STAR*BRIAN STAR*BRIAN: Political Farce *

Talking points on current events

Monday, March 21, 2005

Political Farce

the emotionally charged case of whether or not Michael Schiavo has the right to remove the feeding tube keeping his wife alive has taken a step in the wrong direction.

the House and Senate passed a bill, and the President signed, that could lead to a Federal Judge allowing the tube to be reinserted. but who really has the right to make that decision in this matter?

this isn't about a right to life or death, it's about the law. and under Florida law, the surviving spouse, grown children, and then family are the ones who can make such a decision. there has been some 15 years that Terri Schiavo has been in a "persistent vegetative state", with no attempt to change the current law. now after all of the legal fighting, it looks like Michael Schiavo's request might be granted. or not.

the case is sad and could have been resolved had there been a "do not resuscitate" order or a living will. but there are not. and instead of upholding the law, lawmakers are cherry picking this case in order to make themselves look better.

we live in a country governed by law. and in this case the law, and the right of the husband, are both being kicked out the back door.

4 Comments:

Blogger Empowerqueen said...

Should it be about Terry's rights?The federal judge is the checks & balance to insure Terry is affored the same rights our law will give to the scum Couey ,that killed Jessica Lunsford. Miracles happen everyday!
Grace be with you ....

8:11 PM

 
Blogger STAR*BRIAN said...

for good or bad, he advocate is her husband.

thanks for reading. grace to you too. :)

9:13 PM

 
Blogger Mrs. Sara said...

I strongly disagree with you, Brian. (which doesn't happen that often!) ;)

Terri has not been in a persistent vegetative state for fifteen years. She has been responsive to doctors and her familiy when they come and visit her. She makes loud vocalizations when she recognizes her mother has come into the room.

This is not an issue of letting someone die naturally. It is an issue of murder, which is what's happening to Terri right now. If she were on machines that kept her heart beating or kept her breathing, then taking her off those machines would be letting her die naturally. If your body literally CANNOT live on its own, then I think it's permissable for the guardian to ask the machines be disconnected. But this is an issue where a woman can breathe on her own, her heart beats on its own, she simply cannot lift a fork to her mouth to feed herself. And taking her off the feeding tube is cruel. It's murder.

If this is allowed to happen, which it looks like it is, then what's next... leaving disabled or unwanted infants to die? After all, they can't feed themselves... and what about the elderly? Do we let them starve to death if they're too feeble to feed themselves? Both alternatives are ridiculous, but the situation with Terri Schiavo is exactly the same. She is alive, she is responsive to her family, and simply because her husband doesn't want to deal with her anymore, he's going to starve her to death. Is that just?

Peace.

10:20 AM

 
Blogger The Gnat's Trumpet said...

I think you have hit it on the head. It's bad precedent (the fact that Congress has stated that this bill has no precedential effect is meaningless) and dangerous when the Government starts disregarding the law, even for a cause that may seem -- from a distance -- to be just.

4:27 PM

 

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