Not Dead Yet

WorldNetDaily ^ | 02-21-04 | Kelly Hollowell

[phenn]

At the beginning of the famous Monty Python movie "The Search For the Holy Grail," there is a funny, if not macabre, scene of a ragged and lurching man pulling a cart through the streets of a plague-ridden village, calling to the villagers: "Bring out your dead, bring out your dead!"

In response, a man leaves a small house with the body of a much older man slung over his shoulder. The older man is protesting, "I don't want to go in the cart." The younger man replies, "Oh, don't be such a baby."

When the cart puller protests that "He's not dead yet," the young man answers, "No, but he will be soon; he's very ill." Following some humorous negotiation, they bop the older man on the head and throw him on the cart. The cart puller then proceeds down the street, taking up his cry, "Bring out your dead, bring out your dead!"

While obviously intended to reflect a humorous disregard for life held by English peasantry centuries ago, it sadly serves to illustrate a rather disturbing and modern trend of hastening the death of the incapacitated and helpless in modern society. This is most apparent in the ongoing saga of Terri Schiavo, the Florida woman in the throes of a battle that could end her life.

[phenn]

~ping~

[nicmarlo]

if Terri is only brain-damaged but conscious and capable of rehabilitation, then withdrawing her food and water is the murder of an incapacitated and helpless individual.

In either case, society seems all too willing to view the case through a distorted "right to die" prism that encourages the head-bonking necessary to throw Terri Schiavo and others like her on the cart of death.

Thanks for the ping. Great article. The analogy between the "Not Dead Yet" scene in Monty Python's The Holy Grail to our society is perfect. How shameful.

[jocon307]

"The analogy between the "Not Dead Yet" scene in Monty Python's The Holy Grail to our society is perfect. How shameful."

Oh yes, it is true. Holy Grail is a great movie. My favorite scene involves the communist peasants who are unwilling to acknowledge Arthur as their King. That's the part where they talk about "You don't get to be king just because some watery tart flings a sword at you." But I like the part when, after the king's minions start shuffling the peasants away he yells "Help! Help! I'm being repressed! Now you see the violence inherent in the system! Now you see the violence inherent in the system"

LOL, just like all the good ole commies I used to know!

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

"The analogy between the "Not Dead Yet" scene in Monty Python's The Holy Grail to our society is perfect. >>

Back when Doctor Kevorkian was liberating the poor suffering souls from this mortal coil (and not doing time as a prison bride in the middle of Lake Superior) there was an activist organization opposing him called "Not Dead Yet." Whence the title.

[ctonious]

My favorite scene involves the communist peasants who are unwilling to acknowledge Arthur as their King.

Classic. My favorite lines were:

ARTHUR:...I am your king.
WOMAN: I didn't know we had a king. I thought we were an autonomous collective.

and later...

ARTHUR: Be quiet! I order you to be quiet!
WOMAN: Order, eh -- who does he think he is?
ARTHUR: I am your king!
WOMAN: Well, I didn't vote for you.

Full script of the entire movie is available at: http://www.rit.edu/~smo4215/monty.htm

[nicmarlo]

An hysterical movie, I agree.

[OldFriend]

Time to rent that movie again! I'm laughing just thinking about it.

[MaryFromMichigan]

Oh, I shouldn't have pinged you yet... :)

[machman]

[CrazyIvan]

Good humor has that thread of ironic truth that makes you laugh and cringe at the same time. The Pythons are masters of this. My favorite is the scene in Life of Brian where, pursued by an adoring mob, he gives away a gourd, and them looses a shoe. Both are regarded as religious icons. The new religion is less than five minutes old and now has two warring sects. Ouch.

[Gringo1]

So maybe we should hit her on the head and throw her in the cart?


Okay by me.

(All her supporters are threatening to not vote for Bush anyhow...so let's give her a good bash!)

[Budge]

Terri bump!!

[phenn]

I see that you've not changed a bit. You're still frightfully uninteresting.

[Gringo1]

Still here tho....the ying to your yang....keeping all things in balance.

[George W. Bush]

My favorite is the scene in Life of Brian where, pursued by an adoring mob, he gives away a gourd, and them looses a shoe. Both are regarded as religious icons. The new religion is less than five minutes old and now has two warring sects. Ouch.

It was brilliant. For obvious reasons, Life Of Brian isn't as well known in America as other Python stuff.

Good to see you around. I've missed those great threads you did on the EU during the Iraq thing.

[Golden Gate]

* America,  Help Terri   -   Michael  Won't! *

Captions:
1= "Terri before the 'unexplained incident'"
2= "Terri in her wedding dress"
3= "Terri, with neurological damage, in a 'locked in' state; but looking good"
4= (Terri is responding with a smile to her mother.) "Terri clearly shows the effects of 10 years of neglect, by orders of husband Michael Schiavo"

[BykrBayb]

MS already bopped her on the head and threw her in the cart. Decent people are trying to get her out before he completes the murder.

[nicmarlo]

One of my all time favorites....and I didn't ever see it before 1997, I think....can you believe that? : )

[windchime]

Bump!