Terri shouldn't be in the hospice with the lovely gardens...we can start there. But you won't. You always look right past her.
I'm not understanding how you are equating the drive to save Terri with harming the pro life movement. Are you just talking about abortion? To me, pro life means any life. Unborn and born.
We don't know what Terri wanted. That's the whole problem. And it's big. And it's important.
Some of us feel starving a person to death is murder. It's very emotional. So forgive those of us who are horrified about what is being done to Terri.
The peaceful hospice will soon be back to the tranquil place you describe. And Terri will be dead and Jeb will go on and do whatever he does and President Bush will have poll numbers rise and fall. And those of us that value life will still fight for life and we will remember Terri and her fight.
It is not "murder." That is a legal term. It is killing. The killing was founded on a finding that Terri wanted to die in this circumstance (whatever that circumstance is, which itself is in dispute). Most if they accepted that finding, would not find the matter so controversial, althouugh I think killing in this way is unacceptable. One should just step up to the plate, where the wishes are clear, and by that I mean a writing, a living will, and do a lethal injection. That is my opinion. I suspect it is not particularly popular. So it goes.
If you don't think stomach tubes should be removed, work to change the laws. They are removed every day of the week all year long in this country in nursing homes, hospices, rehab clinics and hospitals. Every darned day.
But previous to this it never hurt the pro life movement. It never hurt the conservative movement. It never hurt Christianity. Congress didn't try to intrude on what had previously been something handled between doctors and families.
I understand what you are saying. And I don't look right past Terri. What if this IS what Terri wanted? Her parents admitted under oath they knew she was PVS. Doctor and neurologist after therapist told them it was hopeless. They suggested Michael get a life and wanted to meet his girlfriends. THis is a blood feud between those families and it started over money. The malpractice money.
But I don't look past her. I look at what I think she probably wanted which is what everyone I've ever known has wanted for themselves if tragedy struck. We love our families and do not want them bound to us in this way for 15 years. We don't want to be tied to tubes and unable to get out of bed or talk or communicate or have cognitive functions. That is what I've based my opinions on.
And to constantly be told that makes me pro death or whatever other terms people have been coming up with is to be closed minded to some of the realities of life and creates such an atmosphere that it's been impossible to have a real discussion about anything of actual importance on FR.
This used to be a place to discuss, not hurl insults and it's been going on for weeks and it's gotten very, very old.
How many of you who are critical of Gov. Bush or President Bush gave up your jobs to fight for Terri? How many of you got arrested to fight for Terri?
That is what you are demanding of them- yet very, very few of you went that far.
We need to quit blaming every one else and look in the mirror. Where have we been while these judges got so much power? Where were we when all of these laws were passed?
I admit I was asleep- I will hold all those who stood against Terri responsible, and I will do all in my power to get rid of them.
I will not hold those responsible who did anything at all to help.
The next time we ask for help- who will answer if we turn on our own?
Until we stand together and fight for what is right- we can not expect to have any leader stick out their neck to do so. We will not get the kind of leader who will go that far until they know they have enough support to make it work.
Flame me if you wish- but at least think about what I say and sleep on it. In the morning take a good look in the mirror and ask if YOU did enough, stop blaming everyone else, especially those who did try.