Bill Allen, director of the bioethics program at the University of Florida College of Medicine
But Allen said he is most concerned that lawmakers will use what, at its core, is a gut-wrenching family dispute between loved ones to overturn good laws. Those laws, he said, have for more than a decade allowed Floridians like Terri Schiavo to reject or withdraw artificial hydration and nutrition if they so choose.
Mr. Allen needs to be reminded that people may still choose to have this option as long as they put it in writing in a living will, where informed consent is part of the process. That means you can't coerce someone to sign that form, and that you've explained exactly what the pros and cons of making this decision are before you sign. Hospice workers are coming into the hospitals and homes of ill people even if they aren't dying to try to encourage them to sign these papers.
"The consensus is it's immoral to force medical treatment on people that they didn't want, and there is no reason to treat artificial hydration or sustenance any differently than any other medical treatment," Allen said. "This is not about food and water. This is an attempt for people with one value system to impose their values on the rest of society."
That is the shallowest argument ever. It cuts both ways, Mr. Allen!
I've got to find this guy's address, email, etc. He needs a talking to. I'm getting PO'd.
As I was at the rally for some reason I thought about the three notable trolls on this board who want Terri dead in the worst way. All I can say is, if they're right, baby, I'm glad to be wrong.