Public execution

The Spectator ^ | 2 April 2005 | Mark Steyn

[mal]

Do you remember a fellow called Robert Wendland? No reason why you should. I wrote about him in this space in 1998, and had intended to return to the subject but something else always intervened — usually Bill Clinton’s penis, which loomed large, at least metaphorically, over the entire era. Mr Wendland lived in Stockton, California. He was injured in an automobile accident in 1993 and went into a coma. Under state law, he could have been starved to death at any time had his wife requested the removal of his feeding tube. But Rose Wendland was busy with this and that, as one is, and assumed there was no particular urgency.

[Miss Marple]

Of course, I could make my point better if I bothered to use the spell check feature.

[TheDon]

...preferring one over the other does not mean one is less pro-life as has been the erroneous charge tossed around here oh so casually.

I disagree. There are those who believe that it is morally okay to kill someone by starvation/dehydration, if it is what they wished. I think a case can be made that is not a pro-life position. We can agree on most pro-life positions, but that doesn't happen to be one of them.

[TheDon]

The court does not make law.

Hmmmm...Roe v Wade....someone really should inform the court.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

"The court does not make law."

Hmmmm...Roe v Wade....someone really should inform the court.

Yes we should.

[cyncooper]

Well, as my point plainly was, I prefer the tone taken by Praeger/Hewitt/Medved and they all agree that removal of a feeding tube can certainly be moral and right.

Disagree all you wish, but don't call them or me not pro-life.

[BibChr]

Really good essay... if not comforting. In fact, NOT comforting.

Dan
Biblical Christianity BLOG

[bvw]

It's been pointed out here on FR yesterday, iirc -- we've jumped right to compulsory.

[The Iguana]

Another great one from Steyn.

[Gritty]

if you want to execute someone who hasn’t committed a crime, you don’t need to worry with any of this ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ stuff

BTTT

[D-fendr]

This logic would imply that unless we are aware and conscious, we cease to be.

Hmm, seems I die every night about 11.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you for your post!

Is it actually possible that Michael Schiavo's lawyer just said that the murder of millions of Jews was a good thing???!! Am I MISREADING THIS!??

It reads that way to me as well.

I find his reference to 'collective consciousness' interesting also. Evidently he has an Eastern mysticism view of things - the dead recycle in the "whole" as it strives to become more.

Evidently with the holocaust, he sees the Jews becoming the sacrificial lamb for a 'quantum leap' in the 'collective consciousness'.

What is bizarre for me personally is that I see God's will in Terri's life and death - forcing everyone who even heard of it much less were involved to make a decision deep in their souls - for or against life of any quality. I also believe many will be examining their own motives (even if they try not to do so) - whether they were seeking God's will or their own.

This does not however put me in Felos' camp - only that I do see a greater purpose in every life and death. For Felos it is a purpose of a 'collective consciousness' but for me, it is God's will.

[TheDon]

Pro-life is not an all or nothing position. If you are against abortion, that is certainly a pro-life position. Many dehumanize the unborn and thereby justify killing the unborn. If you are for euthanasia, that is not a pro-life position. Many would say that executing murderers is not a pro-life position. So, I'm against abortion and euthanasia, but for executing murderers. Go figure.

[MarMema]

There is a tribute to Robert Wendland on my FR page.

[TheDon]

Agreed, I choose to ignore such nonsense and simply stick to the issues. The name callers do so because they can not argue their points well. And it shows. I'm against euthanasia and abortion myself.

[AmishDude]

Ah, yes, which is why we have had compulsory abortion in this country for years, now.

No doubt it will be exported from China.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for your insight!

In making the Holocaust a voluntary self-sacrifice "in the Jewish collective consciousness," Hitler and the Nazis are relieved of all guilt for trying to wipe the Jews off the face of the earth.

Indeed. I wonder if that was his intention or whether, like Pinker's theory of the mind, he didn't think it through. Nevertheless, to whichever extent either worldview spreads in our society there must be the correlary - the inability to justify personal responsibility and punishment.

[nobdysfool]

Felos is a T*rd, and an embarrassment to the legal profession. Period.

[tnlibertarian]

No doubt it will be exported from China.

Are you saying Wal-Mart is going to sell compulsary abortions?

[AmishDude]

And what shall we do with that fellow...what's his name...Hawking?

[AmishDude]

Are you saying Wal-Mart is going to sell compulsary abortions?

No. Obviously it's payment for the technology.