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Profound questions from the Schiavo case
Minneapolis Star Tribune ^ | 6/16/05 | Katherine Kersten

Posted on 06/16/2005 6:53:51 AM PDT by rhema

. . .People of goodwill may disagree about Terri Schiavo's case. Yet as our society strays from its traditional belief in the essential dignity of every human life, we all must grapple with the implications of the notion that some lives are "not worth living."

Today, assisted suicide is lawful in Oregon. In the Netherlands, according to the New York Times, prosecutors no longer pursue cases against doctors who kill severely impaired babies after birth. The temptation to deal with the defective and incompetent by eliminating them is likely to grow as our society ages. Today, approximately 4.5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. In coming decades, projections suggest that about 40 percent of us will spend roughly 10 years in an infirm, demented condition. The way we deal with this situation will say much about us as a society.

Currently, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum is staging an exhibit . . . called "Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race." It examines the idea of "lebensunwertes Leben" -- lives not worthy of life --which the Nazis used to justify their elimination of thousands deemed unfit to live: the retarded, the defective and the seriously ill.

Some German intellectuals championed this idea well before the Nazi era began. A 1920 book, for example, decried "the meticulous care shown to existences which are not just absolutely worthless" -- the disabled and deformed -- "but even of negative value." It called for applying the "healing remedy" of premature death, in order to "eliminat[e] those who were born unfit for life or who later became so."

Today, we must ensure that we ourselves are not tempted to start down this slippery slope --moved by free choice rather than totalitarian edict, and seduced by a shallow notion of "death with dignity."

(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; US: Minnesota
KEYWORDS: emotionallydisabled; getoverit; schiavo; swindlers; terrischiavo; wackjobs
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To: STARWISE

There was no 70 minute gap before Michael Schiavo called 911. That is another lie and myth perpetuated by the Schiavo supporters such as yourself. Old people die for lack of food and water all the time in nursing homes, from either illness, altzheimers, whatever, and they refuse to eat or drink. I have firsthand knowledge of this having spent a lot of time in a nursing home while my mother was there. This is the way many of them die. So, what are you going to do, stick a feeding tube in every one of them, to prolong life when they obviously are trying to die, whether it be consciously or unconsciously? Most nursing homes have you sign a document (as in our case) as to the wishes of the nursing home resident regarding end of life decisions. But, you are such a drama queen, I am wasting my breath on any attempts at rational discussion because you are nothing but a bundle of emotions. Take your hysteria home with you and put it in a lockbox.


261 posted on 06/16/2005 6:31:53 PM PDT by flaglady47
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To: Swiss

"I can see why the supporters of Terri would still be angry, they feel like someone was murdered in front of their eyes and they couldn't stop it but your side won so why still argue?"

Terri's dead. Give it up. End of argument.


262 posted on 06/16/2005 6:35:58 PM PDT by flaglady47
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To: BykrBayb

You're saying he had the right to kill her because he couldn't have conjugal visits with her, and you ask what kind of warped world I live in? ROFL

Keep rolling on the floor with laughter. Don't stop. It will prevent you from posting any more ridiculous comments on this thread as you always do. You are not a rational, logical person. You are a heap of emotional output. You should really keep that in check as one would think you a Democrat. That's how Dems react, all emotion, no rational thought. LOL, ROFL, LOL, ROFL, LOL, etc. Keep it up.


263 posted on 06/16/2005 6:40:16 PM PDT by flaglady47
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To: flaglady47
Terri's dead. Give it up. End of argument.

All of the 9-11 victims are dead, too.

Does this mean that we should stop fighting terrorists?

264 posted on 06/16/2005 6:40:33 PM PDT by EternalVigilance ('Quality of Life': another name for the slippery slope into barbarism...)
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To: jackv

"oxygen deprivation" CAUSES heart damage resulting in a heart attack. Cardiac arrest is not necessarily caused by such damage"

Nice try. Give it up, she's dead.


265 posted on 06/16/2005 6:42:09 PM PDT by flaglady47
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To: jackv

"What did you expect for Michael to remain celibate for the rest of his life??"

YES

We'll put your name in for sainthood. You're just so much moral than the rest of most mortal human beings. Such perfection should not unwatched go.


266 posted on 06/16/2005 6:44:44 PM PDT by flaglady47
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To: EternalVigilance
Terminally ill patients and those in Terri's state are let go, taken off all life support systems, and allowed to die every single day in this country.

To compare this with terrorists flying planes into office buildings murdering thousands on their jobs is a bit distorted.

267 posted on 06/16/2005 6:45:16 PM PDT by Jorge
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To: jackv

"You might recall the news reports of the man in a coma for 10+ years. He woke up to teenagers and a wife WHO DID NOT LEAVE HIM!!!!"

Michael didn't leave Terri either. He remained married to her, in spite of so many of your side who say he should have divorced her. And you have no idea if the wife of the man in a coma in your example remained celibate of not for those 10 years. Terri's dead, dead, dead, dead. Let it go.


268 posted on 06/16/2005 6:48:19 PM PDT by flaglady47
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To: Jorge

There are many differences, not the least of which is that foreigners were doing the killing on 9-11.


269 posted on 06/16/2005 6:50:20 PM PDT by BykrBayb (Impeach Judge Greer - In memory of Terri Schindler <strike>Schiavo</strike> - www.terrisfight.org)
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To: Swiss

"I wouldn't surprised if all the claims of the Husband and his supporters did turn out to be true but it would make more sense to find all this out before the plug was pulled."

Yeah, they should have done an autopsy on her while she was still alive.


270 posted on 06/16/2005 6:51:01 PM PDT by flaglady47
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To: EternalVigilance

"I wouldn't surprised if all the claims of the Husband and his supporters did turn out to be true but it would make more sense to find all this out before the plug was pulled."


You truly are nutz. Period.


271 posted on 06/16/2005 6:53:08 PM PDT by flaglady47
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To: EternalVigilance

Excellent point.

It's almost painful to watch people make such inane statements: "She's dead. End of argument."


272 posted on 06/16/2005 6:54:12 PM PDT by k2blader (Was it wrong to kill Terri Shiavo? YES - 83.8%. FR Opinion Poll.)
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To: jackv

273 posted on 06/16/2005 6:55:50 PM PDT by BykrBayb (Impeach Judge Greer - In memory of Terri Schindler <strike>Schiavo</strike> - www.terrisfight.org)
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To: Jibaholic
No. It took the Schindler's encouragement before he even started dating again years later.

He was involved in a sexual relationship less than one year after Teri's collapse if I recall correctly.

Testimony of Michael Schiavo November 5, 1992 Medical Malpractice Trial

Q. How do you feel about being married to Terri now?
SCHIAVO: I feel wonderful. She's my life and I wouldn't trade her for the world. I believe in my - I believe in my wedding vows.
Q. What do you mean? You want to take a minute?
SCHIAVO: Yeah.
Q. If the court would let us take a minute.
Q. You okay?
SCHIAVO: Yeah, I’m sorry.
Q. Have - you said you believe in your wedding vows. What do you mean by that?
SCHIAVO: I believe in the vows that I took with my wife. Through sickness, in health, for richer or poorer. I married my wife because I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I'm going to do that.

Testimony from his November, 1993 Deposition:

Q. Are you presently – you’re married to Terri Schiavo, correct?
SCHIAVO: Yes I am.
Q. Are you presently involved in a romantic relationship with anyone?
SCHIAVO: Yes I am.
Q. Are you involved in an intimate relationship with this person.
SCHIAVO: Yes I am.
Q. Is this the first relationship that you’ve been involved in since your wife has been in a coma?
SCHIAVO: No.
Q. How many other relationships have you been involved in?
SCHIAVO: I was in one other relationship.
Q. Was it an intimate relationship?
SCHIAVO: Yes.

274 posted on 06/16/2005 7:00:30 PM PDT by Ghengis (Alexander was a wuss!)
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To: Jorge
To compare this with terrorists flying planes into office buildings murdering thousands on their jobs is a bit distorted.

Not really. In both cases, the victim is dead.

275 posted on 06/16/2005 7:03:05 PM PDT by EternalVigilance ('Quality of Life': another name for the slippery slope into barbarism...)
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To: flaglady47
You truly are nutz. Period.

That wasn't a quote from me.

Maybe its you that needs to check your meds...

276 posted on 06/16/2005 7:06:17 PM PDT by EternalVigilance ('Quality of Life': another name for the slippery slope into barbarism...)
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To: flaglady47
Any answer?

"How can you know what he knew would happen and all the other situations on which you expound? Are you a friend/family/colleague/associate of Michael Schiavo, George Felos or George Greer or ANY OTHER PERSON connected to either of them? If you are, say so and how credibly .. I shall believe you. Otherwise, it's so much speculation; however, your confidence may indicate an intimacy with some/all of the principals which you're not honestly revealing."

As to the 70 mins., if you watched the press conference with the Medical Examiner about the autopsy, I seem to recall there was an issue of the time of Terri's collapse and the time lag when help was called. If I'm incorrect, I'll certainly adjust my thinking. But now that apparently there's been an investigation requested into that very subject, I don't believe I heard incorrectly.

No matter what your opinion about this death, in reading through your comments, I find them to be so sharp and harsh. In light of the sincere pain and grieving that's evident in those of us who value life, and the emotional involvement we had in praying for the saving of this and all precious life .. your comments are particularly insensitive and cruel. In fact, your comments make you sound like a very bitter person... just waiting to launch the next "gotcha." Either that, or you have a personal connection to this situation...which maybe you'll answer. In either event, may God help you.

"Terri's dead. Give it up. End of argument." Almost bloodthirsty.

Reminder: the purpose of this site noted on the front page is clearly stated in this order: pro-God, pro-life, pro-family.

We're obviously worlds apart...I'll happily live with my clear conscious, knowing I'm following God's Word in choosing life mongering over death mongering any day.

WHEN THERE'S DOUBT, ALWAYS ERR ON THE SIDE OF


277 posted on 06/16/2005 7:26:04 PM PDT by STARWISE ( You get the govt. you deserve. CALL YOUR CONGRESS CRITTERS OFTEN -U.S. CONGRESS: 1-877-762-8762)
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To: flaglady47
For you it was your mom, eh? Pulled her plug?

That's the pattern here. Many of the "let her be free!" folks have so admitted pulling the plug on a spouse, a parent, etc. All in a most loving manner of course.

278 posted on 06/16/2005 7:31:20 PM PDT by bvw
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To: Ghengis
SCHIAVO: I believe in the vows that I took with my wife. Through sickness, in health, for richer or poorer. I married my wife because I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I'm going to do that.

And like a character caught in some tragic and ironic Twilight Zone TV show plot, so will he be. He'll be spending the rest of his life with the constant public awareness his notorious murder of her dragging down his neck like some aetheral strangler.

279 posted on 06/16/2005 7:35:06 PM PDT by bvw
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To: flaglady47
"But, you are such a drama queen, I am wasting my breath on any attempts at rational discussion because you are nothing but a bundle of emotions. Take your hysteria home with you and put it in a lockbox."

This is very correct .. you ARE wasting your breath .. such vitriol ..jeesh.

"Terri's dead, dead, dead, dead. Let it go."

That is just not going to happen ..Shrieking these heartless cruelties only reflects sordidly on your character, flaglady. You're really dramatically overreacting and might want to try to calm down.

280 posted on 06/16/2005 7:36:55 PM PDT by STARWISE ( You get the govt. you deserve. CALL YOUR CONGRESS CRITTERS OFTEN -U.S. CONGRESS: 1-877-762-8762)
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