It’s come to this now: we do not live in a civil society, where disputes can be settled — no, we live in a society filled with people who, when they don’t get the answer they want, keep pushing until they do.
How many courts have to side with Terry Schiavo’s right to die? It’s like, what, 20 or so now? And now that the federal judge agrees with the others, her parents are appealing yet again and the administration has gotten the justice department involved. What happens when this goes all the way to the Supreme Court, and they rule that she should be allowed to die? To where will the fundies and the politically motivated turn?
This is a hallmark of our new society: ignore truth and disregard rulings, keep legislating and finding loopholes until you get the outcome you desire.
What a horror that this woman’s life is destined to be forgotten, and instead it will be her protracted death that is her lasting legacy.
By the way, I was reading some postings on a news discussion board early this morning, and of the 3,000+ messages there, a statistically null number — like, 9 or so — were against letting her die. That should tell you the overwhelming opinion of the populace. But the Republicans, as always, are all about pandering to their base. What’s so sad about the Democrats is this: I think the vast majority of people in this nation actually support the platform of the Dems, but the party is so cowed and confused by the Republican strategies that they can’t bring those people together in one place at one time. I don’t think that the Democrats should use this issue for political purposes, even though it’s obvious that’s what the Republicans are doing… and yet, taking the high road is just a no-win situation as well. I can see it now: in 2006, you’ll hear Republicans claiming “the Democrats sentenced a disabled woman to death.” Meanwhile, they’re cutting health care.
Hey, do you ever think that we are living through the complete collapse of American society? Or do you think that this country was always populated by stupid, superstitious, fundamentalist, unthinking, closed-minded, rabid, racist, bigoted morons?
Send that same point of view to moveon.org and I’ll be impressed.