Posted on 04/01/2005 8:05:46 PM PST by FairOpinion
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Polls leading up to the death of Terri Schiavo made it appear Americans had formed a consensus in favor of ending her life. However, a new Zogby poll with fairer questions shows the nation clearly supporting Terri and her parents and wanting to protect the lives of other disabled patients.
The Zogby poll found that, if a person becomes incapacitated and has not expressed their preference for medical treatment, as in Terri's case, 43 percent say "the law presume that the person wants to live, even if the person is receiving food and water through a tube" while just 30 percent disagree.
Another Zogby question his directly on Terri's circumstances.
"If a disabled person is not terminally ill, not in a coma, and not being kept alive on life support, and they have no written directive, should or should they not be denied food and water," the poll asked.
A whopping 79 percent said the patient should not have food and water taken away while just 9 percent said yes.
"From the very start of this debate, Americans have sat on one of two sides," Concerned Women for America's Lanier Swann said in response to the poll. One side "believes Terri's life has worth and purpose, and the side who saw Michael Schiavo's actions as merciful, and appropriate."
More than three-fourths of Americans agreed, Swann said, "because a person is disabled, that patient should never be denied food and water."
The poll also lent support to members of Congress to who passed legislation seeking to prevent Terri's starvation death and help her parents take their lawsuit to federal courts.
"When there is conflicting evidence on whether or not a patient would want to be on a feeding tube, should elected officials order that a feeding tube be removed or should they order that it remain in place," respondents were asked.
Some 18 percent said the feeding tube should be removed and 42 percent said it should remain in place.
Swann said her group would encourage Congress to adopt legislation that would federal courts to review cases when the medical treatment desire of individuals is not known and the patient's family has a dispute over the care.
"According to these poll results, many Americans do in fact agree with what we're trying to accomplish," she said.
The poll found that 49 percent of Americans believe there should be exceptions to the right of a spouse to act as a guardian for an incapacitated spouse. Only 39 percent disagreed.
When asked directly about Terri's case and told the her estranged husband Michael "has had a girlfriend for 10 years and has two children with her" 56 percent of Americans believed guardianship should have been turned over to Terri's parents while 37 percent disagreed.
And exactly how does this description in any way resemble Terri Schivao? Her problem wasnt that she was disabled. She was not conscious. She was in persistant vegetative state. Seems like Zogby sees the right fighting within itself and decided to jump in and stir the pot.
Those are crimes, clearly defined by law.
What you fail to understand is that the Court acted within the full scope of the law.
Why yes! They can make them wards of the court which orders them starved!
It's already set in Florida. The fact that you don't agree with the standard carries no legal water.
Nonsense. Jeb Bush did not lack law, he lacked moxie and cojones.
Because he has deliberately inflicted far more agony on Terri in the years he's been trying to have her killed than she would have experienced in decades living with parents who actually loved her.
You ignore how it was pointed out to you that great latitude was taken by a court which, if it had had any decency before God, wouldn't have.
well i can guarantee the poll itself was not a joke, because i took it
By 'decide the fate of' you mean, 'protect the lives of', right?
Yes, the gov't protects the lives of people. Or, is supposed to anyway. You have read the Declaration of Independence, have you not? Why do you think governments are formed among men, anyway?
A person is more than a body. If they are trapped on body that is in vegatative state, with the brain damaged beyond hope...I believe they can and do suffer in their soul being.
I don't see any reason to keep a person here when they are just as much gone already.
I don't see the point.
good plan.
i have one too.
the hospice crowd makes their money off
donations by former clients ( hint , hint)
or grateful relatives ( more hints).
just run if the hospice PR group show up .
More illogic: either you are a "vegetable" or not. If you are in a vegetative state, what does it matter to you who wipes your butt?
In the meantime, make your Advanced Directive, set up your Durable Power of Attorney, don't smoke or drink, eat very carefully to maintain a healthy weight, keep your cholesterol in check, and chew each bite carefully, watch your step and the driving of others and stay off ladders. Watch very carefully for homicide bombers and snipers and hand over your watch to the mugger - and hope he's more honorable than Michael Schiavo.
I'm sure I haven't covered all the ways you could reach a state of decreased mental functioning, but if you are very careful, you may not live at full function forever, but it will seem like it.
Good one.
Delay has a far better chance of appearing before a judge to be sentenced than canning any "wild judges."
I dont want activist judges of the left or right. I want judges who narrowly interpret the constitution as its written.
What you fail to understand is that the "law" disobeyed God. There's no earthly legislature that can stop God from "impeaching" the proponents of such in heaven.
Um, "persistant [sic] vegetative state" is a label given by doctors to a class of disability.
A few days ago, someone posted an article that was supposed to be a warm and fuzzy puff piece about Michael's girlfriend, Jodi. It explained how she has always known that Michael's first love was Terri, and she understands that, and she has gone shopping for clothes for Terri and sat by her bed (enforcing Michael's orders to not let Terri's family visit), etc. The article was a real barfer, but a couple of days later, I realized something. Michael has been emotionally abusing his girlfriend all along. I don't know about physical abuse (though I wouldn't be surprised), but her cooperation with his abuse of Terri indicates, I think, that she might have the Stockholm syndrome.
The only answer I can come up with is if the American people don't get their butts in gear soon, we're hosed.
We've let our voice be lost.
Let me know too,anything I can do to help.
Pure coincidence, I guess. Was the legislator for or against making it illegal to offer oral hydration or nutrition?
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