<p>There is a big diff. in killing an unborn baby just because the mother is to selfish to own up to her own responsibilities, then killing a mass murder who the courts will probably let out of jail anyway (like the Jessica girl who was just found in Florida.). Everyone knows that anytime you engage in sex you can get pregnent, just as everyone knows that by riding in a car you have a chance of getting into a car accident. In todays society there is no need for abortions when you countless number of adotion agencys and a 7 year wait for infants. The only time abortions should even be considered is when the mothers life is at risk or when someone is raped. And don’t even say that the majority of abortions are these to cases because we all know they aren’t. The majority are teens or colleges kids who are sleeping around and are told by their parents to get rid of the kid because they don’t want anything to do with it. </p>
<p>And as for Terri, what I probably should be talking about on this board, well it has to be one of the saddest things I have ever seen. I am for dieing if you want to, no one can tell you you can’t end your life if you feel it is no longer worth living. However, in this case Terri def. should not be killed. I believe her husband just wants her dead for whatever sick reason he believes. Just look at the facts…she has a stroke and gets put in the hospital, her husband tells her parents that she is getting all the treatment she needs, but a couple of years later her mother finds out she has never recieved a day of physical thearpy. Basicly he husband dumpped her at the hospitat and left her. In the last couple of years she has made extrodinay progress, just think of how she would be today if she had recieved the treatment she needed in the begining. And to the poster who said that her husband need money…well he got money, and didn’t do anything with it. He put Terri in a nursing home. I think in cases where the person has no living will and the spouse is suspicious, the state should intervine and treat the patient for a year. Then the spouse can make their case in court; and then at least there will be some evidence on whether or not the patient has any hope of improveing. </p>
<p>I hope I didn’t offend anyone, I wasn’t trying to be mean.
Mabey I am to oppionated. JJ</p>
<p>I was horrified to hear an interview with her brother yesterday where he said that she can actually swallow a bit on her own. Apparently, the family asked if, once the feeding tube was removed, she could at least be given liquids by mouth if possible. The judge said no.</p>
<p>Personally, I think there is a huge difference between needing help to breathe and being tube fed. Needing mechanical help to breathe is my definition of “life support.” Needing help to eat is not. There are many, many people out there with various ailments (such as pediatric cancer) who have feeding tubes to help them with nutrition. Should we disconnect them from those tubes because it is “life support?” I think not.</p>
<p>You’re comparing someone with pediatric cancer to being in a persistant vegitative state??</p>
<p>She has been in this state for 15 years. several doctors have said she has no chance of recovery, her husband has won court battles at every level and the Supreme Court has refused to intervene. I feel sorry for her husband. It must be tough to make a decision like that, only to have her family selfishly cling to the shell of what she once was. I hope if I’m ever in the same circimstances with my children that I might see past my own interests and put those of my child first. I would hate to live with the memories of him or her wasting away for decades instead of the wonderful memories I have of them as healthy vibrant children.</p>
<p>Doctors aren’t always right. I was listening to a story the other day of a woman who had a double brain stroke and was even less resposive then Terri. The doctors told her husband that there was no way she would recover and asked if they could take her off life support. The husband completely disagreed and spent the next 18 months trying to reahiblitate her. He said all the doctors thought he was crazy, and he was even verbally assulted several times by them. Many of the doctors didn’t even want to look at her, because they just thought it was a lost cause. And to their amazement she began to wake up after 18 months and today, of couse she isn’t 100% better, but she can walk and talk and has the mental capasity she had beforethe stroke. The funny thing is is that she recieved medical treatment right away, and everyday. Her husband either was there or always had some there to take her for walks and bathe her and brush her hair. The really scary part about it, is that she remembers everything. She can remember the doctors telling her husband that they should just shut her off life support and let her die. Just think about how Terri might be if they actually had people working with her. All she does is sit in a room all day. Her husband barely sees her and wont let her parents see her. She has made dramatic improvements over the past couple of year without any treatment. Just think of what she would be like if they started doing rehibiltaion treatment with her. </p>
<p>For all you who think it was her wish to die, look at Chris Reeve. Do you think when he was 20, and considered life being paralyzed, that he would have wanted to live like that. But when it happened he of course chose to live. And he was on more support then Terri. For most of his life after the accident he was on a feeding tube and breathing machine.</p>
<p>Yes he does have a whole other family now, which is fine. He has moved on. And he can divorce her if he wants but he wont have control over her anymore. If he does then her parents will be her gaurdians. Then he wont be able to kill her like he wants to.</p>
<h1>1 - there are hundreds of thousands of children of all ages in this country waiting to be adopted. Where are all of our board members? How many adopted children in your families?</h1>
<h1>2 - it’s my body - don’t tell me I can’t have an abortion. To bring an unwanted child into this world is cruel.</h1>
<h1>3 - Terri’s friends (girl firends) have sworn under oath that Teri did not want to live in this state. Does anyone here on this board want to live like that?</h1>
<p>I find it greatly surprising that the Republican Party, who so greatly oppose abortion and advocate a fetus’s right to live, doesn’t seem to value life as much when the subject is actually alive. The GOP really surprises me sometimes. I can almost see them putting Steven Hawking “out of his misery” just because his body doesn’t function normally.</p>
<p>How can you say unwanted child, a seven year wait for a baby oviously means that these children are wanted. And by the way my two brothers and myself were adopted. And I know for a fact that I was almost aborted. Makes you wonder doesn’t it?</p>
<ol>
<li><p>So what if there are children waiting to be adopted? That’s irrelevant to the argument of whether or not a fetus is a human and deserving of the same rights and protection that we ourselves enjoy.</p></li>
<li><p>And I’d argue that it’s the fetus’ life and that you shouldn’t be able to terminate it. A baby is one of those things that doesn’t just happen. There are steps and measures you would have had to take in order to create it, so you have no one to blame but yourself.</p></li>
<li><p>Her friends have sworn? It’s easy for us to look at Terri and say “God, I’d never want to live like that and I’m sure she wouldn’t either.” Then again, WE AREN’T HER.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Achilleus, its very selfish of you to turn this discussion of a woman’s tragic demise into a soapbox for your own political thoughts. Find another thread.</p>
<p>The Republicans are the ones trying to finagle a way to usurp the rulings of the juducial branch. Are you paying attention to what is going on with this issue?</p>
<p>filmxoxo17 - I’m sorry…perhaps we should simply discuss how tragic Terri Schiavo’s condition is.</p>
<p>It’s tragic.</p>
<p>Topic closed.</p>
<p>Give me a freakin’ break…this basically IS an abortion case. This woman can’t interact or think for herself…isn’t she basically a mature fetus? That’s why abortion ethics apply here.</p>
<p>It isn’t comparable to the pro or anti-choice argument. In that argument at least the fetus has a chance to develop into a sentient being. This woman has been degenerating for going on two decades. That’s a pretty long gestation period in anyones book.</p>
<p>This entire topic is useless to discuss. It’s better to close the topic as Achilleus said. Everyone has their own opinion and this is just something you don’t change your mind about…</p>
<p>It is tragic what is happening to Terri, but it shouldn’t stir up insults at either side.</p>
<p>It is probably a momentary lapse in judgement that I write anything here, but I fully agree that this thread should close, die, be taken out of its misery, have its plug pulled (double entendres intended). There are things being written here as if they are fact that are just plain silly (like the “double brain stroke”- there is no such thing). No one is going to change anyone’s opinions on these sensitive issues. Flaming each other serves no purpose other than to antagonize each other. Please, stop.</p>
<p>I was hopeful that the mods would close this thread, and still have my hopes up…</p>