Terri Schiavo and Dignity

[Eric J in MN]

James Dobson, Ph.D, psychologist and founder of the conservative group Focus on the Family, says that he wants Terri Schiavo "treated with the dignity she deserves."

So do I.

Prolonging someone's death for 15 years-and-counting isn't providing dignity, though.

Disregarding someone's wishes of what they would want in sad circumstances in which he or she is in a hospital bed and can't communicate isn't providing dignity.


More at http://MOVELEFT.COM:
http://www.moveleft.com/moveleft_essay_2005_03_24_terri_schiavo_and_dignity.asp

[jobycom]

1. Starving someone to death is not dignity, either.

What the hell dignity has to do with anything in America or anything James Dobson might say or do is beyond me, though.

[Eric J in MN]

2. It's more dignified than going on for years with a

liquid where her higher brain used to be.

[jobycom]

3. Not for me it isn't. nt.

[moobu2]

5. Well just put it in your living-will

that you want your body kept functioning, after you, as a person, die (permanent PVS).
You should also instruct, through your living will, that if you get a serious illness where you're dying that they should insert a feeding tube into you when you stop eating, that way you can prolong your death another 3-4 weeks etc...

[Modem Butterfly]

4. No, but it's the only choice available...

...thanks to the anti-choice types.