Court Upholds Food and Water for Eluana Englaro, Italian Terri Schiavo

Life News ^ | 10/8/07 | Steven Ertelt

[wagglebee]

Milan, Italy (LifeNews.com) -- An Italian court has denied a request by a disabled woman's father to remove her feeding tube and authorize her death by starvation and dehydration. Eluana Englaro has been a coma for 15 years after an automobile accident seriously injured her and, this year, her father asked a Milan court for permission to remove her feeding tube.

This isn't the first time Englaro's case had been in court.

In April 2005, the Italian Supreme Court confirmed a lower court ruling to keep her feeding tube in place.

That case had also been brought by Englaro's father, who believes that she would have preferred to die. The court rejected the argument because there was no specific evidence on Englaro's views of life and death.

In addition, the court's opinion stated that to remove the tube required, "valuations of life and death that are rooted in concepts of an ethical or religious nature, which are extrajudicial."

The Italian case has drawn comparisons to that of Terri Schiavo, the disabled American woman whose ex-husband won permission from the court to take her life.

It also hearkens to Piergiorgio Welby, a euthanasia activist afflicted with muscular-dystrophy who had a doctor kill him in a euthanasia bid that is still under investigation.

[wagglebee]

In addition, the court's opinion stated that to remove the tube required, "valuations of life and death that are rooted in concepts of an ethical or religious nature, which are extrajudicial."

Perfect!

[wagglebee]

Pro-Life Ping

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Ping!

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[null and void]

No murder under color of authority this time.

[Grams A]

I firmly believe that life begins at conception and ends when God says so, not when a doctor or court decides. No machines for me!

[Gay State Conservative]

The “euthanasia” crowd needn’t worry.This will be appealed to some European Union court which will uphold this woman’s “right to die with dignity”.

[wagglebee]

No machines for me!

A feeding tube and IV IS NOT a machine.

[null and void]

As is your right.

If it's all the same to you, I'll take my antibiotics and vaccinations...

[Mrs. Don-o]

Feeding tubes are not machines, they've been used since the 1800's, they are less burdensome than drinking through a straw, and they are about as high-tech as contact lenses. Food and water --- for a person who can still metabolize nutrition --- are just aspects of ordinary care, like keeping the patient clean and comfortable.

Causing a helpless person to die of hunger and thirst is not "letting life end when God says so." It's criminal neglect and it's painful and cruel.

And if you've been paying attention to God, you might note that He says it is obligatory to "feed the hungry" and "give drink to the thirsty." (Matthew 25)

[ari-freedom]

and the MRI

[floriduh voter]

It's a gooda ting that judga greer isn't I-talian!

www.judgegeorgegreer.com

[floriduh voter]

I wish feeding tube manufacturers would engage in a public relations campaign. Feeding tubes are not "machines". I've seen infant feeding tubes. They are like small backpacks and a small clear tube. The babies and children who need them are mobile and weren't in any distress.

I think it's ashame we have to step in to defend feeding tubes. Where are the manufacturers? They aren't explaining their product line well enough.

[Sun]

I wouldn’t think a dad would be so cold.

[Mrs. Don-o]

You are so right. A baby bottle and -— like I said -— a straw are “artificial feeding” too, I suppose, just like feeding tubes. And God knows there are doctors who would be helpless to survive without their plastic-— credit cards.

If people had a little more experience with how normal ordinary care works for those who are weak and disabled -— I mean good care in the hands of good caregivers -— they wouldn’t be so bothered about it. Much of it is simple, common-sense, service-with-a-smile, and allows even medically fragile -— yes, even terminally ill ——people to enjoy life in a modest measure.

Nourishment -— nurture -— it’s the most human thing in the world.

[null and void]

Nourishment -— nurture -— it’s the most human and humane thing in the world.

[8mmMauser]

Pinged from Terri Dailies

8mm

[floriduh voter]

"Nourishment -— nurture -— it’s the most human thing in the world."

The opposite of nurture is neglect. Neglect is supposed to be illegal.

[the_devils_advocate_666]

Good Lord, let the poor thing die already. You could probably save thousands of lives with the money used to keep this body’s heart beating for the last 15 years.

[floriduh voter]

And you diagnosed this Italian patient when?

Luv your screen name.