Removal of Feeding Tube (pray)

[morgan]

We had this debate in my GED class since yesterday. In no way do i feel the Prez has the right to decide for us. That poor woman has been dead for long time now but its her parents that refuse to let her go. While i may understand their grief, I certainly wouldnt want any of my children to just lie there as a vegetable with no chance of recovery. I say Bush should not try and get that law passed and keep his mind out of private and family buisness and run the country and not our lives. Let Terri die with dignity and grace.

[Faminedynasty]

There are worse things than death, and no one would want to live like that. 15 years... 15 years... This whole effort to stop this poor woman from dying is a publicity stunt from the anti-abortion, anti-right to die religious right. They act as if life is fundamentally sacred, and yet, they are willing to electrify death row inmates to death, even if it isn't especially clear whether they are guilty. They are willing to bomb downtown baghdad, killing women and children in huge numbers. In short, their stance is incoherent, and their goal is to limit personal freedoms and to impose their religious beliefs on us, moving our nation closer to theocracy. Shame on every democrat who lacked the backbone to stand against these shameless extremeists. The fact that our government interfered in this matter calls into question their credibility--EVEN THEIR VALIDITY--as representatives of democracy. Shame on them all for exploiting this woman and her family.

[Scott1]

Faminedynasty,

They act as if life is fundamentally sacred, and yet, they are willing to electrify death row inmates to death, even if it isn't especially clear whether they are guilty. They are willing to bomb downtown baghdad, killing women and children in huge numbers. In short, their stance is incoherent, and their goal is to limit personal freedoms and to impose their religious beliefs on us, moving our nation closer to theocracy.

Some of us respect all life and are anti-death penalty and anti-war...... I am not trying to create a theocracy (we tried that once.... it does not work ) just voicing my opinion that all life is sacred and should be cherished and protected... from conception to natural death.

Scott

[Sunstone]

I just wish issues as important as this one could be resolved without demonizing anyone. I heard a talk radio host tonight claim that Terry Shiavo was being killed as part of a political conspiracy! Why do some people feel it's necessary to drag nonsense into the debate?

[Jaymes]

But Sunstone, where would any good controversy be without a conspiracy?

[Halcyon]

from conception to natural death.

Surely if she can't survive without mechanical help, then removing that help will give her a natural death?

[EnhancedSpirit]

Terry's husband is doing what he thinks is best for his wife. Her parents think they are doing what's right for her. Neither is wrong. It is not for us to judge. We should all give thanks that we are not in this position from any angle. But I ask this, is she being allowed to live, or forced to live. What if it was her time to go a long time ago. Maybe she is suppossed to be an angel now, and she is being held prisoner in her own body. If she is meant to live, leave it up to God, not the doctors, or her family, or machines.

[Melody]

Originally Posted by SOGFPP

all life is sacred and should be cherished and protected... from conception to natural death.

Scott,
I agree....but what is "natural" death? Are you dead when your heart stops....or your brain? I believe that everything I am is contained in my head. When my brain dies...I'm dead too.

[angellous_evangellous]

We should not seek to respect or protect "life" at the cost of human dignity, justice, and basic human rights.

Death is perfectly natural for all of us. We have medical technologies that can, at times, keep our bodies going for several years after all other functions have ceased (eg, respirators and feeding tubes). These technologies are unnatural and give us a false sense that we can extend our "life" without regards to our quality of life. It is a basic human right to chose medical treatment, and a basic right to refuse treatment when the treatment is futile, does more harm than good (like treatment of extremely severe burns, extreme treatments that will not cure), or even when the treatment is too expensive.

We also have the right to die with dignity. We can write in our wills and tell our loved ones a tremendous amount of our wishes, and legally our wishes must be kept as long as we provide legal and responsible means by which our wishes can be fulfilled.

Also in this case and in our culture (and Biblically for Christians), the husband has the first responsiblity to carry out the wife's wishes, both verbal and written. He is the next of kin. Be careful who you marry.