[Former Military Chick]

I believe we should be informed from all sides of the issue. Whether you support either party to have the facts is helpful when debating the issue.

I try to always be fair and listen and frankly in the end we may disagree but we do so based on an intellectual and respectful discussion. Which is what makes Free Republic great.

[JesseHousman]

...in the end we may disagree but we do so based on an intellectual and respectful discussion

This is the end.

Speeding up the death of Mrs. Schaivo is akin to murder and is rather like being buried alive knowing there's nothing you can do to stop them from killing you.

[kenavi]

I believe we should be informed from all sides of the issue. Whether you support either party to have the facts is helpful when debating the issue. I try to always be fair and listen and frankly in the end we may disagree but we do so based on an intellectual and respectful discussion. Which is what makes Free Republic great.

Thanks for this post and your thoughtful comment.

My hope is that this debate makes the FR world stronger and more cohesive in its beliefs. That involves defining what really matters, and learning from each other.

Depriving someone of food and water is very different than removing life support systems.

It is either murder or "assisted suicide". Our presumption as a society has to be against that.

Our debate, however, has to reflect the "life culture" we extoll. Michael Schiavo is not necessarily an evil man, I think it's very possible he means to carry out his ex-wife's wishes, it would have been much easier for him personally, just to have divorced her and gone on with his life (that $1mm settlement wouldn't have helped him economically very much if at all, after paying for all the costs of her care over the years).

We should strive not to be hateful when trying to express lovingkindness.

[TChris]

"the epitome of loyalty."

Yeah, he's that all right. Moved right in with his girlfriend and mother of his children to demonstrate his monumental loyalty too.

[Barney59]

I say have him donate or pledge the entire sum of Terri's malpractice judgment to a hospice or charity.

Then I'll believe he's got her interest in mind...

[Shethink13]

Bonnie Rowley of Largo, Fla., a friend for about a decade, sees someone who "stands strong on what he believes in, and that is Terri Schiavo. If I needed a health-care advocate, he'd be my first choice. I know he'd be there till the end, and he'd give it one hell of a fight."

What is this lady smokin'? If she needed a health-care advocate, Michael Schiavo would be her first choice? Dear Lord, help us all.

[Augustinefan]

I'm confused. If he loves her and will hold her hand, who will hold his "fiancee's" hand? Or the hands of the children he's had with this other woman?

The only difference between Michael Schiavo and Scott Peterson is Michael managed to get a lawyer to do the killing for him...eventually.

[Augustinefan]

How does Scott reconcile the total devotion of Michael for Terri with the fact that Michael admitted on a deposition that he was having extra marital affairs as long ago as 1990 BEFORE Terri collapsed??? Ironic that the year he was having an affair, Terri mysteriously collapsed from a "chemical" imbalance. Scott Peterson did the same and was convicted for his wife's death. He swore Laci knew all about his affair and was "okay with it." Sound familiar?

Brother's don't always know everything about their own siblings.

[barker]

She had signed a "do not resuscitate" order, Scott Schiavo said, but when she worsened in the middle of the night, no one looked at her records.

BS My grandfather became seriously ill and the hospital put a bright yellow "do not resuscitate" band on his wrist. Clearly visible. He died a year later at age 97.