Terri Schiavo's Parents Seek Divorce on Her Behalf

[tw]

Don’t forget why this controversy exists. Religious beliefs being imposed upon others. Science says she is a human vegetable. But those of religious superiority insist science must be wrong. Why? Political extremists just know they see intelligence - science be damned. Religious beliefs again being promoted upon others. You don't have the right to die. Extremist (Ashcroft) also did this in Oregon in direct contradiction to the voters wishes. Just another example of Satanism - imposing religious beliefs upon others.

[Clodfobble]

Oh, bullshit. Her parents aren't trying to keep her alive because of religious reasons, their motives should be patently obvious. And legislators want to keep her alive because her husband's motives are suspect and they feel sympathy for the parents, plus it gets them compassion points with voters who care about this sort of thing.

Next you're gonna tell me the goddamn MBAs are responsible for keeping Terri alive.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Oh, bullshit. Her parents aren't trying to keep her alive because of religious reasons, their motives should be patently obvious. And legislators want to keep her alive because her husband's motives are suspect and they feel sympathy for the parents, plus it gets them compassion points with voters who care about this sort of thing.

Husband's motives remain unchallenged. In fact, without right wing religious support, her parents would have long ago been made irrelevant. Years of repeated testimony and court decisions have declared Terry brain dead. And yet righteous third parties keep appearing with another excuse and lots of legal money. They may even be trying to bankrupt the husband to force their will on Terri Schiavo. FL Supreme Court judge in a blunt accusation of Federal intervention was quite clear why Terri is still so painfully kept alive as a vegetable.

Yes, the parent’s motives are not religious. But religious extremist intervention is the only reason this case continues. As the network news so bluntly reports it, the religious right is using Terri Schiavo as a litmus test of their political representatives.

Why would any Federal law maker even dare touch this hot potato? The smart politician stays away from this issue. But this case has been made by the religious right into a litmus test of politicians. A sort of “either you are with us or against us” challenge. If the religious right had not decided to make this a test case, then Terri Schiavo would have long ago taken the same path as thousands before her. Without outside pressure, Federal law makers would avoid the whole issue. At this point, the parents are nothing more than pawns in a big, ugly test of political action by the religious right. The only political force protecting Terri Schiavo's rights are the FL courts and the US Supreme Court that refuses to hear the case. Rightly so. This is about about protecting Terri Schiavo. This is about religous political action. Another rallying cry to promote 'right to life' issues - Terry Schiavo, her husband, and the FL State court system be damned. Their rights don’t matter when issues of god are involved.

To declare the husband’s motives suspect is not based upon fact. That reason is the masquerade for another issue – forcing 'right to life' religious doctrine on others.

[Beestie]

Originally Posted by tw

To declare the husband’s motives suspect is not based upon fact. That reason is the masquerade for another issue – forcing 'right to life' religious doctrine on others.

The right to life doctrine is "forced" upon others because it never seems to be the person in question who wants to die but, rather, those who benefit from the death of the person in question. What you are defending is not the right to die but the right to terminate the life of another.

I think Terri Schiavo would be better off dead but its not for you and me to say. Its for her parents and her husband to say and they are not in agreement so the government has get involved. Well, the government is not in unanimous agreement either. Hence, we are in the mess we are in.

You can single out one side or the other for ridicule and that is your right. But, your view remains "one man's opinion" and has no more legitimacy than anyone else's.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Beestie

The right to life doctrine is "forced" upon others because it never seems to be the person in question who wants to die but, rather, those who benefit from the death of the person in question. What you are defending is not the right to die but the right to terminate the life of another.

FL law is quite bluntly clear about this. Terri's parents have no rights and no say. It is Terri's husband's decision to honor her request. Furthermore, every legal entity with jurisdiction has ruled in favor of the husband and in the wishes of Terri Shiavo - as testified to by her husband and others. Those are facts. Anything beyond that is best called wild speculation.

The only reason Terri has been left in such a tortured state is that others without jurisdiction keep challenging the decisions of the person who has the right to make that decision AND challenged the courts who have the legal authority to grant that request. Again, even the Supreme Court of the United States looked at this case and refused to intervene. Why? There is no case to justify a reversal. The many powers that are legally responsible have all come to the same agreement. It is that open and shut. Terri Schiavo stated her wishes and the courts keep trying to honor her requests.

There are others with shameful agendas not in the interest of Terri Shiavo. To not speak out against this self righteous types is classicly anti-American. From the NY Times of 19 Mar 2005

For Republicans, it was a chance to try to carve out new territory in the "culture of life" issues so paramount to passionate religious conservatives, who have flooded Congressional offices with messages beseeching help in keeping Ms. Schiavo alive. ...

And for Representative Tom DeLay, the House majority leader facing inquiries into fund-raising improprieties in Texas and potential violations of House travel rules in Washington, taking a prominent role in rallying conservatives to the Schiavo cause also provided a sudden distraction from his troubles.

"To friends, family and millions of people praying around the world this Palm Sunday weekend: do not be afraid," said Mr. DeLay, who interjected himself forcefully into the case, in a pointed religious reference during a Friday news conference. "Terri Schiavo will not be forsaken."

Mr. DeLay and other lawmakers appeared to be affected emotionally by the life-and-death subject of Ms. Schiavo. Some have long held religious beliefs opposing such things as assisted suicide or the disruption of life-sustaining medical care.

Notice the religious references repeatedly used to deny Terri Schiavo and her husband their rights

Terri Schiavo and her husband are the victims. There is no way around that fact. Even the FL Supreme Court judge today was quite blunt about that fact. The courts have ruled on what they decided were her intentions. FL says bluntly and without doubt that her husband is the only person with legal status to make that decision for her. Her parents have no say - as it should be. Those are the facts no matter how many self serving religious political types want to screw the Schiavos for political gain. Those who have the rights are instead made into victims - for other's poltical gain.

To not stand up for the rights of the Schiavo is classicly anti-American. How dare others with no standing would torture Terri Schiavo and her family. That is beyond a doubt the facts - and shameful. Every court with jurisdiction has made a decision not upon religion. And therein lies the problem. They did not impose religion when deciding to grant Terri Schiavo's requests. Courts instead made decisions based upon the facts. Shame on anyone who gives credence to those such as Tom DeLay. Making the Schiavo's into victims totally for political gain. Shame on anyone who would deny the only facts. Terri Schiavo has the right to die as she requested. Anyone else (ie her parents) have no standing. Those are facts. What is left are others with self serving agendas. Again, they would vicimize Terri Schiavo to perform litmus tests on their politicians. It is that pathetic.

[Clodfobble]

I really hope that NY Times quote was from the editorial section, tw. If not, it's a prime example of why Fox News has flourished in this country.

[Happy Monkey]

Mr. DeLay's only long held religious belief is that he should be in the news for something other than multiple ethics violations.

[Brett's Honey]

I'd be interested to hear some of your opinions on this - if Terri's death was happening by a method other than slowly starving her to death, would these arguments still be the same as they are now? The "slowly starving her to death" is the only part that makes me have second thoughts. Maybe its just the sound of it, I don't know how it will be for her physically, and I suppose nobody knows how it will be for her mentally. (I'm sure they'll be medicating her to make sure she's "as comfortable as possible".) If she was being allowed (forced?) to die quickly, in a 100% certain pain-free manner, would this debate be the same, and would it be dominating the news?
I believe its time to "let her go" but I understand it is hell for her family. I'm sure it wouldn't be so difficult for them, if she was in an obviously comatose state, not blinking, "smiling", and in their opinion, responding to them.
(And I have no trouble believing that she wouldn't want to live this way. Whether she ever voiced that to her husband or not, who would say that they want want to live that way?)

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

Mr. DeLay's only long held religious belief is that he should be in the news for something other than multiple ethics violations.

Thats a fact.

Its a shame when these matters go outside the family and caregivers. There is suspicion, however, of the husbands original motives, although I don't know that it changes her legal status. We're too removed to truly understand what's going on there. The media likes to cook these things down so they can tell a simple story, the Times has religous extremists and I assume Fox has a murderous husband, but the person whose opinion matters most isn't talking.

[Undertoad]

I find the case uninteresting. My dogs have more consciousness than Terri Schiavo for the last 15 years.

There's only one aspect I find interesting... its really ironic that people are mad that Schiavo is now starving to death, when it's thought her coma was the result of bulimia.

[Brett's Honey]

its really ironic that people are mad that Schiavo is now starving to death, when it's thought her coma was the result of bulimia.

That is very ironic. I haven't followed the story that much- I've just caught parts of it a couple times a week that I can't help but seeing, considering that it's hard to read a paper or watch the news without seeing it. I missed the part about the bulimia!.
I should do my homework better before I post!

[Kitsune]

The "slowly starving her to death" is the only part that makes me have second thoughts. Maybe its just the sound of it, I don't know how it will be for her physically, and I suppose nobody knows how it will be for her mentally.

Actually, doctors have a pretty good understanding of how it will be for her, mentally. In seeing what parts of her brain suffered oxygen death, it is certain she won't feel any suffering, as she pretty much isn't feeling anything even at the moment. With nothing more than partial frontal lobes and a brain stem, her body is "alive", but her "life" left a long time ago.

There's only one aspect I find interesting... its really ironic that people are mad that Schiavo is now starving to death, when it's thought her coma was the result of bulimia.

I've been hearing this a lot, lately, but I haven't found out if it is anything more than a rumor. If its true, a lot of people seem to want to keep this aspect of the situation quiet.

Does anyone find it strange that the religious right likes to play the part of the god they worship? They'll go against all natural odds and laws to keep a suffering woman alive, all while trying their hardest to put to death the people they have convicted of high crimes. I'm not sure why, but both of these ideals seem to go against the religious banner they wrap it all in.

[Undertoad]

It's no rumor... a jury agreed to that finding in her medical malpractice trial.

unbiased information from a florida law-blogger's site

The cause of the cardiac arrest was adduced to a dramatically reduced potassium level in Theresa's body. Sodium and potassium maintain a vital, chemical balance in the human body that helps define the electrolyte levels. The cause of the imbalance was not clearly identified, but may be linked, in theory, to her drinking 10-15 glasses of iced tea each day. While no formal proof emerged, the medical records note that the combination of [Theresa's] aggressive weight loss, diet control and excessive hydration raised questions about Theresa from Bulimia, an eating disorder, more common among women than men, in which purging through vomiting, laxatives and other methods of diet control become obsessive.

[Kitsune]

drinking 10-15 glasses of iced tea each day


Thats absolutely insane.

From the blog:
Some believe Terri's husband has been motivated by money. Some believe that no heart attack occurred -- instead, Terri's husband beat her nearly to death and has been trying to end her life ever since. Some believe he is a bad person because he has taken up with another woman and has children with her.

I wonder how much bodyguard protection Terri's husband has now or will have if Terri's death comes as it is supposed to. If I were him, I'd move far, far away...

[Troubleshooter]

Originally Posted by Kitsune

If I were him, I'd move far, far away...

Or he could do us all a favor and avail himself of the favorable gun laws in Florida.

"Take a number please, Mr. Schiavo will be with you shortly..."