This make me ill!
Did Terri Schiavo vote republican in the last two elections? There are thousands of people dying in hospitals this weekend, what makes Terri’s case so political? My guess is that Terri’s parents gave money to RNC last year. Why else would this become such a political farce? If Terri was Democratic Muslim, would they care as much?
Tom DeLay said: ”We should investigate every avenue before we take the life of a living human being. That is the very least we can do.”
Scott McClellan, said: “Everyone recognises that time is important here. This is about defending life.”
Bill Frist said he is committed “to see this legislation pass and give Terri Schiavo one last chance at life.”
Speaking of Persistent Vegetative State, our favourite Shrubbery is leaving the ranch early to add spectacle to this debacle. SHEESH! As I mentioned before, this fervour has nothing to do with Terri and Michael’s perceived rights. It’s about forcing right-wing “morality” on the defenceless.
Too bad they don’t have the same “ethics” when dealing with the Iraqis or Afghans. Defending life overseas just isn’t so important to our leaders.
March 23rd, 2005 at 12:56 pm
I think this has probably been politicized due to the amazing powers, once again, of the blogosphere and the media, putting “life always comes first” conservatives in a spin over their constituents’ views. It galls the hell out of me that Congress and the POTUS should feel the need to stick their oar in, here, especially when, just last week, a TX baby was taken off life support against his mother’s wishes…
You may find the Schiavo case arguments made by David Yeagley compelling.
Yeah, I know. I recommended something of his last week, or thereabouts. I’m on a Yeagley kick, it seems. But he makes really solid arguments for both sides of this issue, this week. He even makes a good case for Congressional involvement - and I’m ALMOST inclined to agree with him on it. (I hope the link works. Otherwise, he’s at badeagle.com)
March 23rd, 2005 at 9:20 pm
I appologize. I did not find Mr. Yeagley’s comments compelling, just repugnant. I realize that this is because of my personal biases and therefore will cut some slack, but quoting Christian sources as purveyors of hitherto unknown “truths” is ,to me, galling. Christians have been telling me they have a stranglehold on the truth all my life, and I still refuse to accept this. After all, “No one expects the Spanish Inquisition” until after it begins.
March 26th, 2005 at 8:50 pm
I didn’t get any Christian stranglehold message, especially in the conclusion he offered in “The Terry Schiavo Obituary”:
“In the old days, Indians had a balance of both extremes. The community simply could not carry you, beyond a reasonable effort. While you were strong, you had the opportunity to distinguish yourself as a person. You could be honored for your achievments and prowess. But the community, the “nation,” must survive beyond you as an individual. Your individuality could not be allowed to threaten the long range welfare of the group.
My elderly Comanche mother, who doesn’t quite understand the details of the Schiavo case, remarked instead on the whole issue of life support systems for the mentally incapacitated: “Pull the plug on all of them. It’s too expensive. Enough of our taxes have been spent on this. It isn’t right.”
To an elderly Indian, herself approaching the end, it is unnatural to dramatize avoidance of the inevitable. She knows the meaning of the “death song.” When it’s time, it’s time, for whatever reason.”
This is by no means a simple issue, and to consign one group of arguments to the waste receptacle because it is supported by Christians is to deny that the group could ever have a useful thing to offer… and they occasionally HAVE. Such as abolition of slavery, such as egalitarianism, such as the right to human dignity (okay, they probably got a lot of that from the Jewish communities, early on, but they carried those flags with an astonishing fervor)… Not every Christian on the planet is a sanctimonious, lying S.O.B. — in fact, from my experience, those sorts are the minority. They may not be perfect, but then, what human is?