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.
Instead, it was made up of kind, loving, giving, rational folks who loved life, God, their families and most of all their freedom.
Sadly,
RT is just the type of wackaloon that the Left wants the world to see conservatives as being. The other side could not create a character as ludicrous and out of touch with reality as he appears to be. So we are losing a lot of ground that has been gained because of all the ugliness that has been exhibited by the 'good guys' (ack!)
Granted, I have my own opinions about the situation. There are folks I would love to slap silly, things I wish weren't happening, but I am also sitting here trying to see what can be learned and gained.
But what is happening in Florida has become an embarrassment. It's a circus. A sad, disturbing, bizarre, mean-spirited circus.
1) Completely disregard well-established rules - set forth in the United States Code - for the issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order - because we must err on the side of life. 2) Abandon the responsibilities assigned to the judiciary by the Florida Statutes for decision-making as a health-care surrogate - because we must err on the side of life.
3) Throw out established standards of appellate review - because we must err on the side of life.
4) Ignore plainly stated Congressional intent, and infer an intent explicitly rejected by the Senate majority leader - because we must err on the side of life.
This list could go on and on - but the point is obvious. SReepers are proving once again that their definition of "judicial activism" is a judicial decision with which they disagree. Adherence to the law under which a decision is rendered is of no importance if the desired outcome is not achieved.
Thank you for your support.
It is inaccurate to characterize Terri Schiavo as a "disabled" person. Her brain is destroyed (with the esception of her brain stem). Her eeg is flat. She cannot have an MRI because of the implant in her brain (the magnet would suck it right out). The alternative is brain surgery before any MRI. Her family loves her so much, they choose to think her reflexive movements and groans are responses. It's tragic beyond words. Had they stopped shocking her heart after the 3rd or 4th try in 1990, we wouldn't be here today.
This is true. Lots of emotion led to a lot of harsh words.
Jesse Jackson comes close...
I'd love to see a survey like this:
___ Do you believe feeding tubes should ever be removed?
___ If no, does that include even when the patient has stated their wishes?
___ Do you object to a feeding tube being removed Terri because it is not definite that she is PVS?
___ Do you object to a feeding tube being removed from Terri because you do not believe the courts established that her wishes were suffiently know in this matter?
___ Do you object to a feeding tube being removed from Terri because you don't trust her husband?
___ Would you like to be in Terri's condition for 15 years?
___ Do you want Congress to supercede your wishes if you have a Living Will?
If a battery of Walter Reed docs had found anything other than that Terri was beaten into her condition by Michael and that she could fully recover with basic rehab, they would've been immediatly inducted into the culture of death conspiracy.
Greetings.
Another WPPFFer posting for duty here.
There is a time not to do cpr...
I agree. After exhaustive reading of available documents, it appears the Schindler's had no legal or medical leg to stand on. Their lawyers did the best they could do with what they had to work with. And the courts gave them alot of latitude. If they hadn't, this case would not remained in the judicial system for all these year, IMO.
The Judge is there to hear the evidence and arguments that each side presents. He's not an investigator.
Ping for your interest.
Yep, the Schindler's attorneys chose not to introduce any.
Thats inaccurate. He saw the evidence and played games with it.
Whittemores footnote says': Plaintiffs have submitted affidavits of health care professionals regarding Theresas medical status, treatment techniques and therapies which are available and their opinions regarding how and whether these treatments might improve Theresas condition. Plaintiffs have not, however, discussed these affidavits in their papers and how they relate to the claimed constitutional deprivations.
He is holding a standard that doesnt exist. There is evidence that suggest the possibility of a different outcome in a new hearing. He chose to disregard it.
No, it didn't.
It did not happen because the Schindlers' attorney did not present a de novo case, and instead rehashed the same procedural issues that had already been litigated to an unsuccessful conclusion.
See above.
I would have been more comfortable with that diagnosis with a PET scan or MRI, nonetheless. If this happened to my husband I would insist on it before I could decide the next step.
If her husband hadn't committed adultery, I doubt this circus would have existed. Those of us who are married are well aware that it is our spouse - not our parents or siblings - who have the legal right to make life and death decisions when we are incapacitated.
On the Dow Jones broadtape just minutes ago: The Pope may need a feeding tube". (I'm speechless)
Use of the word "seem" in this context is a clear signal that what you're reading is an opinion.
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