Comments | raij: Terri Schiavo stuff

raij

Terri Schiavo stuff

Mar 29, 2005 13:05

I still don't know what to think about the Terri Schiavo case. There are a lot of things to consider, and to suggest that Michael Schiavo is out for personal gain is probably a bad call. Any life insurance money he would have made would have long since been chewed up by his attorney fees. Plus, I doubt $200,000 or so would make anyone be eager ( Read more... )

Comments 6

y2korean March 29 2005, 21:12:47 UTC

it's a legal matter. conservative america has simply turned it into a religious one. the parents have no right to do anything, yet they draw people to their side thanks to people's ignorance of the legal system and their ability to be blind-sided by invocation of religion in a non-religious setting. the only personal gain the husband stands to acquire is that of closure. the life insurance payout, the girlfriend - he has dealt with the passing away of his wife, now he just has to deal with her death.

raij March 29 2005, 23:35:10 UTC

Well, most of conservative America doesn't see things through the lense of the law. It's hard for many people to separate their religious or ideological beliefs from anything, especially from politics. Many theological systems demand that you don't box religion off in a corner.

So I guess it deals with presuppositions and all of that business.

But as far as conservative leaders striking a chord with most conservative America, geez, that's for sure.

-dP

capt_memo March 29 2005, 21:43:46 UTC

The personal gain argument that I have heard most generally made about Micheal Schiavo is one of expedience more than monetary gain. He has had a girlfriend for several years and has had two children by her. The timing of his recollection of Terri's wishes seems more to be a convenient way to ditch a vegetable wife and marry his girlfriend. That for the record is the personal gain argument i've heard the most. And there is an inborn hypocrisy in letting someone die. The idea that it is horrible to give someone a deadly dose of a drug for a quick and painless death but that it is ok to let them dehydrate in a hospital bed seems somewhat backwards. The motivation I see in this case is that her parents still hold out hope of recovery. Without a living will right to die cases should be a nonissue whether the person in question said they didn't want to live as a vegetable or not. In cases where there is division within a family the law should take precedence. What someone says in passing after seeing someone very near death cannot be ( ... )

redziggy March 29 2005, 22:32:03 UTC

Since it seems that Michael Schiavo isn't going to gain anything from this ordeal, I think I agree with his side. If he really didn't care he would have gotten a divorce and handed over her care to her parents long ago.

I tend to feel that the parents never accepted that their daughter is gone, and now they are convinced that she's still "in there". I can see why they wouldn't want her to die, but it's not about what they want. From what I've read, it's been proven fairly well that Terri wouldn't want to be kept alive.

I also think it's odd that we execute prisoners in the most painless way possible, but starvation is considered the best way for Terri to die.

They just need to add an extra bit on driver licenses that says whether you want to be a vegetable or not.

y2korean March 30 2005, 03:14:16 UTC

there is a legal release you can sign that prevents vegetative-state substantiation. of course, you'd better be sure, you can't very well change your mind later.

Josh Hicks anonymous April 9 2005, 13:16:22 UTC

America is unAmerican and quite ungodly. The blasted media kept saying things like "the brain dead woman being kept alive by extraordinary means", etc. Excuse me, SINCE WHEN has food and water been extraordinary means? All this case has done is set a precedent for the government, and families, and friends to off a relative who has become inconvenient. I don't think Mr. Schiavo had any interest in personal gain by murdering Terri, I think that he was worried about LOSING quite a bit. There's absolutely NOTHING sanctimonious about "letting" someone die. We, as a country, did not LET Terri die. We actively murdered her and we should be ashamed. Mr. Schiavo had the opportunity long ago to give responsibility over to the parents, yet he wouldn't. While he was still trying to get the settlement money (which was supposed to be used for physical therapy on Terri's behalf, but instead went to attorneys' fees, etc.) he argued with the courts that Terri still had a chance and that he believed she could recover. All of a sudden, having received ( ... )