No choice for Terri

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 3/24/5 | Debra J. Saunders

[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.

[Boondock_Saint]

As I said, get over it.
It was a tough emotional case, but it's over.

This board is turning into cannibals and we need to stop.

[CincinnatiKid]

Chock me up in the "Religious Fanactic" Demographic now I guess. Hey I'm Catholic, I guess that makes me one

[Conspiracy Guy]

They counter the question by using Life Support as the term.

[robertpaulsen]

"(why did Judge Greer ignore this testimony, below?)"

Could it be because Judge Greer took testimony on January, 2000?

Her "deposition" was about 15 months too late, wouldn't you say? Were her statements ever made under oath and cross examined?

Didn't think so.

[Cherokee Conservative]

You sound like one of the cannibals. Practice what you preach. You're obviously not over it. Still in the Schiavo threads fighting aren't ya? There's a lot of that going on. Call names, insult peoples intelligence, get mad, and then tell everyone else they need to get over it and stop being cannibals.

[LtKerst]

Surprising article from SF Chronicle

Thats because it is from Debra Saunders..the only Conservative Voice in San Francisco. They only keep her there because if She leaves San Francisco...Hell's gates will open and swallow the whole Peninsula.

[GianniV]

So - under this crazy thinking in this case - can I go home tonight and shoot my wife and then just tell the police - "Well, she had a horrible headache and told me she didn't want to live this way anymore." Nothing will be written down; just a conversation.

How could I possibly be convicted? She had a "right to die?"

[takbodan]

You'll have to move to Florida first.

[TheDon]

Pro-abortion conservatives you mean.

[smiley]

....excellent point...see the repercussions of this???...that's what we're fighting for folks....the slippery slope....

[nutmeg]

read later

[meandog]

The shame is that even many of our so-called conservatives have joined have joined the liberal death zealots on this one.

...and even some of the libs (w/the exception of DU loonies) have joined us--I even heard the Rev. Jesse Jackass (on MSNBC last night) declare that "it is wrong and unethical to starve and dehydrate her to death"!

[BlessedByLiberty]

I know that, but I think putting it into those terms might get through to some people who have not followed.

A follow up question, "would you want your (insert relative) to feel the *euphoria of being starved to death?"

*euphoria and other descriptive words the left is using to describe this barbaric treatment

[Conspiracy Guy]

It is sickening.

[massgopguy]

Hillary said she was considering adopting a child before she was elected to the Senate. Ah....yea

[Chi-townChief]

I know IL Rep. Junior Jesse is with us on this one but I'm not sure about the old man.

[BlessedByLiberty]

Agreed.

[madprof98]

It was a tough emotional case, but it's over.

In exactly the same sense that Roe v. Wade is over. And, I fervently hope, in the same sense that Dred Scott was over as well.

[meandog]

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

Hmm-m-m-m-m...seem to remember a recent ruse suggested on DU is to infiltrate FR by laying in the lurch for a few weeks before springing to convince administrators of their legitimacy. Boondock_Saint a FR member only since late January!