Terri Schiavo - Part II
Mar. 24th, 2005 09:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hkellickSo... only slightly more than a day since I started publicly talking about the whole Schiavo case and I already have to change my position!
It's interesting (and more than a little bit scary) that based on mass media alone, I came to the conclusion that Michael Schiavo was the heartless bastard of the year. I have no argument that my own personal bias came into this as well, but once you really start finding actual information, you start to see a different picture.
My final answer on the actual case... what should be done with Terri is... I don't know.
I don't know whether it's right to let Terri die or whether her parents should be allowed to continue to try.
I don't have enough knowledge regarding Terri's actual state, nor the medical background, to determine whether or not Terri is actually a useless husk, simply a body performing it's usual processes or whether, somewhere in there, Terri really is in there, shouting out at the world that she wants to... whatever. I don't know what Terri would want to do either.
I do know I'm sick of the coverage. I know I'm sick of this case being used for political gain and I truly hope this backfires against Bush and the Right Wing (and fear that, despite grumblings from all sorts of people, it won't.) I know I am angry at the mainstream media for the pure stream of misinformation that is so busy with the sensationalism and the side issues and never gets into what's going on with Terri Schiavo, the person, the case.
This case has been smokescreen'ed since the day at least *I* started getting interested in it.
This case reeks of controversy. Nearly everything is controversial about it. And why not? With the democrats still out for the count, the country is essentially a conservative christian country. And this reeks of conservative christian issues: Right to Die, Whether a Soul Exists (Whether Terri really IS in there), What to do with disabled people (people incapable of doing everything "normal" Americans do like read the bible, listen to hymns and be able to understand the reverend's sermon.)
OK, I'll take my tongue out of my cheek... but, seriously, folks... this is what it's BECOME.
Nobody's asking questions like:
What does it say about America.. or at least the state of Florida that the most humane way to kill Terri is to take out her feeding tube, but pump her with enough morphine that, if there is a speck of consciousness left, it will be snuffed in pain killing drugs?
What are the long lasting effects of this new legislation Congress has passed? (Response: You should go find out. It's got a whole lot of nasty potenial than you probably realize.)
And.. why does this matter to me, except that it's the newest scandal. And at least we aren't talking about the damned Tsunami anymore or the school shooting that's being compared to Columbine.
I don't know what the right answer is. I don't think I understand all the facts. I could go on and on about the EPA's newest Mercury suggestions (Not pure rubbish, but not half as good as it could be), because that's something I know and understand, but as for Terri Schiavo... the best I can think of are some important philosophical questions. But I'll keep those silent, for now, in respect for the dead.
It's interesting (and more than a little bit scary) that based on mass media alone, I came to the conclusion that Michael Schiavo was the heartless bastard of the year. I have no argument that my own personal bias came into this as well, but once you really start finding actual information, you start to see a different picture.
My final answer on the actual case... what should be done with Terri is... I don't know.
I don't know whether it's right to let Terri die or whether her parents should be allowed to continue to try.
I don't have enough knowledge regarding Terri's actual state, nor the medical background, to determine whether or not Terri is actually a useless husk, simply a body performing it's usual processes or whether, somewhere in there, Terri really is in there, shouting out at the world that she wants to... whatever. I don't know what Terri would want to do either.
I do know I'm sick of the coverage. I know I'm sick of this case being used for political gain and I truly hope this backfires against Bush and the Right Wing (and fear that, despite grumblings from all sorts of people, it won't.) I know I am angry at the mainstream media for the pure stream of misinformation that is so busy with the sensationalism and the side issues and never gets into what's going on with Terri Schiavo, the person, the case.
This case has been smokescreen'ed since the day at least *I* started getting interested in it.
This case reeks of controversy. Nearly everything is controversial about it. And why not? With the democrats still out for the count, the country is essentially a conservative christian country. And this reeks of conservative christian issues: Right to Die, Whether a Soul Exists (Whether Terri really IS in there), What to do with disabled people (people incapable of doing everything "normal" Americans do like read the bible, listen to hymns and be able to understand the reverend's sermon.)
OK, I'll take my tongue out of my cheek... but, seriously, folks... this is what it's BECOME.
Nobody's asking questions like:
What does it say about America.. or at least the state of Florida that the most humane way to kill Terri is to take out her feeding tube, but pump her with enough morphine that, if there is a speck of consciousness left, it will be snuffed in pain killing drugs?
What are the long lasting effects of this new legislation Congress has passed? (Response: You should go find out. It's got a whole lot of nasty potenial than you probably realize.)
And.. why does this matter to me, except that it's the newest scandal. And at least we aren't talking about the damned Tsunami anymore or the school shooting that's being compared to Columbine.
I don't know what the right answer is. I don't think I understand all the facts. I could go on and on about the EPA's newest Mercury suggestions (Not pure rubbish, but not half as good as it could be), because that's something I know and understand, but as for Terri Schiavo... the best I can think of are some important philosophical questions. But I'll keep those silent, for now, in respect for the dead.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-24 04:14 pm (UTC)http://www.dave-logan.com/animation/bloodmobile/
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-24 04:43 pm (UTC)Where did you find that? I admit I haven't been getting the newsletter on the new account. I should get that delivered to me again.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-24 08:34 pm (UTC)