I'm surprised.

[NightSwimmer]

I still recall the torrent of discussion and political maneuvering that surrounded the final days of Terri Shiavo.

To the best of my knowledge, I am the first to start a thread here on PJ regarding this subject:

Girl's brain death ignites difficult debate

Don't take this the wrong way. I'm not complaining. I haven't even decided yet whether I should click the "Create Thread" button. I'm just curious. Was public opinion significantly altered by the spectacle of the Terri Shiavo case? Have your own opinions changed in the past few years regarding the ethics of providing extended mechanical life support to a person whose brain no longer functions? If so, why?

 

[Jen]

I don't think there is a simple answer. I wish there was. When the doctors at Yale in New Haven Connecticut told me that my son was brain dead, I accepted it and allowed them to remove the machines. It still pains me to even write this - about something that happened 34 years ago the 15th of this month.

I will not make some grand statement of what a mother facing that choice needs to do or even what I think legally should be done. It's too painful for me to even consider for a moment longer than I have right now. But my heart and prayers go out to that family and I won't find fault with anything they choose to do because I understand what they are going through.

I would have voted "I don't know" had that been an option.

 

[Caroljo]

Nobody would know unless they've been through it. I can't imagine even having to make the decision one way or the other.....so I couldn't vote. You have to do what your heart tells you.

 

[NightSwimmer]

You have to admit, there's been much less interest shown in this case than there has been in the past surrounding similar cases. Either most people don't have an opinion any longer, or they don't care to share it, I guess.

 

[NightSwimmer]

Guess some folks don't know what their opinion is on an issue until they receive their talking points? I still have to wonder why none were distributed for this particular issue.

 

[NightSwimmer]

Still wondering. Who told the talking heads at Drudge, etc. to keep quiet about this one?

Hmmm...

 

[Jen]

Guess some folks don't know what their opinion is on an issue until they receive their talking points? I still have to wonder why none were distributed for this particular issue.

As a Liberal you would obviously know about talking points. Lockstep is where Leftism is right now.

Conservatives, at this point, have varying views on just about everything, so there are no talking points coming out that anyone feels obligated to follow.

Nice to see you talking to your own there.

 

[NightSwimmer]

As a Liberal you would obviously know about talking points. Lockstep is where Leftism is right now.

Conservatives, at this point, have varying views on just about everything, so there are no talking points coming out that anyone feels obligated to follow.

Nice to see you talking to your own there.

Yada yada yada.

 

[NightSwimmer]

Nobody told you what to think, so you have no opinion.

 

[Jen]

Yada yada yada.

 

[NightSwimmer]

Honestly, Jen. You said that you have had to make this decision yourself (and I am genuinely sorry that you had to do so), and yet you have no opinion? What did you do? Flip a coin?

I'll say this much, if the Terri Shiavo incident taught the Republican Party that it needs to keep it's political nose out of private family decisions regarding medical care, then that is a good thing. I also have to give credit to the Republican base for maintaining unity and speaking up only when they are told to speak up.

 

[Jen]

Honestly, Jen. You said that you have had to make this decision yourself (and I am genuinely sorry that you had to do so), and yet you have no opinion? What did you do? Flip a coin?

I'll say this much, if the Terri Shiavo incident taught the Republican Party that it needs to keep it's political nose out of private family decisions regarding medical care, then that is a good thing. I also have to give credit to the Republican base for maintaining unity and speaking up only when they are told to speak up.

Interesting that you aren't even the least bit ashamed of your very cruel response (and the parenthetical you added is obviously phony). Flip a coin? Wow.

My opinion follows my Libertarian leaning that government and even hospital should not be responsible for that decision. The decision should belong solely to the parents and my answer was that I would not even try to tell the parents what to do. It is their choice. And trust me..............flipping a coin.........as you so callously put it, would NOT be part of making that choice.

This is not political to me and that you make it seem so reveals your ill-natured attitude toward someone's loss of a child.

 

[NightSwimmer]

Interesting that you aren't even the least bit ashamed of your very cruel response (and the parenthetical you added is obviously phony). Flip a coin? Wow.

My opinion follows my Libertarian leaning that government and even hospital should not be responsible for that decision. The decision should belong solely to the parents and my answer was that I would not even try to tell the parents what to do. It is their choice. And trust me..............flipping a coin.........as you so callously put it, would NOT be part of making that choice.

This is not political to me and that you make it seem so reveals your ill-natured attitude toward someone's loss of a child.

The poll question asked in the top post was not related to what someone's opinion should be regarding a personal situation. The question was whether hospitals should be compelled by law to provide life support to a person that has been declared brain dead. You said that you were unable to offer an opinion. Apparently you do have an opinion, because you finally expressed it.

My opinion follows my Libertarian leaning that government and even hospital should not be responsible for that decision.

I don't know what motivated you to read that clearly and unambiguously stated question as anything other than what it was, but you did. As I said previously, I'm sorry for your loss. Still, the question of whether maintaining life support should be mandated by law is definitely a political question.

 

[ya-ta-hey]

I still recall the torrent of discussion and political maneuvering that surrounded the final days of Terri Shiavo.

To the best of my knowledge, I am the first to start a thread here on PJ regarding this subject:

Girl's brain death ignites difficult debate

Don't take this the wrong way. I'm not complaining. I haven't even decided yet whether I should click the "Create Thread" button. I'm just curious. Was public opinion significantly altered by the spectacle of the Terri Shiavo case? Have your own opinions changed in the past few years regarding the ethics of providing extended mechanical life support to a person whose brain no longer functions? If so, why?

Mr. swimmer,

Comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges. The vegetable in Oakland was declared dead by the court, and the hospital was trying to pull the plug; the family was against that and was looking to keep her alive until alternative digs could be found.

Terry Shiavo may or may not have been brain dead. The issue was that the family wanted to use their own resources to keep her alive, but the husband, who more than likely put her in the coma, wanted her dead because 1) if she woke up, she could finger him; and 2) there was a nice little insuance policy just waiting to be spent on his new girlfriend once she kicked out.

I thought you were a lawyer and were informed enough to tell the difference between the two cases.

 

[NightSwimmer]

Mr. swimmer,

Comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges. The vegetable in Oakland was declared dead by the court, and the hospital was trying to pull the plug; the family was against that and was looking to keep her alive until alternative digs could be found.

Terry Shiavo may or may not have been brain dead. The issue was that the family wanted to use their own resources to keep her alive, but the husband, who more than likely put her in the coma, wanted her dead because 1) if she woke up, she could finger him; and 2) there was a nice little insuance policy just waiting to be spent on his new girlfriend once she kicked out.

I thought you were a lawyer and were informed enough to tell the difference between the two cases.

I've never claimed to be a lawyer, but you are quite obviously an idiot.

 

[ya-ta-hey]

I've never claimed to be a lawyer, but you are quite obviously an idiot.

Mr. Swimmer,

Wow, there are just a shit-load of Mensa alumi here. You are the second to look down at my 135 IQ and call me idiot.

(By the by, yes I did notice you were so blown away by my retort that you couldn't even muster a token rebuttal.)

 

[NightSwimmer]

If your IQ is only 135, then I am certainly not impressed.

One need not have a low IQ in order to be an idiot, at any rate.

 

[ya-ta-hey]

If your IQ is only 135, then I am certainly not impressed.

One need not have a low IQ in order to be an idiot, at any rate.

Mr. Swimmer,

Yes, I did notice that is the second time your only rebuttal is a grade school ad hominem.

 

[NightSwimmer]

Mr. Swimmer,

Yes, I did notice that is the second time your only rebuttal is a grade school ad hominem.

You get what you deserve.

 

[ya-ta-hey]

You get what you deserve.

Mr. Swimmer,

That will now be three of your responses that you couldn't challenge any of my assertions.

Forgive me, my friend, I guess I didn't realize the depth to which you seek my attention and approval. I didn't realize my joking dismissal of your top post would cause you such pain.