John Grogan | Second thoughts on Terri Schiavo

Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | Feb. 25, 2005 | John Grogan

[hattend]

Now I read on another thread that's she's "safe" until March 18th. Which is correct?

Guess I have to listen to the radio until I hear another report.

[hattend]

Hearing it again on the bottom of the hour "newsflash". The stay has been denied but case is under review....now they say the rest, this review has extended her life until Mar 18th.

Amazing how leaving out a choice piece of info sort of changes the whole story.

[G Larry]

>I am very pro-euthanasia, but it obviously has to be done only with strong legal protections in place, and in line with the clearly expressed will of the person being euthanized.<

You're joking right?
How long do you believe it would take for your "strong legal protections" to evaporate?

Check out Denmark or the Netherlands for reference.
Families get to pretend they represent the interests of the patients.
Facility administrators represent only the interests of the bottom line of the institution, and either remove support or actively administer death.

I've watched my younger brother die a slow death from ALS and a Grandmother die from a long battle w cancer.
So don't tell me some whiney tale about compassion for the suffering.
Most often it is our own selfish discomfort with watching the loved one suffer that propels our supposed compassion.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I'm very pro-euthanasia, just like I'm very pro-RKBA. I think free citizens have unfettered rights to carry arms while they're alive, and to determine for themselves when they don't want to be alive any more. In addition, I do/will exercise those rights for myself. I don't want anybody wasting time and money to keep me alive when I'm no longer able to do anything, or to communicate, or when I'm suffering so much that I'd rather be dead.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I have strong legal protections against being murdered by some thug on the street, but of course it can still happen. Just because legal protections can be circumvented by those bent on breaking the law, is not a reason to prevent people from having their expressed euthanasia wishes carried out. Likewise, the fact that thugs still murder people even though it's illegal and carries strong penalties, is not a reason for the government to disarm the general public.

[G Larry]

I didn't say the legal protections would be violated, as in your misguided murder example.

I said they would evaporate!
People would find excuses, such as Terri's situation, to errode those "legal protections".
Those "legal protections" would not last as long as butter on a Bagdad sidewalk.

[Ibredd]

This poor women's Husband has chosen another for his wife, so how many wifes does one get at a time in this country. This man needs to move on and let this woman alone and look after his wife with the two kids.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Violate, evaporate, whatever. I'm no more worried about protections against unwanted euthanasia evaporating, than about protections against forced life-extension evaporating (and those are very shaky already).

[pc93]

Bump.

[pc93]

Let's become the media and show them what we are made of. Maybe they will emulate the same. Hopefully they will not continue devolving.

[Canadian Outrage]

I'm absolutely sickened by this news. This Judge is not worthy to sit on a bench or be part of the Judiciary. He's certainly not fit to make decisions on who lives and who dies. WHERE IS GOVERNOR BUSH??? HE MUST ACT NOW!!

[utahagen]

OK, that's a VERY good sign. Keep praying, Freepers.

[T'wit]

She cannot swallow food and water. She'd have to be taught to do that, which is not uncommon. There is hope that she can be taught to do so because her swallowing function is otherwise normal (i.e., saliva). However, Michael Schiavo, with George Felos's advice and Judge Greer's connivance, has consistently refused to let her have the therapy to learn to eat and drink through her mouth. They don't want to give her any chance to live.

Remember, they wouldn't even let her take communion last time, lest she be momentarily nourished by a taste of bread and wine.

Does this answer your question?

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Try Bugmenot.com and enter www.philly.com for a pre-registered user name and password. It's great for other sites too.

[BykrBayb]

I think it would be more effective if we sent some of our RINOs. Get them to go over there spewing their garbage about how Terri should die. The DUers, thinking that is the attitude of real conservatives, will automatically take the opposite position.

[supercat]

I have strong legal protections against being murdered by some thug on the street, but of course it can still happen. Just because legal protections can be circumvented by those bent on breaking the law, is not a reason to prevent people from having their expressed euthanasia wishes carried out. Likewise, the fact that thugs still murder people even though it's illegal and carries strong penalties, is not a reason for the government to disarm the general public.

One major difficulty is that if people whose lives are miserable are allowed to end them, those who want them dead will have an incentive to make them miserable. Instead of giving patients treatment to make them feel better, it'll be cheaper for nursing homes to give them false treatments that make them so miserable they ask to be killed.

[ljswisc]

I thought she has been seen to swallow by the nursing staff, but the estranged husband will not allow people to feed her by mouth.

That's correct. Nurses have said they've fed her jello and that she really enjoyed it.

But Judge Greer refused to allow swallowing tests even though the GAL recommended that in his report. Go Figure

[texasbluebell]

That's what I thought. Thanks.

This whole thing screams for justice.

[Graymatter]

Thank you, T'wit. It was a rhetorical question, but your answer is certainly helpful to many who are unfamiliar with Terri's case, or misled by the slipshod MSM coverage.

[pc93]

New twists arise for Schiavo
Feb. 25, 2005
Herald Staff Writer

Excerpts from the report:

Richard LaBelle, a Dunedin attorney who works with the advocacy center, said the agency reviewed court files and other medical records that were readily available and presented them to a medical expert who said he needed to examine Terri Schiavo before deciding whether she had been mistreated.

LaBelle said the group needed Michael Schiavo's permission to examine his wife and didn't get it. LaBelle said he welcomed DCF's involvement in the case now.

"I think that as an advocate for persons with disabilities, I think any claims should be resolved before further action is taken," LaBelle said. "I think the line should be drawn in favor of pursuing a good faith investigation."

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/10985987.htm