The Right To Die
Right now, a local controversy to me, is making national news. There's this woman named Teri Shiavo who is under 24 hour care at the hospice center in Pinellas Park. Teri is clinically brain dead, she can not talk, volintarily move her body, or even swallow. She is being kept alive by a feeding tube that injects nutrients, as well as living on a ventilator. She has been in this state for over 10 years now. She has no living will however her husband says that there is no way that she would want to continue living like this, and he has been fighting a legal battle with Teri's parents who want to keep her alive on the life support systems, thinking that somehow she can be rehabilitated, even though all previous attempt at rehabiliation has failed. 6 days ago a State Judge ordered the feeding tube removed so that she could die naturally and that would be the end of it, however all of these grass roots Christians came out of the woodwork and lobbyed the republican controlled state senate to create a retroactive moritorium on removal of life support systems in cases where a party contests such action. As well Governer Jeb Bush wrote it into law today and the Hospice people had no choice but the reconnect the introvenus feeding tube.
The way I see it, let the poor lady just die already, her brain and consciousness is done, there is nothing left, no activity, if there is anything to any religion even the damn Christains, at least she'll be in a better place if they let her die, and that's not even addressing reincarnation. For crying out loud, if I was in that condition, unable to even be aware of reality I would want to die and figure out what it was I wanted to do after my body was done, however since she's not conscious there is a paradox between ethical concerns, and it has created a legal quagmire that just keeps on going, every year I hear something on the news about this lady and the battle to just let her die already.
Simply put, I think every individual has the right to kill themselves if they want to, however if they are not under any duress or severe disability or suffering they should be counceled on thier decision to see if there is another alternative. In the case where the quality of life is so depleated and there is a question whether or not the person is actually living anyway, they should just be euphanized, it's the humane thing to do. As well, a severely ill or terminal patient that is undergoing severe pain and suffering should be allowed by law to ask the doctors to just inject them with painless poison and give it up, why endure pain like that if there is no hope of recovery and the eventual result is guaranteed death. I would just want to die and forget about this life and start over with the next one.
Edit in:
Actually, now that I think of it, another local issue made national news, and it involved this band that wanted to have a live suicide of a terminally ill man during the concert. The venues where the concert might have happened both cancelled the band's performance. The band said that they would still do it at an undisclosed location and broadcast it over the internet on their website. The St. Petersburg city council automatically made it illegal to broadcast a live suicide and also said that they would arrest all the band members if it was found out that the suicide happened and was watching their website. They were to be charged with manslaughter and assisting a suicide. I mean, what common sense is this? The guy wanted to kill himself, the band members weren't murdering him, if he wanted to do it in that atmosphere, who the hell cares? It's not up to our legislature to define personal morality to that level.
This whole holding on to life for the sake of empty hope and worthless morality is yet another consequence of our inherantly Christian society and it's values based upon crap from the Bible that doesn't make a lot of sense.
Edited by: VIDEO GAMER X 1 at: 10/21/03 9:03 pm
I totaly agree, I really got pissed when they put Dr. Jack away, although he went a little far with the whole video recording. A person should have a choice, a choice that relates to the circumstances, like being terminally ill and enduring pain and suffering, not someone who lost a girlfriend and thinks they can't go on living anymore thats just bullshit. I really wish everyone who is against having a choice like that would get cancer that pains them everyday then see if they wanted to change their opinion.
Edited by: Jimbo13569 at: 10/21/03 8:59 pm
Re: The Right To Die
Well, the fact that we are artifically giving her "life", as you would say, is somewhat a double-edged sword in this case.
In order to combat the crazy Christian extremists, you could say that the life she has had for the past 10 years isn't a natural one, and that God would want her to be in a better place.
However, Christians would retort this with the whole "It's not your choice to give or take life from her, it is God's", since the ability to have a choice to take life or not is, in their eyes, considered murder when chosing the latter.
At least, with the tube still feeding her, and although it is very difficult for her to ever recover, we can say that we did all we could. It is possible that on some strange day she could wake up, which is perhaps why Christians want to keep her alive, so they can have witnessed a "miracle".
Re: The Right To Die
Well then those stupid christians shold let her live naturally. Its not natural to have a bunch of machines keeping you alive. Pull the tube and if she survives then it could be a "miracle".
Re: The Right To Die
Huh. I would've thought most Christians would've been all for taking the girl off life support. Aren't most of them stuck in the past and think Doctor's meddle too much?
I think the public suicide thing is definitely not so cool. If someone wants to kill themselves, I don't see where it's our place to intervene, but I don't think it should be made a spectacle.
Re: The Right To Die
In this case I think the husband's decision should be held in the highest respect. The woman he dedicated his life to has been suffering for too long, and he wants it to end. I don't think a bunch of Christians who believe one thing should butt in and tell this man that he can't do it, because his belief is "wrong." It isn't there place to decide what happens to this woman. Her husband should be making the decision.
Re: The Right To Die
Yeah, the debate lies in the whole "Who speaks for her?" argument. Since she has no will and therefore no legal representative of her incapacitated self, basically anyone with any form of relative bond could get their way, right?
Re: The Right To Die
The Governor's last name is Bush. Nuff said
Abuelo RPG Pain in the ass forget it
(10/21/03 10:20 pm) Reply
Re: The Right To Die
I agree with VGX, just let the poor lady die and with the band member if he´s nuts and want people to make fun of his death, it´s his problem, just let him do it.
--------------------- Sorry if i wrote something incorrectly, remember that i´m Venezuelan and my first languaje is the spanish...
Re: The Right To Die
I'd have to agree with letting her die, but yeah, there is that issue of whether or not she would want to die in that situation. I don't know whose opinion of her will should be taken into higher regard... And really, as a Christian you should be more willing to let go due to the belief in the afterlife and all.
Having a suicide serve as entertainment, though, is disgusting.
Justice? Who asks for justice? We make our own justice. We make it here...win or die. Let us not rail about justice as long as we have arms and the freedom to use them.
Duke Leto Atreides, Dune
Quote:Huh. I would've thought most Christians would've been all for taking the girl off life support. Aren't most of them stuck in the past and think Doctor's meddle too much?
I think the public suicide thing is definitely not so cool. If someone wants to kill themselves, I don't see where it's our place to intervene, but I don't think it should be made a spectacle.
...
I'm the least spiritual person I know. I have no particular opinion on religion, except for my sometimes disgust of organized religion.
That's why it's curious for me to hear talk of "crazy Christian extremists" with their "empty hope and worthless morality" in nearly every post. I'm pretty discouraged-particularly about the top statement made VGX and worthless morality. I'm partially in the same boat as VGX, in that we should be less focused on old religious texts and emotions and more centered on science and rationality (The theme of his posts, aside from science fiction nonsense).
However, i'm still partially repulsed and confused by his statement. I wonder, what does Christianity have to do with morality? I would like an explanation from anyone. The bible does teach many things, many of them ethical in nature. I would like to believe, though, that this is not why people are moral, that we follow these guidelines because society and the law has told us to; but that people are, as a whole or on some level, naturally good. Philosophers have bullshitted about this for far too long, and I certainly don't expect to put up a better case then them. I would just like to make it very clear that you do not have to be a Christian or crazed extremist to have a sanctity of life, whether it be on this issue or abortion, and believe in a strict right to life code.
So, um, i'm not religious. And I still don't think we should kill people.
at: 10/21/03 8:59 pm
at: 10/21/03 11:39 pm
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