Posted on 03/19/2005 1:37:24 PM PST by flixxx
THE RIGHT TO DIE
I think that I am about the only radio talk show host in the nation that thinks that nature should be allowed to take its course and Terri Schiavo should be allowed to die. Expect an absolute media frenzy today as the time approaches for Schiavo's feeding tube to be removed. The demonstrators are already gathering outside of the nursing facility. Republicans in the congress are getting in on the act. Republican Mike Enzi of Wyoming, the chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pension committee, says that he is going to issue a subpoena today to Terri Schiavo ... a subpoena to testify before the committee. This illustrates the absurdity of this situation as nothing else can. Congress will subpoena a woman in a persistent vegetative state to testify. All we need now is for some sort of special arrangement to allow West Virginia's Robert Byrd to question her.
At the center of the Terri Schiavo tragedy is America's anti-abortion movement. Notice, please, the presence of Randall Terry. The fact is that the anti-abortion movement has seized Terri Schiavo ... figuratively kidnapped her .. and they intend to use this woman to further their anti-abortion agenda. They will entomb the soul of Terri Schiavo in her now-useless body as long as it suits their agenda.
The language of those who would continue the imprisonment of Terri Schiavo is odd, if not amusing. She's referred to as disabled, in a coma or just brain damaged. She is not "disabled" in the normal context of the word. Her body is, for all practical purposes, dead ... being kept alive solely through extraordinary artificial means. She's not in a coma. People recover from comas. Her condition is diagnosed as a "persistent vegetative state." There is no medical record of someone recovering from a persistent vegetative state. This is not a state of brain damage. It is, for all practical purposes, brain death.
The absurdities of this case would be funny if they weren't so pathetic. Terri's family said last year that they wanted to take her to the mall, and for other field trips. Of course, those trips never happened; just as Terri will never testify before a congressional committee. We also have the blatant attempts to turn the attention away from Terri's condition and to her husband. His crime? He says, and the courts have agreed, that he is merely carrying out wishes expressed to him by his wife. Listen to the Schiavo family and you will hear that her husband her condition was caused by a beating at the hands of her husband. It wasn't. You'll hear that her husband stands to rack up huge piles of money as soon as Terri dies. He won't.
Now put yourself in this position. You're watching TV with your spouse one night and see a show about someone on life support. You tell your husband or wife that you don't want to ever be in that state, and would they please pull the plug should you ever become incapacitated. However, you don't write it down, and apparently don't tell your parents. Tragedy strikes, and only your spouse knows your true wishes. Should your spouse be ignored in favor of your parents who want to keep you alive at all costs?
Michael Schiavo has turned down $10 million to terminate his rights in this case. He says he just wants to do what Terry wanted. Who's right? Doesn't the spouse come before the parents in any marriage? Time for everybody to write down what their wishes are, so this doesn't happen to you.
I'm sure that there is no shortage of people who think that I'm possessed by some evil spirit. No. I'm just sad that Terri's spirit or soul .. whatever you want to call it ... is trapped in this useless body. Her parents' love has clouded their judgment. This can be understood and excused. What can't be excused is the cruelty of the so-called "right to life" movement that will allow this woman to continue to suffer s long as their own needs are met.
Now, a question. How many of you can honestly say that you would like to be kept alive, for 20, 40, 50 years or more like this? If you wouldn't want this for yourself, why do so many of you work so hard to force this reality on Terri Schiavo? Oh .. I forgot. You're pro-life. Well isn't that special.
There's one more element to the Schiavo case. This is a Florida matter, not a federal matter. The courts of the State of Florida have made their rulings. The U.S. Congress has no role to play here. This is a blatant attempt on the part of the Congress to usurp bona fide state's rights in order to please a particular political constituency.
LOL
The Karma Circle comes around eventually.
boortz is clearly an idiot... would it be "natural" for him to starve to death? Christopher Reeve was on more unnatural life support than Terri.. just because he could speak meant he was more worthy of life?
Boortz is off the mark on this issue!
I didn't get any farther than this. What's natural about starvation and dehydration? Idiot radio talk show host.
No more. I'll find someone else, or turn the radio off.
Bortz is right.
We should starve and dehydrate everyone in the nation who cannot feed themselves or drink water properly.
And if they can't go to the bathroom by themselves, let them sit in it!
Just take some responsibility and don't give the State an excuse to take even more of your liberty away.
I won't flame you. Yours are some of the most sensible comments I've seen. Sorry, but Congress has no right getting involved in this. It's akin to a general running onto a battlefield to save a single private while the army runs around "headless."
I draw the line at withholding nourishment.
Discontinuing extraordinary measures such as a ventilator is one thing. Refusing to feed someone who can't feed themselves is murder.
Even though he claims he is not an anti-Christian bigot, he is one of the most hateful people toward Christians I've ever heard on air---and that includes all of the Leftists.
IMO... Beal Noortz is a Nurd !!! ;-))
Try to find Laura Ingraham on your radio dial during that period of time. She ROCKS!
I, too, am concerned about the involvement of the Federal Government in this case, and I am afraid of the precedent this may set.
Of course, there is also the precedent set by her husband. I'm not sure which will be worse in the long run.
And where was Florida's Governor during all this? I've heard what the Bush in Washington has said about this case, but not the one in Tallahassee.
Exactly. I believe it is illegal to treat lab rats the way Terri is being treated.
When I made out my own living will and healthcare power of attorney, my lawyer strongly advised against giving permission to withhold water under any circumstances.
I agree with you. Save me from people who wish to take away my right to die if I am in a PVS. what a mess Congress is making for the thousands who face this fate and their families. If I express my wishes, now any family memeber who doesn't like that can run to Congress and cancel my wishes. The Living Will will go next!
No one is looking at the stats: Over 80% of Americans would not wnat to live in a PVS. But guess what? When they polled Fundamentalist Christians...it was ALSO over 80% that did not want to live this way.
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