[KDD]

The essence of any form of fanaticism, is the absence of an ability "to see the forest for the trees." The fanatic believes that his or her enthusiasm, for the slogans being ranted, is a substitute for rational argument. His rant may make the fanatic feel good; to believe that he is doing what he is called upon to do; that all who are not evil will heed his verbal argument. Yet all such tactics can ever do is antagonize those with truer and clearer images of the positive and negative dynamics of human interaction.

The Schiavo protesters hurled names and epithets, with no sense of propriety or restraint. They aspersed the motives of others, perhaps to make themselves feel better, or to vent their frustration. Yet the images, which these self-proclaimed champions of "Life" evoked in the Schiavo case, resonated--and will long resonate--with most skeptics, as the images of a "Living Death"; something out of a horror movie, not a celebration of the sanctity of the life God gave to man. When one considers, further, the realities discussed above with respect to a developing technology amidst an aging population, one recognizes another likely effect from the rant of the protesters. It will evoke fears in many of all ages, of being kept partially alive--whether as a "cash cow" for the "health care" business, or because of someone else's compulsion--while the body is tortured, human dignity destroyed, and accumulated family assets squandered.

Terry Schiavo: An End To Rational Analysis?

[bvw]

Oh how we mocked and aspered Il Duce, and Der Fuehrer and Emperor Tojo! We were all so fanatic in those days. We did, when not on the line, under fire -- feel good. Damn good. Yet we has no sense of propriety or restraint in our vile epitaths, crude slogans and bawdy name-calling of those governmental officials of the Axis, or of those forces siding with them. Now, with such fine moderne reasoning, we understand how we were then only antagonizing those with clearer and truer images of the positive and negative dynamics of human interaction.

In those years we thought ourselves the self-proclaimed champions of "Liberty" but the images of the miserable exceations we lathered upon our opponents resonated -- and will long resonate -- with rational skeptics: the images of a "Liberty in Dresden" or Liberty in Nagasaki" -- something out of a horror movie, not a celebration of the miracle of Liberty G-d gave man!

With our odious war-like behaviours, our copulsion, we tortured Germany and Japan, destroyed their dignoty and squandered our national assets!

Forgive us! Forgive us! Forgive us!

[ClancyJ]

No - the fear now is that every disabled person, every elderly person will have to stay away from doctors and will end their days scared to death that doctors, relatives are killing them instead of trying to care for them.

A great transition of American life. So, in my opinion, the aged should just not go to doctors but live out their lives in peace. They will surely live a lot longer.

Hope the hospitals, nursing homes, hospice centers will be able to survive without the disabled, the very sick and the elderly.