A Liberal Speaks Up: Ralph Nader Says "Let Terri Live"

Press release:

Consumer Advocate Ralph Nader and Wesley J. Smith, author of the award winning book "Culture of Death: The Assault on Medical Ethics in America" call upon the Florida Courts, Governor Jeb Bush and concerned citizens to take any legal action available to let Terri Schiavo live.

"A profound injustice is being inflicted on Terri Schiavo," Nader and Smith asserted today. "Worse, this slow death by dehydration is being imposed upon her under the color of law, in proceedings in which every benefit of the doubt-and there are many doubts in this case-has been given to her death, rather than her continued life."

Among the many injustices in this case, Nader and Smith point to the following:

The courts not only are refusing her tube feeding, but have ordered that no attempts be made to provide her water or food by mouth. Terri swallows her own saliva. Spoon feeding is not medical treatment. "This outrageous order proves that the courts are not merely permitting medical treatment to be withheld, it has ordered her to be made dead," Nader and Smith assert.

The medical and rehabilitation experts are split on whether Terri is in a persistent vegetative state or whether Terri can be improved with therapy. There is only one way to know for sure- permit the therapy. That is the only way to resolve all doubts.

The court is imposing process over justice. After the first trial in this case, much evidence has been produced that should allow for a new trial-which was the point of the hasty federal legislation. If this were a death penalty case, this evidence would demand reconsideration. Yet, an innocent disabled woman is receiving less justice.

The federal and state governments are spending billions on what we are told will become miracle medical cures for people with all sorts of degenerative conditions, including brain damage. If this is so, why not permit Terri's parents and siblings who want to care for her do so in the hope that such cures are discovered?

Benefits of doubts should be given to life, not hastened death. This case is rife with doubt. Justice demands that Terri be permitted to live.

Well put, Ralph... and I don't think anyone can dismiss his opinion due to his being suspiciously Christian or criminally Republican.

Thanks to All Along the Blogtower.

And Another: Lanny Davis, too, who wants to know why Michael Schiavo is fighting so hard to ice his wife.

Good question. It's so good, in fact, I've asked it six billion times. I've yet to hear a satisfying answer that doesn't involve this estranged husband "just wanting to spend years in court and hundreds of thousands of dollars to honor his wife's wishes."

Give me a f'n' break. Most husbands consider themselves princes if they remember a wife's birthday.

Thanks for the latter to OCBill.

And, You Know... Newsmax noted that Hillary! had a great opportunity to prove her newfound respect for religious traditionalists by speaking up and saving a life.

I have to imagine she is smart enough to have considered it.

But I guess anti-Christian venom runs so deathly-thick in the liberal body politic that to do so would have nearly disqualified her from the 2008 Democratic nomination.

More... PowerPundit also notes that Fox's John Gibson suggested "storming the Bastille"-- that is, Jeb Bush ordering an Elian Gonzales style snatch of Terri Schiavo. He thinks that's a singularly bad idea.

Riehl World View similarly ruminates on storming the Bastille, coming to a similar conclusion. And one similar to mine, actually.

This is a travesty. A god-awful travesty. But there is a limit to how far we ought to be willing to go to avert even a travesty. As Riehl World notes, there are other values in play here -- not just life, but the rule of law and the fundamental cohesion of civil society.

posted by Ace at 11:50 PM

| Access Comments