Thompson talks of daughter who died

Yahoo News / AP ^ | 10/22/2007 | LIBBY QUAID, Associated Press Writer

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

TAMPA, Fla. - Republican Fred Thompson sidestepped a question about the Terri Schiavo right-to-die case last month, saying he didn't remember the details. On Monday he said he's uncomfortable discussing it because of his own daughter's death.

snip

"And this will probably be the last time I ever address it."

snip

He added: "It should be decided by families. The federal government and the state government, too — except for the court system — ought to stay out of it, as far as I'm concerned."

[floriduh voter]

So are you for euthanasia for disabled persons? That’s how Adolph got started. He started with his sister.

[nmh]

I couldn’t possibly “judge” him since I know NOTHING about the situation. Details DO make a difference!

People shouldn’t get so hostile till they know the facts and it doesn’t appear that anyone HERE, could possibly know the FACTS in his situation.

I will say that Terri say should not have been STARVED to death just because her cheating husband found her to be an inconvenient prick in his arse.

[nmh]

” So, in this case, her family - her parents, her siblings - were the ones that loved her, and should have been the ones to make the decision. Not her husband. He just wanted to see her dead. Judge Greer was complicit in helping him accomplish his goals - and they were Judge Greer’s goals, too - for what liberal doesn’t love death?”

EXACTLY!

Liberals are godless and SELFISH. They don’t care about anyone but themselves and what makes them happy - in the situation of Michael - Terri was an inconvenient thorn in his side.

[nmh]

“Whatever, it would have been her husband’s call.”

Not necessarily.

In the situation of Terri S. her husband should not have been allowed to literally murder his wife by starving her to death. Any moron could see there were conflicts of interest with his whore and her kids fathered by him. Surely even you can see his motive for wanting her dead.

Her parents should have been allowed to care for Terri since he obviously didn’t.

[Shortstop7]

I’m very familiar with Terri’s case. I followed it closely, wrote letters, etc.......a truly horrible situation.

I’m just saying that some of the comments on this thread about Fred’s situation are unfair and uncalled for. That is his personal business and I agree with his comments.

[iowamark]

I said at the time (Terri's time), I would have wanted someone to pull the plug long ago.

The distinction is that there was no plug to be pulled. Terri was not kept alive by any machine. Her death was not natural, it was caused by dehydration and starvation, the withholding of water and nutrition.

[inflorida]

Just PRAY this NEVER happens to you or someone you love. You have NO idea what this is like and how hard these decisions are for parents and/or spouses.

Those words need repeating...it's so easy for people to judge and "know" what they would do under these circumstances when it isn't their reality.

"There but for the grace of God go I"

[Shortstop7]

Amen to that.

[RobbyS]

But who was her family? He had done many things that indicate a lack of interest in her well being. Was he her husband in anything except name only? Should not the right to decide not revert to her birth family? These questions was not answered to the satisfaction of many. To me it seems that given the tenuousness of the marital bond under today’s law and the absence of a written document that it is weird that the husband was given this absolute right.

[Bobbisox]

Where are the criminal charges? Is that just rumor too?

My heart broke for that family, as did many here at FreeRepublic.

In their shoes, I may well have done exactly what they did, however, that is what a Living Will is for. That is what a Health Care Directive is for...so these families do not have to make these terrible decisions. The family did everything they could for their daughter. You are right...I was not in court or even in Florida, however, these are laws to be determined at the State level, in the State courts.

The President (with all his heartfelt intentions), and the Congress (with all theirs), still had no business injecting themselves into this State's rights matter.

Fred was right on this issue and I know he has had personal experience loosing a child, and perhaps having to make this excruciating decision.

[floriduh voter]

I’m not bashing Fred but obviously, if the family is dysfunctional and somebody’s care is on the line, intervention by a guardian ad litem is warranted. Their only interest is the well being of the ward if they are doing their work by the book. Terri’s guardians ad litem were terminated.

[floriduh voter]

Have a nice evening, what’s left of it. Ping for tomorrow.

[floriduh voter]

The right to life is not a state's right matter. The President and Congress has a duty under the Constitution to protect and defend American citizens. They took an oath.

Please don't blame the victim for not having advanced directives. If there are no directives, the guy with vested interests should not be the decision maker. He had no business being her guardian due to all the violations that added up. Judge Greer always looked the other way and well, Florida's a banana republic at this point. At least winters are nice here.

[Bobbisox]

You know...I don’t blame anyone. This situation is heartbreaking from every direction. I pray that not one more family ever has to rely on the broken court systems and liberal judges in Florida to bring peace for all concerned.

[floriduh voter]

Fred opposes activist judges which is why think it would have been better if he actually did some research on Terri's case. There will be future Terris. How will they fare?

History is the best teacher.

[Sun]

Thanks for the ping.

[MHT]

Terri’s husband might have had a little bit to do with getting her to that state to begin with. He made several “statements” about the evening she was stricken and no two had the same information, time of incident, when he last saw her, where he was, etc.

[Sun]

“The President and Congress has a duty under the Constitution to protect and defend American citizens.”

That’s right.

And this posted by T’wit which I saved. How I miss him.

Terri and 14th amendment: http://www.wnis.com/shows/GaryAmos.shtml

[Sun]

“that is what a Living Will is for.”

A “Will to Live” is better than a “Living Will” and can be downloaded to be used, or just used as an example, from www.nrlc.org.

Always make sure you know what you’re getting into with a “living will.” For instance, if you say: “I don’t want to be on a respirator,” it could mean one thing if it would only prolong an imminent death for months or years, and another thing if it would only be needed for 48 or more hours after an accident, and one could be restored to normal health.

And it is the government’s duty to protect innocents.

[Hornitos]

“Pulling the plug” in accord with a living will is one thing, but cutting off food and water and watching the person die is quite another . . .

In certain circumstances, it is ethical to remove "heroic measures" which are keeping someone alive and to let nature take its course. As you pointed out, food and water are not "heroic measures." What happened to Terri Schiavo was murder.