Give me Individual Liberties... Or Give Me Suffering Death?

As each day passes, Terry Schiavo's life comes closer to an end. I'll have to admit, I haven't really formed a complete opinion on this case and I do waver. That's what makes it so difficult. You see... I waver because I understand both sides of the story. I understand Michael Schiavo, when he says that his wife made it known to him that she wouldn't want to live like a vegetable. I understand the parents of Terry Schiavo who don't want to lose their daughter. I understand people who think that a husband wouldn't really know what is best for his wife. But I also understand that there are conversations a husband and a wife would have, that their parents would not have with their daughter. I've made it loud and clear to my family and friends, that I want to be plugged into any machine you possibly can. You want to grind some coffee beans, plug it in to me. You got one of those Potato Alarm Clocks? Fill it up with Lobster Mash from the Continental and watch my ventilator hum. But what might have Terry said? We'll never know.

One things for sure, people are taking sides, like it's the Yankees vs. Red Sox. When you talk about this, you gotta pick sides. Rush Limbaugh certainly has. Peeking in on his show today, he was ranting about a LA Times editorial, where they decry the seemingly unconstitutional displays from the Conservative government. Calling it a Constitutional Coup D'Etat. Of course, when Limbaugh hears this stuff, he typically compares the liberals to Che Guevera and other revolutionaries.

Limbaugh spouted off about why the Liberals or the LEFT as he likes to call them are so MAD about the Schiavo case. He notes this quote from the editorial "Conservatives are the historical defenders of states' rights, and the supposed proponents of keeping big government out of people's lives, but this case once again shows that some social conservatives are happy to see the federal government acquire Stalinist proportions when imposing their morality on the rest of the country." Limbaugh went on to say (I'm paraphrasing) "Stalinist... Stalinist... What's Stalinist is calling this woman in a "persistent vegatative state... What's Stalinist is using things like Global Warming spreading propaganda to enduce fear in the populace."

Yup, the Great Texan would never do that. He would never declare a crisis about Social Security. Or use Homeland Security warnings to advance his own political beliefs. Nope... he would never spread fear for his agenda. So given these kinds of statements, I just can't side with Rush and company. HOWEVER...

I'm just not entirely sure about the law here. Look, I understand that laws on the books give similar estate-type rights to the spouse over the parents. But that is not always the case. Take for example cases when you are some Texas floozy who married a 90 year old billionaire. Sometimes the family will come first. And in this case, my heart breaks for everyone involved. It breaks for Michael Schiavo, who truly believes he is honoring his wife's wishes. It breaks for Terry's mother and father, who try believe that she is responding to there stimuli. Limbaugh does not believe she is in a vegetative state but since he's never eaten a vegetable, I'm pretty sure he couldn't distinguish between either.

What is most troublesome, however, is that Terry Schiavo is suffering right now. Without her feeding tube, she's can't be better off now? Not to be glib, but I know what I'm like without eating breakfast. But at least I have the ability to hit the vending machine. What alternative does she have? It's almost like if you put an apple on a desk 6 feet away from a man with no arms and legs and tell him to go have a snack. Isn't this torture? Isn't it more tortuous than her state prior to the tube being removed? If she's brain dead, and is only reacting to stimuli by reflex, is she really suffering in that vegetative state? Who says we should have the Right to Die with dignity? Who said you ever lived with dignity? I mean if I die in the arms of a hooker, who's going to protect my dignity then!

What the case really shows, is that you should have a living will. Of course, we have seen in cases like the Barnes Museum, that even a will may not stand up in court. But if you have a living will, videotaped, noting your wishes, one way or the other -- live or die. Maybe we could have avoided this situation. It's important that the will be clear. Look at how Kramer and Elaine try to figure out how to handle the different situations that you need to account for:

SHELLBACH: Alright, you can eat. But machines do everything else.

KRAMER: (hesitant) Uhm...

Kramer looks to Elaine, who nods.

ELAINE: I'd stick.

KRAMER: Yeah, yeah. Stick. (to Elaine) 'Cos I could still go to the coffee shop.

• Catholic Bishops next target... The Death Penalty. The interesting thing here is, Catholics AGAINST the Death Penalty. Southern Conservative Christians... Not So Much! We'll see how the hypocrite battle works out here.
• LATimes: Schiavo case a Coup D'etat?
• Understanding the Vegetative State

HammLinks: Around The Web Today

My buddy Kyle sent me some links from CompFused.com, that you should check out. That Hot97 Bitchslap contest was great. Of course, it's probably how 50 Cent and his entourage got into trouble... The King of Pop was tardy again, and it's not looking good for him. It's pretty clear that the stress of the trial and the possibility that he will spend the rest of his life behind bars is consumming him. If he did this crime, I offer no sympathy. It will soon be in a jury's hands.

• compfused.com:Taser
• compfused.com:Bitchslap Showdown
• compfused.com:Rabbit-Robo-Cop
• compfused.com:Perfect Dart Game
• compfused.com:Missing Scene from Shawshank
• King of Pop... Late Again...
• More on the Steroids from Peter Gammons
• Raising Enlistment Age For Guard
• Sex doesn't translate to box office. Um... that's because those movies were terrible.