MANIFESTO OF THE WPPFF/WILD TURKEYS/COALITION OF THE SANE

Me. | 29MARCH05 | Long Cut

[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.

[SE Mom]

Eeegads...

[justshe]

Long Cut...

Thank you for your efforts in posting this thread. Is there room for a person who has the absolute belief that God's will trumps our will(s)? And that all of the posturing and parading of egos is simply one side's attempt to either pander to, or bludgeon the other side into submission--and vice versa? (albeit for what some view as genuine, passionate concerns).

I have MY thoughts about what I think should have happened in this case. But I sublimate my thoughts in my rather feeble attempts to accept that God will take Terri when He is dog gone good and ready (with apologies to Dog Gone)....and NOTHING that man can or cannot do is going to change or impact God's planning and/or timing regarding Terri. He has known the number of her days since before she was born.

And yes, I have been attacked for my viewpoint.

I also have grown weary of the fighting. Hence, my limited participation on the TS threads...with the exception of offering prayers.

[Annie03]

Well, since the media has presented a great deal of mis-stated fact, one has to hunt the facts down to get a handle on them. I had done that before the latest media storm. Like I said, Trinity_Tx has just about everything on her homepage...just takes a large investment of time to get through all of it.

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

Is David Duke doing anything? His career is past sagging and he could represent the Schindlers.

...anxiously awaiting the witness protection society's universal condemnation of this nugget of compassion.

[Scothia]

You are being entirely too harsh on Michael Schiavo for starting a family and a relationship after such a trying and stressful period (3 years)

Then why in the name of all that's decent didn't he just divorce Terri and get on with his other life, poor deprived man? Wouldn't have anything to do with all that nice, yummy cash, now would it?

Nah, that couldn't be.

And as for those darned pesky words "Till death do us part", perhaps they could be reworded to "Until after the big insurance settlement, and I see to it that you get bumped into the next life".

[BunnySlippers]

I heard he was losing his ability to swallow, which is common with Parkinson's. In his case he is lucid, and will be able to communicate his wishes (which I assume will be to continue his life).

I agree. But it will "liven up" the debate, eh?

[Long Cut]

There is always room for someone of your obvious sincerity. Welcome!

[malakhi]

because her life was not worth living (reasoning)

Let me ask you a general question. Do you think that people should be permitted to refuse medical treatment to save or prolong their lives? Again, in general, not as to how it applies or does not apply to the Schiavo case.

[Annie03]

" I agree. But it will "liven up" the debate, eh?"

Yup. :)

[EllaMinnow]

Because under Florida law you cannot divorce someone who cannot give verbal - oral or written - proof that they understand they are being divorced. This is to protect the physically or mentally incapacitated from desertion.

I know that's rather ironic in this case.

[lugsoul]

"Legal procedures were ignored at the discretion of Judge Greer when they would have been beneficial to the Schindlers' case."

Name one.

"The appearance of corruption is evident in the campaign contribution record"

Are you seriously contending that lawyers can't contribute a couple of hundred bucks to a judicial campaign without creating 'corruption'? Did any of Terri's supporters or lawyers contribute to Govan? To Jeb? To any legislators voting in the Florida legislature or Congress?

"The federal judiciary also nullified the federal legislature by denying-in-practice the de novo review called for in the law passed specifically to address this case."

If a mandatory stay was intended by Congress, the Congress nullified Congress - they explicitly, by conscious and stated choice, passed a law that allowed - but did not require - such a stay. Don't blame judges for taking a path that was explicity allowed to them by the legislative branch.

[thoughtomator]

I did not. There is a difference between a "Good German" and a Nazi.

[Chad Fairbanks]

And as for those darned pesky words "Till death do us part", perhaps they could be reworded to "Until after the big insurance settlement, and I see to it that you get bumped into the next life".

And as for those darned pesky words "Till death do us part", perhaps they could be reworded to "Until after the big insurance settlement, I'll wait six years and when it is apparently truely and completely hopeless, I promise I won't make you suffer any longer if that is your wish".

There. Fixed it for ya. :)

[MineralMan]

Oooh...you got to go first! Thanks for pooping in the punchbowl, there.

[Long Cut]

More craziness, from a master...

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I saw a link to a CT scan, which I've seen, but not a PET scan...maybe I missed it?

[mountaineer]

There was no living will, hence, it has nothing to do with this case.>

Because there was no living will, only her husband had the legal authority to make decisions regarding her care. As a legal matter, everyone else's opinion is irrelevant.

[hobbes1]

It was an appeal for a TRO, pending a hearing. The Plaintiffs offered what medical testiomny was available to meet the first of a Four prong test.

All of the judges agree that the last three are met.

What Whittemore did was hold the Attorney for not making an argument that should have taken place, AFTER gaining a TRO, and During the resultant De Novo hearing.

When Judges take liberties like that in every other instance, it is called judicial activism.

Here is the way Judge Wilson put it.

I now consider the first prong, whether Plaintiffs presented a substantial case

on the merits. In the complaint, Plaintiffs claim that Theresa Schiavo’s Fourteenth

Amendment due process rights were violated in that she was not provided a fair

and impartial trial, she was not given adequate procedural due process, and she was

not afforded equal protection of the laws. Further, Plaintiffs contend that Theresa

Schiavo’s First Amendment freedom to exercise her religion has been burdened by

the state court’s order to remove the feeding tube. Plaintiffs also allege a violation

of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), 42 U.S.C.

§ 2000cc-1(a).

The establishment of a “substantial likelihood for success on the merits” is a

heavy burden, but not an insurmountable one. A movant need not establish that he

can hit a home run, only that he can get on base, with a possibility of scoring later.

In fact, our circuit jurisprudence establishes that the movant need not establish a

“probability” of success, taking all things into consideration. The merits of

Plaintiffs’ substantial claims warrant a more complete review. I do not mean to

suggest that Plaintiffs will definitely prevail on the merits, but merely that she has

presented a sufficient case on the merits. She raises legal issues necessitating the

grant of the preliminary injunction and should be afforded an opportunity to defend

the merits of her claims. Adjudication on the merits is impossible if we do not

grant the injunction.

Finally, I note that awarding an injunction is an equitable decision. We have

broad powers to fashion a remedy in equity. We are required to balance the

equities, and when we do, we should find that the gravity of the irreparable injury

Theresa Schiavo would suffer could not weigh more heavily in Plaintiffs’ favor. In

contrast, there is little or no harm to be found in granting this motion for a

temporary injunction and deciding the full merits of the dispute.

[thoughtomator]

Yes I think someone should be able to refuse treatment.

[lugsoul]

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