Your Take on the Schiavo Case

[Jill1228]

STEELTRAP

What I'm finding interesting is that all the right-to-life folks are remaining silent about Sun Hudson, the AfAm babyperson who died last week when his life support was taken off.

My sentiments exactly, girlfriend. Funny I just said this to my mother in law:
"If she were a minority and/or poor, no one would give a rat's azz!"

Kinda selective in their holier than thou "protesting"

Originally posted by stardusttwin
This case bothers me on so many levels..but what concerns me the most that when discussing this with my mother I discovered that we have opposing views on this...now as a single unmarried woman i'm going to have to get my desires put in an iron clad written living will since I can forsee her being in the same situation if I do get married and my husband actually tries to do what I asked (which is do NOT leave me on a feeding tube when my brain has gone to mush). She'll pretend we never had the conversation..ok argument over this case.

Your mother and my mother must be related. I am married and I want my wishes in writing cause I know my moms will be trippin!

[Professor]

Thank God we still have some freedom!!!!

[KSigkid]

My take? I think she should be allowed to die. I don't see how keeping her on the feeding tube is doing anyhing for her except fulfilling the desires of her parents. Her doctors have said that she has no chance at recovery. I know that miracles happen every day, but I don't see how keeping her alive is serving her best interests.

This is a good example of how everyone should have these arrangements set up, if anything does happen.

[keji_2]

Why allow her to starve to death for over two weeks. That seems cruel. Why not give her an injection so she can die peacefully.

[babyfacenelson]

The United States Government should not be involve with this. This is a family issue.

[Steeltrap]

Originally posted by Jill1228
STEELTRAP


My sentiments exactly, girlfriend. Funny I just said this to my mother in law:
"If she were a minority and/or poor, no one would give a rat's azz!"

Kinda selective in their holier than thou "protesting"



Your mother and my mother must be related. I am married and I want my wishes in writing cause I know my moms will be trippin!

Even though Sun had a fatal genetic disorder, I still think that the selective protesting is valid. Then again, the GOP is playing to its base, and Patisha (thanks Soror HN) isn't its base.

[KSigkid]

Originally posted by keji_2
Why allow her to starve to death for over two weeks. That seems cruel. Why not give her an injection so she can die peacefully.

My understanding was that the because of the advanced nature of her condition, the starvation wouldn't cause her any more agony than she is already experiencing. I could be wrong though.

[sweete81]

TAMPA, Fla. (March 22) - A federal judge on Tuesday refused to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube, denying an emergency request from the brain-damaged woman's parents. The parents' lawyer quickly filed a notice of appeal.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge James Whittemore came after feverish action by President Bush and Congress on legislation allowing the contentious case to be reviewed by federal courts. The judge said the 41-year-old woman's parents had not established a ''substantial likelihood of success'' at trial on the merits of their arguments.

The notice of appeal was filed electronically hours later with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta by David Gibbs III, an attorney for Terri Schiavo's parents. The notice tells the court that the full appeal will follow. That court was already considering an appeal on whether Terri Schiavo's right to due process had been violated.

Whittemore wrote that Schiavo's ''life and liberty interests'' had been protected by Florida courts. Despite ''these difficult and time-strained circumstances,'' he wrote, ''this court is constrained to apply the law to the issues before it.''

The Bush administration ''would have preferred a different ruling,'' White House press secretary Scott McClellan told reporters in Albuquerque, N.M., where the president was visiting a senior center.

''We hope that they would be able to have relief through the appeals process,'' McClellan said.

While Rex Sparklin, another attorney for the parents, said the appeal was needed to ''save Terri's life,'' Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, praised the ruling.


The Schiavo Case



AP


Monday, 1:11AM: President Bush signs legislation that allows a federal court to hear the case.

Tuesday: Federal judge refuses to order reinsertion of Schiavo's feeding tube.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TIMELINE

1990: Oxygen fails to reach Schiavo's brain, causing permanent damage. Husband Michael is named legal guardian.

1998: Husband petitions for the removal of wife's feeding tube.

Her Story: See Schiavo Timeline

Sources: AP, cnn.com



''What this judge did is protect the freedom of people to make their own end-of-life decisions without the intrusion of politicians,'' Simon said.

Bobby Schindler, Terri Schiavo's brother, said his family was crushed. ''To have to see my parents go through this is absolutely barbaric,'' he told ABC's ''Good Morning America'' on Tuesday. ''I'd love for these judges to sit in a room and see this happening as well.''

Attempts to reach the woman's father, Bob Schindler, were unsuccessful early Tuesday. George Felos, the attorney for husband Michael Schiavo, hung up twice when reached by reporters from The Associated Press.

But Scott Schiavo, Michael Schiavo's brother, called the judge's decision ''a good thing,'' and said he did not believe Congress should have intervened.

''There's not a law that's made for this,'' Scott Schiavo said in a telephone interview. ''This is something that goes on 100 times a day in our country, that people, their wish to die with dignity is not a federal issue.''

The tube was disconnected Friday on the orders of a state judge, prompting an extraordinary weekend effort by congressional Republicans to push through unprecedented emergency legislation Monday aimed at keeping her alive.

Gov. Jeb Bush was described by a spokeswoman as ''extremely disappointed and saddened'' by the federal judge's decision not to order the tube reconnected. ''Gov. Bush will continue to do what he legally can within his powers to protect Terri Schiavo, a vulnerable person,'' said spokeswoman Alia Faraj.

Terri Schiavo did not have a living will. Her husband has fought in courts for years to have the tube removed because, he said, she would not want to be kept alive artificially and she has no hope for recovery. Her parents contend she responds to them and that her condition could improve.

Court-appointed doctors say she is in a persistent vegetative state with no hope of recovery. Doctors have said she could survive one to two weeks without the feeding tube.

Gibbs argued at a Monday hearing in front of Whittemore that letting Terri Schiavo starve would be ''a mortal sin'' under her Roman Catholic beliefs and urged quick action: ''Terri may die as I speak.''

But Felos argued that keeping the woman alive also violated her rights and noted that the case has been aired thoroughly in state courts.

''Yes, life is sacred,'' Felos said. ''So is liberty, particularly in this country.''

Michael Schiavo said he was outraged that lawmakers and the president intervened in a private matter. ''When Terri's wishes are carried out, it will be her wish. She will be at peace. She will be with the Lord,'' he said on CNN's ''Larry King Live'' late Monday.

Terri Schiavo suffered brain damage in 1990 when her heart stopped briefly. Her collapse was later linked to a potassium imbalance believed to have been brought on by an eating disorder. A successful malpractice lawsuit argued that doctors had failed to diagnose the eating disorder. She can breathe on her own, but has relied on the feeding tube to keep her alive.

According to a CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll of 909 adults taken over the weekend, nearly six in 10 people said they think the feeding tube should be removed and felt they would want to remove it for a child or spouse in the same condition.


03-22-05 1049EST

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

[SummerChild]

You know, I really don't get it.

First, it seems like the right to lifers want to oppose abortion b/c it is not natural and they want to adhere to nature. Now, it seems like they want to use technology to go *against* nature. I don't get it. Do they want science and technology interfering with life or not???

SC

[SummerChild]

Originally posted by RBL
If I'm not mistaken didn't the Federal Supreme Court refuse this case twice?

I don't catch your drift RBL. Can you elaborate?

SC

[sageofages]

Originally posted by SummerChild
You know, I really don't get it.

First, it seems like the right to lifers want to oppose abortion b/c it is not natural and they want to adhere to nature. Now, it seems like they want to use technology to go *against* nature. I don't get it. Do they want science and technology interfering with life or not???

SC

Short answer....YES....but only the way that suits their belief systems!

[RBL]

Originally posted by SummerChild
I don't catch your drift RBL. Can you elaborate?

SC

Yes..(although I think I misread) I was under the assumption that Bush was signing a law to make the federal courts review this case...(in an attempt to reverse the state court decision) but I know CNN had reported that on two occasions the federal Supreme Court refuse to hear the case.....I guess I was a little confused..

[SummerChild]

Yeah, I think that you're right now (although I haven't really read alot on the case). I think that I saw that the Sup Ct refused to take it. Don't know about another fed court.

I haven't been keeping up? How's the team doing? I haven't been watching March Madness at all this year. I actually like the Fighting Illini now...D. Brown got game.

SC

Originally posted by RBL
Yes..(although I think I misread) I was under the assumption that Bush was signing a law to make the federal courts review this case...(in an attempt to reverse the state court decision) but I know CNN had reported that on two occasions the federal Supreme Court refuse to hear the case.....I guess I was a little confused..

[RBL]

Originally posted by SummerChild


I haven't been keeping up? How's the team doing? I haven't been watching March Madness at all this year. I actually like the Fighting Illini now...D. Brown got game.

SC

Oh those Blue Devils are still marching

[SummerChild]

Alright, alright. Who do they play next?
SC

Originally posted by RBL
Oh those Blue Devils are still marching