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March 25, 2005
sigh
I have written very little of late - partly because I'm working too much and partly because I'm afraid to write about Terri's plight. Why am I afraid? Because people who believe that starving her is the right thing to do are behaving like pit bulls in their comments on other blogs.
The anti-life folks have some serious misconceptions about pro-life people. The most pervasive argument they seem to have is that those of us who are on the side of life do nothing to 'help those already alive', or that we do not do anything to care for those who are not aborted or euthanized.
There's not much use in arguing with them. To me it is as if evil has taken hold of their souls, and they cannot see or comprehend what, to me, is obvious.
Peggy Noonan and Rachel Lucas both express it all way better than I can. Go read them both.
My prayers are for Terri and her parents and siblings.
Update - even Ralph Nader sees the inherent wrongness of what has happened to Terri:
To: National DeskContact: Ralph Nader, 202-387-8034; Wesley Smith, 510-886-8609
WASHINGTON, March 24 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Consumer Advocate Ralph Nader and Wesley J. Smith, author of the award winning book "Culture of Death: The Assault on Medical Ethics in America" call upon the Florida Courts, Governor Jeb Bush and concerned citizens to take any legal action available to let Terri Schiavo live.
"A profound injustice is being inflicted on Terri Schiavo," Nader and Smith asserted today. "Worse, this slow death by dehydration is being imposed upon her under the color of law, in proceedings in which every benefit of the doubt-and there are many doubts in this case-has been given to her death, rather than her continued life."
Among the many injustices in this case, Nader and Smith point to the following:
The courts not only are refusing her tube feeding, but have ordered that no attempts be made to provide her water or food by mouth. Terri swallows her own saliva. Spoon feeding is not medical treatment. "This outrageous order proves that the courts are not merely permitting medical treatment to be withheld, it has ordered her to be made dead," Nader and Smith assert.
The medical and rehabilitation experts are split on whether Terri is in a persistent vegetative state or whether Terri can be improved with therapy. There is only one way to know for sure- permit the therapy. That is the only way to resolve all doubts.
The court is imposing process over justice. After the first trial in this case, much evidence has been produced that should allow for a new trial-which was the point of the hasty federal legislation. If this were a death penalty case, this evidence would demand reconsideration. Yet, an innocent disabled woman is receiving less justice.
The federal and state governments are spending billions on what we are told will become miracle medical cures for people with all sorts of degenerative conditions, including brain damage. If this is so, why not permit Terri's parents and siblings who want to care for her do so in the hope that such cures are discovered?
Benefits of doubts should be given to life, not hastened death. This case is rife with doubt. Justice demands that Terri be permitted to live.
Posted by Beth at March 25, 2005 4:56 AM
Comments
Thanks for the links, Beth. I'm very sad at this as well, I can't help but feel we (society) have seriously lowered the bar on what is a valid life, what is worth protecting. How sad for us...
Posted by: Barb at March 25, 2005 3:11 PM
Wonderful post.
Posted by: Ith at March 25, 2005 9:36 PM
End of Life Issues III
Last paragraph that starts after the *update.
Posted by: Sherri at March 26, 2005 5:23 AM
((Beth)) I know how you feel. I've started reading and not commenting because of the "pit bull" attitudes.
Thanks for posting the RN piece.
Posted by: Sharon at March 26, 2005 5:28 AM
Do not fear expressing your opinion because of the mentality of those who would oppose you. They are only words ... they cannot hurt you! But, they CAN force you to remain silent and in THAT respect, they will have won. The pit bulls use their tactics to intimidate because they know they're incapable of participating in a respectful, engaging discussion. Learning and change can never take place unless all opinions are given equal time in the spotlight. Pipe up, I say! :)
Posted by: Cranky Chick at March 27, 2005 9:46 PM
I totally understand. I've written very little about Terri's case - 3 or 4 posts, roughly... but there are folks out there trolling, coming to my blog from web searches for Terri Schiavo's name or Michael Schiavo's name, and leaving comments lambasting ME for having an opinion and writing about it. They accuse me of spreading lies and half-truths, when the "information" they're ranting about is *questionable at best*. I appreciate the fact that Ralph Nader, as little as I care for the man myself, has come out with this statement. I only wish it - or anything that has been tried at this point - could do some good.
Posted by: songstress7 at March 28, 2005 10:22 AM
Similar hopeless grumpy feelings here have kept me kinda quiet. Also, I don't feel able to articulate my thoughts well enough to send more chatter out there. Or *didn't* until I read what the Blue-Eyed Infidel had to say.
Concur. What Rachel said. Me, too. Amen...
Posted by: Justthisguy at March 29, 2005 3:48 PM