to the mark.
I know my husband wouldn't sign an affadavit about someone's medical condition if he's never examined the patient and reviewed the medical records. It's really amazing how much of that sort of thing has been going on in this case.
Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. I have not been fooled. I'm following the basic guidelines.
Take a couple days off to review FR posting policies.
Those who would create flamewars for their own amusement are descending. Please ignore them and post only to those who behave civilly. Simply direct them to the relevant passages in the manifesto and thank them for the bumps. Then, end it.
I am too, Rheo.
Abrams just said they are videos, not photographs. For $100. Abrams said it was sick.
I have been disturbed by the Schindlers on a variety of levels for a while, especially since reading their testimony. But I've been reluctant to voice it because until we walk in their shoes...
But I will tell you this. I watched my stepdad who I call dad and love and adore bury his only biological daughter (he calls me daughter too but of course I'm a step). He buried her 2 years ago this August and she was the sweetest, most beautiful young woman.
It was beyond tragic. And he had her removed from the machines when the doctors said there was no hope after 11 days. Without a living will.
He could have kept her alive for some unknown length of time, likely to be many years, on machines. But he knew she would not want that. He did what he thought SHE would want, not what he wanted.
WHen I read the Schindlers admitted they would not let the tube be removed regardless of what she wanted, I was shocked. And then when I read their statement about the "amputation" stuff, I was quite disturbed.
And now this?
Thanks for the bump!
So the Schindlers are the ghouls now and Felos and Cranford are the stand-up guys. Got it.
Is up still down and black still white?
Okay, from your post, we have four groups who you count in the death industry.
He sells death in his books - Lawyers making money off of books. Okay, lawyers write books. I don't know how many books on death you could write, or how much demand is out there, but I'll grant that's possible.
to his clients - That's too vague for me to comment on.
to willing judges - Ditto. I'm unsure of what you're getting at.
The bioethicists... - Grant money, and presumably some level of employment through writing and speaking. Probably no more or less than what they always make.
Overall, I don't find the 'death industry' argument persuasive. The strong suit seems to be lawyers writing books about death, which, like I said, is plausible, but not exactly a growth industry.
I listened to Abrams for the entire time and didn't hear him state that the video would be for nothing.
The banner at the bottom of the MSNBC screen said "Schindlers Fundraising for Terri" or something like that for about 10 minutes. And Abrams was very specific it was for $100/video.
I'm not saying I couldn't have missed one sentence that for those who didn't have money they'd give away the video or something, but I did NOT hear that.
Kryptonite has been sent on a short vacation.
I am serious. It was at least a 10 minute segment.
I am stunned.
I feel sick. This is nauseating.
Has this been verified?
#1. My post didn't mention one word about Felos.
#2. I was reporting what Dr. Cranford was saying on MSNBC. You have a problem with that?
You seem to have major issues. But go ahead and defend the Schindlers selling videos of Terri dying in their hospital bed. It's disgusting and you know it.
Yeah, but he quit first. Maybe he'll come back in two days and grace us with an opus.
Yes. I just listened to a 10 minute segment on the Dan Abrams show.
Freeper sinkspur heard it too and mentioned it in a freepmail.
Abrams got the story from Greta's show last night. The man was very clear that, yes, the video was offered to anyone who gave money to the Schindlers' legal fund, but it was also given away for free with a sort of honor-system stipulation that you pass the word that Terri wasn't brain-dead.
The details Abrams and MSNBC ommitted were selective.
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