While a little skeptical of the merits of the case, I find it a little surprising that none of the judicial rulings have erred on the side of keeping Mrs. Schiavo alive until all can be resolved with some degree of certainty. After all, there's no harm in doing so.

Those who want to kill her (and no matter what kind of gloss they wish to put on it, that's exactly what they're doing) shouldn't be in such a hurry--after all, there's plenty of time to pull the tube later if the de novo investigation comes to the same conclusion. Why are they determined to act with such alacrity, almost desperate to end her life? Some might argue that if it's her wish to do so, it's an injustice to her to continue to delay it. But those who argue that also claim that she has no awareness, so why should she care--she'll never know?

The only rationale that I can think of is that they want to create a fait accompli, because once she's dead (assuming that no cryonic suspension has been arranged), she's not coming back. There's no patient to examine, and the entire issue becomes moot. What are they so frightened of in a potential review that they want so quickly to destroy any of the evidence, put a stake through the heart of the case?

And instantly cremated.

Ah, cryonic suspension. Our knowledge of how the human body works is so poor, we have no clue if the people getting frozen by that process will even be salvageable in the future.

It is a gamble. I suppose the risk is low. I mean, if it doesn't do anything it cannot be any worse than being buried or created? But I could care less. I see no dishonor on being buried like our esteemed forefathers.

I see no dishonor on being buried like our esteemed forefathers.

What a strange comment. I thought this was about life and death. What does it have to do with "honor"? You claim you aren't Japanese. Are you a Klingon?

"What's the rush?" reminds me of comments I'd heard about our "rush" to invade Iraq: If I understand correctly, Michael Schiavo has been trying to get Terri's life ended for quite a few years now (as the US played footsie with Saddam and the UN for quite a few years before the invasion); Terri's parents have filed 20 suits to delay this action, and all the true experts agree that the woman is brain-dead with no chance of recovery. When is enough enough?

Rand said:
What a strange comment. I thought this was about life and death. What does it have to do with "honor"? You claim you aren't Japanese. Are you a Klingon?

:-D

Let us say I have a lot of respect for how to treat people in life and death. I also have a lot of respect for the people which designed and built all these nice things we get to use now, with the expectation of doing my little share. Contrary to some, I see good in material and society progress. It would be nice to have an afterlife in this or another world, but I'm not betting or hoping for one.

I am not Japanese, I prefer our own Western civilization rooted on Greek and Roman values, which I perceive as the one with most depth and breadth this planet has managed to produce, despite having some innate curiosity in examining other cultures.

I do have to hand it to them though, the Japanese have managed to build something that stands up pretty well.

Only a total idiot and a fool would claim that Schiavo has been brain dead these past years. Why can't these morons learn something, just a few elementary facts before they post? Soon she will be brain dead indeed, but that will be due to Michael Schiavo and his friend Judge Greer.

Rand:

You're sounding a bit like those left-leaning types who use environmental court maneuvers to prevent development they don't like. Endlessly delaying someone's exercise of their rights is equivalent to denying them. At some point the legal process has to terminate. Here, it has.

What's the rush?

Do you honestly believe that more time in court will provide anymore definitive information about whether Terri wanted to live like this?

It's been 15 years.

I heard recently that her parents once had custody of her but couldn't keep up with the daily regimen of tasks needed to keep her alive and had to have her admitted to the hospital for care. They are older now and even less likely they will be able to do this at this stage, even though they may honestly believe otherwise.

What's the rush? None.

However, in the absense of any possibility that she will awaken and inform others of her preference, allowing her husband and, yes, her family get on with the rest of their lives seems like the least worst option at this time.

This will be the most depressing Easter week in recent history.

Rand, at this late date, what new information could possibly justify further delay? This thing has been argued to death. We're only seeing the media frenzy now because they finally pulled the tubes. If there is a delay for further arguments, nothing new will be presented and this will just repeat again. Either you believe the person known as Terri Schiavo is dead and only a shell remains, or you believe she is still there. Nobody is going to change their opinions. Whatever is decided now should be the final decision - either keep the body going until it fails or let it go now. But be done with the arguments.

VR: What "finally"? they pulled the tube several years ago. I remember the case flaring up a few years back when I was living in Florida, altho it didn't really make national news then. As Mr. Challeron says, this little melodrama has been playing out for a LONG time.

They've been waiting 15 years. Waiting a little while longer seems hardly excessive. And if she really is not conscious and can't feel pain like the nimwitts at CNN are claiming, then what does it matter if she is kept alive until every single legal challenge has been exhausted?

Honestly, the US gives the same due process to rapists and murderers on death row. I find it a little disturbing that there is a rush to kill Terri without elimination of the doubts that exist in this case. And if there are reasonable doubts in any murder case, that's enough to make a jury to vote not guilty - why should it be any different for Terri?

I have nothing to talk about though. There's general concensus up here in Canada that if it were left up to our Liberal government Terri would have been long dead by now.

They've been waiting 15 years. Waiting a little while longer seems hardly excessive. And if she really is not conscious and can't feel pain like the nimwitts at CNN are claiming, then what does it matter if she is kept alive until every single legal challenge has been exhausted?

I have to agree with some of the prior posters. Whatever else you can say about this case, it hasn't been rushed. This has been going on since around 1993. And literally ever legal challenge has been exhausted since this case has gone to the Supreme Court.

NO one knows for sure whether she can feel pain or not. NO one knows for sure what her wishes were about being fed through a tube. The husband has already moved on. He has a common law wife and two kids. He could divorce her and go on while letting her family take care of her. Only in her death does he benefit financially. He claims all the settlement money is gone but won't provide any details. If the money is gone, then divorcing her and returning guardianship to her family solves all of his problems. He has a major conflict of interest here. Something Judge Greer seems incapable of acknowledging. Why kill her in way that would get you thrown in jail for doing it to a cat or dog? That bothers me more than anything else. Please, kill me with kindness in a most excruciating way.

VR: What "finally"? they pulled the tube several years ago. I remember the case flaring up a few years back when I was living in Florida, altho it didn't really make national news then. As Mr. Challeron says, this little melodrama has been playing out for a LONG time.

Yes, I could have said it better. I believe they have pulled the tubes at least twice before, but I think this is the longest it has gone, so is getting the most attention (it also may be a slow news week compared to prior times). Anyway, it makes the point: This is a repeating cycle with the same arguments being made over and over.

I never sympathized with the anti-abortion crowd and their excesses. Clearly human life doesn't begin until there's a beating heart and at least a semi-funcioning brain.

They're called "pro-life" republicans, those folks who think life begins at conception and that even an embryo is alive.

What do they call lefties who want to be free to kill any fetus at any age, as well as any adult who might give them a means to attack their arch enemies? Pro-death lefties? Sounds fair.

Pro-death lefties?

Actually, Malloy, that's what Roe v Wade turned Liberalism into: After all, if a fetus with no defects is not worthy of life, then why should Terri Schiavo be allowed to live?

And do you really believe that the doctors who have testified that Terri Schiavo is, in fact, brain-dead (with what was referred to as a "totally-flat EEG") are total fools and idiots?

>If the money is gone, then divorcing her and returning guardianship to her family solves all of his problems.

Unless, of course, he actually still loves her and wants to see that her wishes are carried out. Reading around on this, he's always been straight on letting a court decide.

According to other sites he's spent a hell of a lot more time looking after her than the family have too.

I can't see this as being much use for cryonics though. Assuming that her brain is mush - you'd have to making a lot of assumptions about what you'd be able to read from the remnants. I suspect, even if you could "cure" her, you'd have a blank slate at the end of the process.

What we need to the ability to back up our minds and upload them into working bodies.

"Some might argue that if it's her wish to do so, it's an injustice to her to continue to delay it. But those who argue that also claim that she has no awareness, so why should she care--she'll never know?"I actually argued this point to my wife, who responded that whether she was aware or not, she would hope I'd respect her wishes, her dignity, and her choice enough to do as she pleased in my capacity as her proxy.

At which point I shut up about it.

Yes of course any person who says Schiavo is brain dead is a fool, moron, and an idiot. Brain death involves far more than a single flat line lead of a multi-lead EEG. No physician is so stupid as to call Schiavo brain dead until she is killed by her husband. Then she will be truly brain dead.