The Schiavo Rift

Cox & Forkum ^ | 3/28/05 | Cox & Forkum

[thoughtomator]

I don't want to be a hotlinker, but no matter which side of this you're on, you'll have to admit that this is the funniest take on this case yet - and it's aimed squarely at us.

[El Conservador]

Spot on!!!

Although it seems the cartoon's melee is 10 times more civilized than what's been seen the last 2 weeks here...

[Finger Monkey]

Do you not somewhere believe that perhaps he made a promise to his wife not to let her "live" by artificial means? Why else would he not just give up and leave. What benefit does he derive out of remaining at her side?

He married her. His father gave her away to him. He is her family.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Prominent academic neurologist? That's interesting because I've been unable to find a single research paper that he has authored, nor have I seen him listed on any boards or as a member of any prominent research organizations, but maybe that's just me.

That was how it should have read - I even sourced the Google Search I did to find out about how 'prominent' he really is...

[The Coopster]

All you're doing is implying - and you're not even waiting for responses, which would seem to indicate that you're becoming hysterical.

Further down, you made the all-present if-then statement about murder.

Prove any of your implications. Then come back.

I've dicussed all I care to with you. Good day.

[jpsb]

Your entire premise it based on one thing, M.S. knows that Terry does not want to live. Well we are now going into day 12 of no food no water and Terry is still fighting for life. Your premise is incorrect. The facts prove your premise incorrect. You will never believe that, but if the woman wanted to die, she would be dead by now.

[Finger Monkey]

Yer gettin' a little snippy, babeee.

[The Coopster]

So is calling someone a murderer or wife abuser without a preponderence of the evidence.......

It goes both ways.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Nope. Just correcting mistakes I made. No biggie. I posted to myself, did I not? ;0)

[brooklin]

He certainly is not what we all think of when the word family or husband comes to mind, But according to the law He IS the only husband she has.

[ARCADIA]

You forgot to add the part where recent brain scans show her entire cerebral cortex area to have basically turned to mush.

Do you have a copy of that scan? As far as I know there have been no recent scans.

[andysandmikesmom]

Thanks for all of your posts on this thread...appreciate them....

My own view on this whole matter, has been that Terri Shiavo should have been allowed to remain on the feeding tube, because to me, it was not clear what she really would have wanted...and for me, what Terri would have wanted is the most important thing...therefore, I would opt for life to continue...

Having said that I was, am, and expect to be, embarrassed by all the constant name calling, lying, rumor mongering, threats, calls for armed insurrection, and shody research, that has occurred on the majority of the 'Terri' threads...

But, wading through all the posts that sound just ridiculous, I come upon posts from someone like you, who can prevent his views and positions in a rational and decent way...you refuse to get down in the mud...congratulations...

Again, thanks for your posts...

[Finger Monkey]

Yes, just razzing you.

[jackbill]

I've read a half dozen or so responses, and decided to quit. You people don't know what is going on, and you are letting MSM and cartoonists define the issue.

It is not just Republicans "fighting among themselves". Many Democrats are conflicted as well. MSM just isn't going to tell you about that. Have they told you that nine members of the Congressional Black Causus voted with the majority in the House on the bill allowing the Schindlers to go to federal court? And that nearly half of the RATs who voted in the House voted for it as well?

Where do people like Lanny Davis, Elaine Kamark, Ralph Nader, Joe Lieberman, etc. show up in the cartoon?

Get a life and understand what's going on.

[supercat]

Do you not somewhere believe that perhaps he made a promise to his wife not to let her "live" by artificial means? Why else would he not just give up and leave. What benefit does he derive out of remaining at her side?

Well, had she died a few years ago like she was supposed to, he would have profited handsomely by it. Clear and obvious motive. If his actions in the intervening years have been less than 100% kosher, her death would allow for the destruction of the records of such criminality.

Besides, since when is oral food and hydration considered "artificial"? Greer didn't just order the feeding tube out. He also ordered that no effort be allowed to feed Terri by mouth, despite (or because of) affidavits that she could swallow Jello and liked it.

[AmericaUnited]

Here's some snippets from an NRO article, basically destroying your CAT scan beloney:

Starving for a Fair Diagnosis

... have spent the past ten days recruiting and interviewing neurologists who are willing to come forward and offer affidavits or declarations concerning new testing and examinations for Terri. In addition to the 15 neurologists’ affidavits Gibbs had in time to present in court, I have commitments from over 30 others who are willing to testify that Terri should have new and additional testing, and new examinations by unbiased neurologists. Almost 50 neurologists all say the same thing: Terri should be reevaluated, Terri should be reexamined, and there are grave doubts as to the accuracy of Terri’s diagnosis of PVS. All of these neurologists are board-certified; a number of them are fellows of the prestigious American Academy of Neurology; several are professors of neurology at major medical schools. ...

... Terri’s diagnosis was arrived at without the benefit of testing that most neurologists would consider standard for diagnosing PVS. One such test is MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). MRI is widely used today, even for ailments as simple as knee injuries — but Terri has never had one. Michael has repeatedly refused to consent to one. The neurologists I have spoken to have reacted with shock upon learning this fact. ...

... attorney George Felos has claimed that Terri’s cerebral cortex has “liquefied,” and doctors for Michael Schiavo have claimed, on the basis of the CT scans, that parts of Terri’s cerebral cortex “have been replaced by fluid.” The problem with such contentions is that the available evidence can’t support them. Dr. Zabiega explained that “a CT scan can’t resolve the kind of detail needed” to make such a pronouncement: “A CT scan is like a blurry photograph.” Dr. William Bell, a professor of neurology at Wake Forest University Medical School, agrees: “A CT scan doesn’t give much detail. In order to see it on a CT, you have to have massive damage.” Is it possible that Terri has that sort of “massive” brain damage? According to Dr. Bell, that isn’t likely. Sometimes, he said, even patients who are PVS have a “normal or near normal” MRI. ...

... the American Academy of Neurology has made it clear that it can take months for a physician to establish with confidence the diagnosis of PVS. A 1996 British Medical Journal study, conducted at England’s Royal Hospital for Neurodisability, concluded that there was a 43-percent error rate in the diagnosis of PVS. Inadequate time spent by specialists evaluating patients was listed as a contributing factor for the high incidence of errors.

[supercat]

He certainly is not what we all think of when the word family or husband comes to mind, But according to the law He IS the only husband she has.

Were Terri's guardianship case before an honest judge, that wouldn't have remained so for long.

[ARCADIA]

Nineteen courts and thrice to the Supreme Court is not a "second review of the facts?!!?"

Not a single one of those courts reviewed the facts of the case. They all relied on the original trial evidence and upon the conclusions resolved during that trial.

[ModernDayCato]

:-}

[The Coopster]

Prove otherwise. And while you're at it, read my entire series of opinions, before you go jerking your knee.

Let me bring you up to speed with the original statement:

I find it ironic that many on the Left who are supposedly all about compassion (gun control, no war, welfare, etc) are now all about "let the girl die"!

Conversely, there are many on the Right who normally about getting the government out of our business - and are now calling for "legislation for what ails us"

This whole circus is over the top.

It only came about because the parents didn't agree with what MS and Terri's wishes were, and decided to sue/legislate to get their way. By supporting this, we are validating everything the Gore camp did by trying to sue/legislate their way into the White House.

This whole thing is a circus. Look at FR - you can't even get any other info right now because everyone is so hysterical/so full of their opinion/so inconsiderate that they're clogging the boards with this - as if nothing else of importance is happening in the world.

Additionally - look at the venom and name calling that goes on when someone DARES mention that it really isn't even slightly our business. It's not, after all. This is a very private hell between family members that someone chose to take all the way to the Supreme Court.

It's honorable to want your kid to live - and a natural part of parenting. But just like nobody can prove that Terri said she wouldn't want to live that way - nobody can prove that she did, either. And the original laws allowed for the spouse to make the decision.

And you know what? THAT IS the right way to look at it. I don't want anyone but my wife deciding this for me, and vice versa.

If all of the hysterical unproven accusations about MS are true, then he'll have to answer to God. In the meantime, Terri will pass, and go on to a better place where her arms/legs/brain work again. That's what I'd want for myself, not for someone to maintain me in some sort of pathetic shadow of what I had been, solely out of some misplaced (if well-intentioned) sense of duty.

There have even been folks here on FR that say that it doesn't matter what a person wishes, you should always keep them alive. How would you like to be married to these types of people? "I don't care what you want, as long as I'm comfortable with the situation.

How honorable is that?

The good that will come of this is that hopefully folks will make their wishes known - AND get it in writing, so that people that know ZERO about the whole situation will have no opportunity to cram their wishes down your throat.

That is my main opinion in this whole mess:
A. It's really none of our business.
B. Make your wishes known, and get it in writing.

Of course, now I'll get to hear about how I'm some hellbound death cultist. That's the level of discourse here lately.

So get off your high horse, and quit putting words/opinions in my mouth.

[ARCADIA]

So is calling someone a murderer or wife abuser without a preponderence of the evidence.......

Who did? There are alot of people who think MS may have been both; and many more who believe that those issues should have been explored before we allow him to murdered Terry, but no one has claimed that he is a convicted criminal.