<p>THere’ s no point in arguing about this…like abortion, people have very strong opinions that will never change…just glad I have my living will card in my wallet!</p>
<p>dke, Your post speaks volumes…about you…</p>
<p>There is no arguing that I’m aware of.</p>
<p>I do think of Roe v. Wade quite often and am glad that the courts are out of it, at least until the next attempt to stack the Supremes. Of the many potential interested parties that have an interest, only one decision can be rendered, in which case there’s every compelling case for it to be that of the woman’s and not that of the would-be father, a potential grandparent, a religious figure, a judge, the Under Secretary for Ayahtollah Affairs or anyone else. A perfect world? No. A decison of conscience for the woman involved? Yes.</p>
<p>But the essential point is that your “fear” of a federal court stepping into and overruling a state happens all the time, including in Roe. My point is that in this case, the federal courts looked at a federal law and essentially thumbed their noses at Congress. This is a scary precedent.</p>
<p>What’s really, really horrific is that both houses of congress, the U.S. president, the governor of Florida, Pope John Paul II, the top bioethicist for the Vatican, numerous credible religious leaders, some 30+ neurologists who signed affidavits under threat of perjury, Terri’s intact biological family, and numerous citizens and others all want Terri to have her feeding tube restored, and all are apparently completely powerless to restore the feeding tube, and all are standing by watching her being starved and dehydrated to death, totally impotent against one man plus essentially one local judge, and in the face of evidence and even lack of evidence that clearly provokes some questions about the legitimacy and eligibility of her husband to make this decision. </p>
<p>Short of a miracle, Terri will die very soon. This is incomprehensible and unbelievable. However, I am absolutely certain that there is a higher power, a judge many, many times more powerful than any who have heard and rejected the Schindler’s pleas so far, and this judge is taking names and keeping a very detailed record. Everyone’s going to face a final judgment - and then there will be a time of accounting, and a balancing of the books. This belief helps mitigate the horror.</p>
<p>My sister just gave me medical power of attorney and a living will, because she did not want to put our mom in the position of having to pull a plug on her. She knows I would be able to follow her wishes and that it would be harder for a parent to do this. </p>
<p>The notion that one might change one’s mind is horrifying in both directions. This is why this issue is so sticky. </p>
<p>I can imagine a situation in which a “don’t unplug me” person, if a grain of consciousness remained, might be in such boredom/torment he would want to be released. I can imagine a situation in which a “unplug me” person would, if there was a grain of consciousness, want to rescind it.</p>
<p>fundingfather, the federal courts looked the bill congress passed and realized that the federal law was in violation of the bill of rights (powers not granted to congress are reserved to the states) and prevented the scary precedent of a joint effort by both the executive and legislative branch to ursurp a state of its protected rights and violate the constitution. the supreme court in its infinite wisdom refused to overstep its premises as the other two branches tried and failed to do. whats sad is that TS is the poster woman for this government’s failed attempt to further their christian, pro-life agenda (pul-lease dont start with this “politicians are noble and trying to save this womans life” BS- politicians all have their own agendas and if you failed to see this coming and why they didnt try to save all the other victims before who’ve met the same fate as TS will when they didnt have a majority, you must be blind).</p>
<p>I think Michael is a monster for not handing over the care of his wife over to her parents when they agreed to even take up the medical expenses, and who knows what goes on in his mind. newspapers, like politicians, further their own agenda, and where one will portray the husband as some villianous fiend, another will portray TS’ parents as monsters who refuse to let their lost child achieve peace. Whether michael truly cares for his wife and believes in his heart that she did not want to live this way or whether this is some ploy in defiance of TS’s parents because of some dispute or whatever, who knows. What I do know is that this is a depressing situation, where a personal issue was blown way out of proportions and TS, along with her parents and husband, are the sad victims chosen to be scruntanized by all.</p>
<p>IMO, any person, judge, legislator, officer of the law, officer of the court, who would not give (or allow a family member to give) a dying person a drop of water, is a slimeball.</p>
<p>Firstly, let me say that I am sad that terri shiavo is going to die. I am also sad when anybody else dies too. Lets not pretend that the emotions are any different. Throughout all of human history, we would have done the merciful thing and put the poor woman to death. There is no grace or mercy in assuring prolonged suffering.<br>
Im confused… aren’t republicans the party of personal choice and traditional values? Since when are the republicans the one who want to step all over the feet of Michael Shiavo’s power of attorney, Terri’s right to die. Through 20,000 years of human history, terri shiavo would be dead. It is only in the latest century or so that we have the medicine to do this to her.
On my living will, it will say “If Im ever in a permanent vegetative or unconcious state, give me all the medication you can afford to take away my pain, but do not prolong the amount of time that I am a burden on you”…</p>
<p>Newsflash, suburban white mother: thousands of non-vegetative people starve every day. Even more are being killed by the very people who think its a shame to let terri die (read: Iraq War). Why don’t you quit your moping and save them.</p>
<p>"However, I am absolutely certain that there is a higher power, a judge many, many times more powerful than any who have heard and rejected the Schindler’s pleas so far, and this judge is taking names and keeping a very detailed record. "</p>
<p>Tom DeLay? Pat Robertson? Joe Scarborough?</p>
<p>“However, I am absolutely certain that there is a higher power, a judge many, many times more powerful than any who have heard and rejected the Schindler’s pleas so far”…</p>
<p>as a catholic, im offended by your vision of a retributivist god.</p>