How much is a life worth?

[Avatar4321]

I was listening to Glenn Beck this morning and he made an interesting suggestion. As he thinks that Terri Shiavo(sp?) husband may only be doing this for the money, why not try to buy his rights to her away from him. While i think the idea of this sicko profitting off not killing his wife makes me sick, i was thinking the idea may have some merit since it could end with her remaining alive.

What does everyone else think? I think it may be a good idea with one caveat. if some of the rumors are true and he did not want her to get better because he put her in this condition then he may want her to die regardless because that way he could never be caught. Lets open up the floor for this.

 

[SmarterThanYou]

my opinion on this is that he should be allowed to carry out what he says are his wifes wishes.

this has been a near 15 year process. No evidence suggests criminal activity and while some things smack suspiciously of his intent to maybe profit from his wifes death, there exists no credible proof of this. If we start removing rights because things 'look' wrong, then we're in for a whole heap of problems.

 

[Mr. P]

my opinion on this is that he should be allowed to carry out what he says are his wifes wishes.

this has been a near 15 year process. No evidence suggests criminal activity and while some things smack suspiciously of his intent to maybe profit from his wifes death, there exists no credible proof of this. If we start removing rights because things 'look' wrong, then we're in for a whole heap of problems.

I agree. I've had the "what would you want if...." talk with the wife. Nothing on paper (mistake), but whos business is it besides ours? As far as I'm concerned, no ones.
It seems to me the major opposition is from the religious right...all I can say to them is this, if your beliefs are correct, God will sort it all out.

 

[dmp]

Husbands and Wives have more authority over that of their respective spouse than other family members. While i'm unsure of the merrits of the Husband - I have a feeling he's a greedy sob, it's still his call.

Mary and I have an understanding -

Should either of us be in a condition like Terri - we entrust the decision to end life-support to the 'gut-feeling' of the other. It's their call. I'd think Mary would take advice/guidance from my parents/family, as well as her parents family, however the call is still hers - regardless.

 

[Bonnie]

SmarterThanYOU

my opinion on this is that he should be allowed to carry out what he says are his wifes wishes.

The problem is there is nothing in writing from her of her wishes that was notarized. All we have is heresay... in any court that doens't hold water. You are talking about taking human life, starving her to death on pillow talk.......Sorry doesn't wash.

 

[SmarterThanYou]

SmarterThanYOU


The problem is there is nothing in writing from her of her wishes that was notarized. All we have is heresay... in any court that doens't hold water. You are talking about taking human life, starving her to death on pillow talk.......Sorry doesn't wash.

the only problem with the 'nothing in writing' argument is that you're now talking about THE most sacred relationship in history....that of husband and wife. read above, others feel the same. That relationship should be inviolate.

 

[Joz]

Thus the reasoon for a 'living will'. Under such emotional stress the decision to let a spouse go cannot be rationally made. By deciding the outcome for your yourself, it takes the responsibility off your spouse.

 

[Bonnie]

the only problem with the 'nothing in writing' argument is that you're now talking about THE most sacred relationship in history....that of husband and wife. read above, others feel the same. That relationship should be inviolate.

Sacred or not it still doesn't hold up in court. If you are referring to this sacred union, I would add there is a lot of evidence from prominent pathologists that examined her to suggest he was abusing her before her near fatal accident, and eye witness testimony from nurses that this "loving man" would ask "when is this bitch going to die". If he really loves her he would be spending the 700,000 dollars he recieved as a settlement from the court to facilitate her rehabilitation., which is specifically what that money was awarded for.

 

[SmarterThanYou]

Sacred or not it still doesn't hold up in court. If you are referring to this sacred union, I would add there is a lot of evidence from prominent pathologists that examined her to suggest he was abusing her before her near fatal accident, and eye witness testimony from nurses that this "loving man" would ask "when is this bitch going to die". If he really loves her he would be spending the 700,000 dollars he recieved as a settlement from the court to facilitate her rehabilitation., which is specifically what that money was awarded for.

a wife or husband does not have to testify against them in court specifically because it would violate that relationship. That holds up and so does this.

As far as 'evidence' or statements made, i've never read anything about them. where do these actually exist in public record?

 

[dmp]

Under such emotional stress the decision to let a spouse go cannot be rationally made.

I dissagree emphatically.

 

[Bonnie]

a wife or husband does not have to testify against them in court specifically because it would violate that relationship. That holds up and so does this.

As far as 'evidence' or statements made, i've never read anything about them. where do these actually exist in public record?

In 1990, Terri Schindler-Schiavo collapsed in the home she shared with her husband, Michael Schiavo. The cause of her collapse is unknown to this day.

Terri fell into a coma but awakened from her comatose state weeks later. She was left in what medical professionals call a "locked in state" with limited abilities to communicate or move.

During the first months that followed Terri's mysterious collapse, she made progress. Medical practitioners noted her efforts to speak and her responsiveness.

To this day, Terri remains disabled. Though she is responsive to stimuli, interacts with her environment and her loved ones and is capable of communicating in limited ways, she is a disabled and vulnerable adult - requiring protection, therapy and the route to recovery.

Terri receives food and water by way of a gastric feeding tube. There are many amongst us and in all walks of life who receive assisted nutrition and hydration.

Terri has not received meaningful therapy since 1991 on the orders of her estranged husband.

In 1998, Terri's estranged husband petitioned the circuit courts of Pinellas County, Florida to end her life by removing her feeding tube. If her husband is successful, Terri will die of dehydration and starvation over the course of 10 to 14 days. While there are laws in place to protect her from such things, the courts have decided that her wish would be a death from dehydration and starvation as opposed to therapy and rehabilitation.


This site tells the whole story
www.lldf.org/TERRILetterCAT--BS.pdf

 

[Huckleburry]

He married this women and supposedly loves her. Folks are making it sound like this is an easy decision for him to make. I dissagree, he has had to watch his wife "live" like this for fifeteen years. I think it is time we honor the sanctity of marriage and allow a bereffed spouse to carry out the whishes of the women he married.

 

[freeandfun1]

I don't agree with euthenasia, but IF they are going to let her die, isn't there a more humane way? Dieing of starvation and dehydration must be very painful. Our courts would not allow a mass murderer to be killed that way, so will they let a woman that has done nothing wrong die that way?? What kind of country are we living in these days if we allow this to happen?

 

[Bonnie]

He married this women and supposedly loves her. Folks are making it sound like this is an easy decision for him to make. I dissagree, he has had to watch his wife "live" like this for fifeteen years. I think it is time we honor the sanctity of marriage and allow a bereffed spouse to carry out the whishes of the women he married.

Actually he doesn't have to watch, he can divorce her marry the woman he is living with now for the last ten or more years, and let her parents take care of her which they are very willing to do. Problem is he then loses the money.
Btw she is not comatose or brain dead, she is handicapped. Are spouses killing handicapped spouses now? I wasn't aware that was okay.

Im sure there are cases in which there are truly married loved ones who are dead period but if not for machines keeping them alive, that is not the case here. She is alert, she responds emotionally to her loved ones, and can move on her own........

 

[dmp]

You guys are topic-jumping:

Does a Husband/Wife have the 'right' to make the hard choices for a spouse, in spite of parents' wishes?

vs

Is Terri's husband doing the right thing?

 

[Bonnie]

Does a Husband/Wife have the 'right' to make the hard choices for a spouse, in spite of parents' wishes?

Depends on the situation, It would be easy for me to say sure go ahead but it's not that simple when you are talking about human life, in most cases yes it seems reasonable for the spouse to be the primary decision maker. I would also say though that it is important to have a living will if you really feel that strongly about this, as this is a great help to your spouse if something catastrophic does happen.


vs

Is Terri's husband doing the right thing

?

Definately not!

In actuality I think this thread started out as can a persons rights be sold in cases like this?

 

[ReillyT]

Independent doctors hired by the courts have determined that Terri is essentially in a persistent vegitative state. According to them and other doctors hired by her husband, most of her cerebral cortex now nothing more than an accumulation of spinal fluid. She cannot recover, and her life-like reflexes are nothing more than brain stem activity.

Further, a court found by "clear and convincing evidence" that Terri would not wish to live in this state. This was upheld on appeal.

Numerous courts have looked into this situation and all of them have upheld the right of Terri's husband to carry out her wishes not to live in the state in which she now exists. I don't care what kind of person her husband is, but I am pretty sure that Florida state court judges have no reason to want to kill Terri Schiavo.

 

[Bonnie]

ReillyT

Further, a court found by "clear and convincing evidence" that Terri would not wish to live in this state. This was upheld on appeal.

Can you supply evidence of this? If this is true then her parents don't have a strong case.

 

[SmarterThanYou]

This site tells the whole story
www.lldf.org/TERRILetterCAT--BS.pdf

The life legal defense fund........not exactly an unbiased source.

 

[SmarterThanYou]

I don't agree with euthenasia, but IF they are going to let her die, isn't there a more humane way? Dieing of starvation and dehydration must be very painful. Our courts would not allow a mass murderer to be killed that way, so will they let a woman that has done nothing wrong die that way?? What kind of country are we living in these days if we allow this to happen?

Ask jack kevorkian.