Posted on 03/24/2005 9:58:45 AM PST by SmithL
I'VE HEARD the clamor as to why Terri Schiavo must die. No one, it is said, would want to live like her. Her parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, are religious fanatics. Many of her so-called supporters are "pro-life" zealots. Evil GOP geniuses passed a special law to help her live. And so, she must die.
I've followed this poignant case for two years. Also, my husband served at one time as an unpaid informal adviser to the Schindlers. I've heard the arguments, and they often start with: No one would want to live like that.
After all, this case is supposed to be about Terri's "right to die," even though no one knows for sure that she wants to die. She never wrote a living will or other document asserting as much. A court decided that she would want to die, based on casual remarks she made to her husband, Michael Schiavo, and his brother and sister. She told them she would never want to be kept alive by machines.
I hate to insert facts here, but it is a fact that a feeding tube is not a machine. Yet somehow the courts found that those casual comments have the force of a legal document -- and apply to a feeding tube, when they were meant for a respirator.
In so ruling, a judge also ignored claims made by Michael Schiavo when he sued the hospital that first treated Terri in 1990 for $16 million for failing to detect her potassium imbalance. As Newsday reported in 2003, he won $300, 000 for himself for loss of consortium and $700,000 for his wife -- based on the presumption that Michael would care for Terri for the rest of her life.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
The shame is that even many of our so-called conservatives have joined have joined the liberal death zealots on this one.
Surprising article from SF Chronicle.
Some LIBs on board with LIFE? The world has definitely been turned upside down as of late!
"A feeding tube is not a machine." A simple statement that has been ignored.
Indeed! And a rather well written one at that.
Some LIBS are delighting in the division within the republican party and are reveling its hypocrisy.
Debra is conservative - for S.F.
She is no Melanie Morgan, Lee Rodgers or Savage, thus she probably has a larger audience.
Debra is the token conservative on the Chronicle.
Her point about the feeding tube not being a machine should be formed as a question to every Dem/Rep talking head on TV and radio.
"Do you consider a feeding tube a machine?"
You guys need to call in a faith healer, or get over it.
The law has spoken. If you don't like it, work to change it.
Terry made her bed when she married that man, unless she had a living will, it was up to the husband.
The old family has no say in the matter.
Crazies like Bo gritz and Randall Terry will ruin our party. Stop the madness now.
this is the saddest i have been since elian gonzales.
jeb bush needs to send in the national guard, put the feeding tube back in,k get some docs to analyze her, and investigate that so called husband for murder.
"I hate to insert facts here, but it is a fact that a feeding tube is not a machine."
Hah! A technicality!
God save us from third-party busybodies who insert themselves as wannabe legal experts in a case that's none of their business.
I'm a fan of Tom Delay, mainly because his name makes liberals go crazy. That usually means that person is a good guy.
Also - he has taken in several foster children. How many foster children has Ted Kennedy or Hillary Clinton taken in?
That's a cheap shot. Teddy K did drown someone else's child, after all!
The judge ruled that, based on medical testimony and testimony from Terri's husband, his brother, and Terri's best friend, Terri would want the feeding tube removed.
End of story. Nothing about machines, or brain dead, or feeding tubes, or "death by starvation".
Just that she wouldn't want to continue to live that way. That was Terri's wish. We should honor it.
She is Wesley Smith's wife.
Of course not. CFS would have taken custody of the child long ago.
THAT is why this situation is so devastating.
She's 'just' a woman who's in the way of her husband's happiness, so "the means justifies the ends."
"this is the saddest i have been since elian gonzales."
Me too. Well Terri is well on her way to martyr status. Skeevo, Felos, Greer-- YOU HAPPY NOW?
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