The fight over Terri Schiavo is one of those cultural conflicts that I simply cannot understand. It is difficult to understand how anyone who has read the detailed facts of the case could be in favor of killing her. On this score, read Fr. Robert Johansen and Wesley Smith.
There simply aren't two sides to this story. So why the culture clash? Because at a high-level of abstraction, the Schiavo case is a useful battleground for euthanasia advocates and leftists who automatically oppose any position the Christian right rallies around. I often wonder if pro-lifers inadvertently did Terri harm by coming to her defense. If not for their support, the left might have let her be.
And what about the media? The media is simply not designed to confront judicial incompetence. If a judge makes a ruling--no matter how absurd--the media treat it as a valid side of an argument. Had Michael Schiavo not drawn a judge unfit for the bench either by intellect, ideology, or temperament, then, too, this fight could have been avoided.
On almost all matters of public import, informed people of good faith can disagree. What has happened to Terri Schiavo is the exception to that rule.
1 day ago
2 comments:
"The media is simply not designed to confront judicial incompetence. If a judge makes a ruling--no matter how absurd--the media treat it as a valid side of an argument."
So true. Judicial incompetence from Roy Moore, Presidential incompetence from GWB, congressional incompetence from Tom Delay. The media doesn't know how to report on incompetence in general.
JVL: you seriously underestimate the numbers of people who simply have no regard for human life. There are quite a few people who have all the detailed facts of the Schiavo case and still believe she should be killed. In fact, I had a discussion with someone today who believes that even in Michael Schiavo was in favor of keeping Terri alive that doctors should still kill her. Simply put, there is a fringe part of the left that believes that the terminally ill or mentally incapacitated not only have a right to die, but should be put to death to ease the burden on society. For years we've heard that the pro-choice movement was not a pro-abortion movement. However, today I'm not entirely sure that is true. I think far more people are literally pro-abortion than admit to it. Same goes for Terri Schiavo, far more people want her dead than actually admit it.
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