Posted on 03/26/2005 2:13:03 PM PST by Hugenot
Perhaps one of the most disturbing elements of the Terri Schiavo case is the polling data that reveals most Americans favoring the removal of her feeding tube and opposing the actions of Congress.
I cannot help but believe that many Americans support removing the feeding tube because they have done it to a loved one and they do not want their consciences pricked. Unfortunately, these poll numbers indicate that Schiavo is just one of perhaps millions in the United States who are put to death because they are a “burden.”
It’s also disturbing that so many Americans oppose congressional intervention. By the very nature of our legal system, this cannot be a private matter pertaining to just the Schindlers and Michael Schiavo.
Rather, this case sets a dangerous precedent: that a person can be starved to death without prior documentary evidence of their wishes. This case can be used by other judges as a precedent to execute other people, and so this is a matter that concerns all of us.
Do Americans really want their elected representatives and the elected President to have no part in such an important national debate? Even the Europeans, who have plunged head-first into the Culture of Death have done so through their legislatures, not through their courts.
The United States has relegated this important decision to a local Florida judge who might have been elected with a few hundred votes and who may have previously decided little more than the fine for a traffic violation. If he likes the law, he blindly applies it. If not, he declares it unconstitutional. How convenient.
It was this judge who scolded the Schindlers for waiting five days before bringing forward evidence that Terri tried to say, “I want to live.” Meanwhile, this same judge confirmed Michael Schiavo’s position that Terri would not want to live, even though he had no such recollection of her wishes during the first seven years of her illness.
I challenge Michael Schiavo or Judge Greer to offer her some water on a washcloth and let’s see if she refuses it. A person might say that they would not want to live under difficult and painful circumstances, but in the given situation, they might see matters differently.
Just imagine that a flippant or thoughtless comment you make during this case could be “remembered” in the future as a pretext to starve you to death. Remember also that it is this very case that could serve as the precedent to allow for such a decision.
Likewise, a living will made as an emotional reaction to this case, could some day be used as a pretext to eliminate rehabilitative therapy and ultimately food and water for you or a loved one.
So Americans who are rushing to fill out living wills need to be very careful about what they are signing, because the so-called living will could be used by a judge as a death wish.
That's exactly what's happening.
CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?
Much of the money awarded Terri for her care has gone to Mikey's shysters who have fought successfully to have her killed..
Mike Schiavo's lawyer has even recently contributed to
judge Greers re-election campaign
So I guess one could argue that the money Terri was awarded for her care also was slushed to the judge who ruled to have her killed..
What a dirty rotten state Florida turns out to be..
Even the local police guard against anyone trying to save her life...so much for protect and serve...
imo
John Brown's body lies a-mouldring in the grave,
But his soul goes marching on.
I find it ironic that if someone went in there and administered a lethal injection, that that person would be charged with murder, rather than being applauded for the mercy that a quick death would bring to someone condemned to die a long, lingering death.
Not that I'm advocating that this be done, just that if it were done, the hypocrisy of the ruling and position of the court would become extremely obvious, as it would become apparent that the form of the law, rather than the spirit of the law is in action here.
Bingo. Its the same driving force behind the abortion movement. If they admit it's wrong, then they are forced to admit that they may have done something wrong. It's a lot easier to just bury it and search for validation from the legal system (as their conscience gnaws away at them anyway). It's why people on the other side of both of these debates are generally very unhappy people.
No, not with people who murder others. I don't care what they call themselves or which political party they belong.
If you fear G-d at all, please pray that someone rescues this innocent before she is murdered. Otherwise our nation will come to a bear a judgement against it. If you fear G-d.
An if you do not, at least then have some love for a fellow human against whom a horrific execution and torture is brought ...
Why aren't all of you out there fighting for little girls who are quite alive at this time and fighting for them to stop the scum that killed Jessica? Lunsford was buried today where were all of you and this mass hysteria why aren't you fighting the courts against sexual predators murdering precious little lives??
Why weren't you out there demonstrating against sexual predator murderers? If you can get this hysterical over a woman who has been in some kind of state for over 15 years just laying there why not get just as hysterical over precious little girls who are being murdered in a worse way than being starved?
"I cannot help but believe that many Americans support removing the feeding tube because they have done it to a loved one and they do not want their consciences pricked."
"That's exactly what's happening."
This had never occurred to me before. I think you are both right. A mirror has been held up to the face of many Americans and they didn't like what they saw. Rather than treat their blemishes they chose rather to destroy the mirror.
However, I do hope that these polls results aren't accurate. It is so easy to twist a poll by the way you ask questions.
really? sick, fatalistic, presumptous nonsense. thankfully your words bind only yourself.
How come they don`t take the feeding tubes away from these people? Obviously they are more brain damaged than Terri.
http://www.snopes.com/photos/lumber.asp
You think it's enevetable? You think that fighting to save a woman who's been SENTENCE to death by the AMERICAN courts is not worth fighting for?
Let me just say that your defeatist attitude sux, you get along and pray for a "peaceful" end, I'll pray that the courts and congress get the backlash of their everLIVING, WELL FED lives!
This fight starts right now, and if congress isn't willing too, WE should!
So much for the supposed importance of Americans being so much more religious than the Europeans.
Terri is past the point of pain now.
You know this??
"We can't help her."
You know this? You speak authoritatively for us, 'we'? Read Scripture, as it teaches people how to help and love as Christ love His church. IT is our authority, and IT says we are to protect the helpless.
"Let's just love her"
You're NOT loving her if while she is a non-terminal patient, non comatose, only brain damaged, to then say
"pray for a peaceful end." You are giving up and not being edifying. "Praying for her end" is NOT LOVING.
Not surprising since they are the same ones that slow down, tie up traffic to gawk with some unexplainable morbid curiosity at car accidents with mangle bodies, blood and body parts all over the place, yet if anyone dares put a pair of women's panties on a terrorists head, they will scream to high heaven to stop such affront to humanity.
Want a billion dollar business idea? Start up and sell franchises to "Euphoria Farms" retirement communities. I mean real retirement and fast turnover. The country is ready.
We have to face the facts.
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