Sorry, I disagree. I've repeated why many times in this thread yesterday.
To murder is a dynamic action; letting nature "take its course" is a passive action.
By your reasoning, when I signed a DO NOT RESUSCITATE order and when we discontinued feeding my dying wife, I am also guilty of attempted murder.
Tell me, how far must one go to *artificially* prolong life in cases of no hope for recovery? Make no mistake, a feeding tube implanted into a patient's stomach is ARTIFICIAL.
One year? Two? Five? 15????
If life extension is the primary ethical standard; why then don't we just hook up everyone in rest homes and emergency rooms to heart/lung machines and let everyone life forever by machines even though they are brain dead?
"By your reasoning, when I signed a DO NOT RESUSCITATE order and when we discontinued feeding my dying wife, I am also guilty of attempted murder."
Did you cause your wife to be in the condition she was in? I doubt it. Did your wife have broken bones elsewhere and injuries, consistant with stranglation, to her neck? I doubt it. Had your wife made rehabilitative progress, only to have you move her from nursing home to nursing home? I doubt it. Did you insist your wife have a feeding tube installed even thought she could eat and drink to some degree? I doubt it. Was your wife unfortunately passing away from an incurable disease? I assume yes. I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm guessing that there is no similarity between Terri Schivo and your wifes unfortunate demise. Mr. Schivo did everything he could to deny his wife treatment. Terri Schivo is not brain dead, she is brain damaged. Should we kill all mentally retarded indiviuals? Hitler did so.
The difference is (I assume, since I don't know the particulars of your wife's death and am loathe to ask) that Terri was not dying. Not until they stopped feeding her. I would die too if they stopped feeding me. In fact, so would you.
susie