Friday, February 6, 2009

I Am Against Thomas Perrelli for Associate Attorney General

Well I don't dive into politics too much, but this situation really gets to me.

Thomas Perrelli is being nominated for the number-three post at the Department of Justice. He argued on behalf of Michael Schiavo’ s right to withhold food and water from his disabled wife Terri Schiavo, which resulted in her death. You remember this, Mr. Schiavo was with another woman even though he was still married to Terri. Terri's parents wanted to take care of her, but Michael wouldn't allow it. Thus she died of starvation and dehydration. This case broke my heart as I watched it unfold. I can't imagine how Terri's parents must have felt.

Subsequently, Perrelli was lauded by pro-euthanasia activists for his efforts.

Perrelli's hearing is set for Feb 10. If you feel the way I do please call your senator and tell them not to accept this nomination!!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope that if I am ever in this unfortunate circumstance my husband respects us both enough to get on with his life and not let me live like that.

Rob-bear said...

One of the problems with modern medicine is that doctors can keep us alive whether we want to live or not.

Sadly, after Terri Schiavo died, and the autopsy was done, we all learned that:

1. The doctors treating Terri were right about her condition -- that she had irreversible brain damage, and was in a persistent vegetative state.

2. Michael was probably trying to do the right thing for Terri.

3. Terri's parent were probably driven by their needs to hang on to Terri, instead of Terri's needs. That is very understandable, for parents who care deeply about their child. It's also very sad, for everyone involved, particularly Terri.

My wife and I have spent a lot of time talking about this kind of situation. We have seen too many people die "badly." If I were ever in Terri's condition, without hope of reasonable recovery, I would basically want my wife to keep my death from being dragged on, and on, and on. If my wife were in the situation, she would want me to do the same. A quiet death is a reasonable situation; well-medicated if necessary, in order to manage pain.

Nobody has to be a prisoner of any system: medical, legal, or political. We all die sometime. The best we can nope for is a death which is neither prolonged nor painful.

Having said all that, I'm NOT particularly in favour of euthanasia. I am in favour of letting people die, with some sort of dignity. There is a profound difference between those two things, starting where I began this comment.