Thursday, March 24, 2005
Oh, and another thing
I go this in the mailbox:
So, why are the Republicans playing Terri Schiavo this way?
From the moral standpoint, it makes no sense. If there was ever a case
where even the nutso right-to-lifers would respect the right to die, this is
it. Terri Schiavo is gone. Never coming back. No chance. It's not a
matter of a coma or minimal consciousness. Terri Schiavo is medically
incapable of consciousness at this point...most of her cerebral cortex is
gone. Not gone as in damaged. Gone as in not there anymore. Terri Schiavo
is dead. Her mind is gone, never to return. Her soul, if you believe in a
distinct soul, is almost certainly gone as well.
From the political standpoint...well, the poll numbers prove the point. The
Republicans are losing this one. Even their base is almost evenly split on
this. This is not a base-energizer, and it's not a
majority-expander...despite the beliefs expressed in the strategy memo that
was passed around to Senate Republicans. The numbers look bad for
Republicans on this one. 60% against the parents nationally, 67% see the
controversy as politically motivated manipulation, and the issue is almost
split 50/50 among evangelicals. This looks like a loser for the
Republicans.
So why? Is this another Republican miscalculation, or does Karl know
something we don't?
Ok. Here's two things that I know.
1) Murdering people is wrong, always, I don't care who's "right" it is to do it.
2) Check out this site from OO:OO's link
"The most alarming thing about this image, however, is that there certainly is cortex left. Granted, it is severely thinned, especially for Terri's age, but I would be nonplussed if you told me that this was a 75 year old female who was somewhat senile but fully functional, and I defy a radiologist anywhere to contest that.
I HAVE SEEN MANY WALKING, TALKING, FAIRLY COHERENT PEOPLE WITH WORSE CEREBRAL/CORTICAL ATROPHY. THEREFORE, THIS IS IN NO WAY PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE THAT TERRI SCHIAVO'S MENTAL ABILITIES OR/OR CAPABILITIES ARE COMPLETELY ERADICATED. I CANNOT BELIEVE SUCH TESTIMONY HAS BEEN GIVEN ON THE BASIS OF THIS SCAN." [Emphasis in original.]
See also his remarks on the presence of a shunt and what that tells us about bone injury caused by a blow to the head being the more likely cause than oxygen depravation.
I personally cannot understand why Michael Shiavo would spend so many years of his life fighting this in court when all he says he wants to do is "move on." Given that Terri's parents would take everything off his hands, this doesn't make sense unless he had a murder or rape attempt or something similarly criminal to cover up and therefore he needs to make sure she never talks to anyone again. That's just my personal take on the matter. Something's up when people want a woman dead this badly.
So, why are the Republicans playing Terri Schiavo this way?
From the moral standpoint, it makes no sense. If there was ever a case
where even the nutso right-to-lifers would respect the right to die, this is
it. Terri Schiavo is gone. Never coming back. No chance. It's not a
matter of a coma or minimal consciousness. Terri Schiavo is medically
incapable of consciousness at this point...most of her cerebral cortex is
gone. Not gone as in damaged. Gone as in not there anymore. Terri Schiavo
is dead. Her mind is gone, never to return. Her soul, if you believe in a
distinct soul, is almost certainly gone as well.
From the political standpoint...well, the poll numbers prove the point. The
Republicans are losing this one. Even their base is almost evenly split on
this. This is not a base-energizer, and it's not a
majority-expander...despite the beliefs expressed in the strategy memo that
was passed around to Senate Republicans. The numbers look bad for
Republicans on this one. 60% against the parents nationally, 67% see the
controversy as politically motivated manipulation, and the issue is almost
split 50/50 among evangelicals. This looks like a loser for the
Republicans.
So why? Is this another Republican miscalculation, or does Karl know
something we don't?
Ok. Here's two things that I know.
1) Murdering people is wrong, always, I don't care who's "right" it is to do it.
2) Check out this site from OO:OO's link
"The most alarming thing about this image, however, is that there certainly is cortex left. Granted, it is severely thinned, especially for Terri's age, but I would be nonplussed if you told me that this was a 75 year old female who was somewhat senile but fully functional, and I defy a radiologist anywhere to contest that.
I HAVE SEEN MANY WALKING, TALKING, FAIRLY COHERENT PEOPLE WITH WORSE CEREBRAL/CORTICAL ATROPHY. THEREFORE, THIS IS IN NO WAY PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE THAT TERRI SCHIAVO'S MENTAL ABILITIES OR/OR CAPABILITIES ARE COMPLETELY ERADICATED. I CANNOT BELIEVE SUCH TESTIMONY HAS BEEN GIVEN ON THE BASIS OF THIS SCAN." [Emphasis in original.]
See also his remarks on the presence of a shunt and what that tells us about bone injury caused by a blow to the head being the more likely cause than oxygen depravation.
I personally cannot understand why Michael Shiavo would spend so many years of his life fighting this in court when all he says he wants to do is "move on." Given that Terri's parents would take everything off his hands, this doesn't make sense unless he had a murder or rape attempt or something similarly criminal to cover up and therefore he needs to make sure she never talks to anyone again. That's just my personal take on the matter. Something's up when people want a woman dead this badly.
