Schiavo - sitting on the fence.
Would I want to live if I were in the same shape as Terri Schiavo? No, absolutely not. Would I want to die by having my feeding tubes removed? No, absolutely not. That is the quandry. The only "life support" Terri needs is food an water. Basically, she requires the same care as an infant.
I do not support removing her feeding tube. I agree with euthanasia. But, what is happening to Terri right now is murder. She isn't being "allowed to die."
Is it okay to allow an animal to die by not giving it food and water? That's animal cruelty.
Is it all right to exectute a prisoner by with-holding food and water? That's a clear violation of the "cruel and unusual punishment" clause of our great Constitution.
You've seen pictures and read reports about the starving people around the world. They lie in agony, clutching thier stomaches. It is a horrible, painful way to die. No one is willing to step up and guarantee that Terri will feel no pain.
So, what is my solution? Mercy killing. I see no problem giving her an OD of some sort. Or, giving her enough meds to numb her while she starves. But, the current plan seems to be just pull the tube and wait. That is wrong and it is very different from standard "pull the plug" cases where the person in question is brain dead and the body is being kept working via purely mechanical means.
I also have a problem with her husband. He's got too much of a vested interest in her death. It will give him a certain level of freedom he doesn't have and he'll gain slightly monetarily. He's too interested in seeing her dead.
posted by Chris Farley @ 11:52 AM
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