# I wonder if Terry Schiavo agrees with me ... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 25, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158 "2005-03-25T04:50:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![anamnesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@anamnesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anamnesis)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/1 "2005-03-25T04:50:57Z")
Oh boy, we get to see Terri’s brain scans now! Everyone here on the SDMB will be thrilled. I don’t even need to read the Terri Schaivo threads to know what’s probably being said even at this very moment, because I’m sure every armchair doctor is offering their paraprofessional opinion even as I type. I can just picture it … “See? I TOLD you she’s braindead, see that grey blob? It should be WHITE.” “Cite?” “[www.webmd.com/how\_brain\_death\_works.html](http://www.webmd.com/how_brain_death_works.html)” “You are a SOCK PUPPET.” “Yeah, but at least I’m not a TROLL.” “Sock puppet accusations are against the board rules.” “Ob boy, another country heard from.” [moderator mode] This thread is going nowhere. Locked. [/moderator mode] :: new thread emerges :: Meanwhile I sit here watching the news media bury their faces into the fiasco that is the Schiavo case as a sow buries its face into a filthy pot of gruel. Hey look everyone, it’s another news media special featuring a doctor that’s never even met Terri Schiavo. Anyone notice a trend? He says she’s awake but she’s not aware. Maybe she needs a red pill? I must be dreaming. This has gone beyond. “IS TERRI AWARE?” “Yes, she is.” “No, she isn’t.” “Yes, she IS.” “No, she ISN’T.” “IS.” “ISN’T.” “IIIIIIIIS” “IIIIIIIIIIIISN’T” - BING!!! \* "Alright well sorry guys but we’ve got to take a short break, we’ll be right back … " - 30 second ad for Cialis, followed by a financial planning ad telling us what our financial future has in common with a leaky faucet \* “Welcome back to our program, tonight we have tw–” “YES!” “NO!” “YES, YOU LIBERAL FUCKSTICK!” “NO, YOU CONSERVATIVE CUM RAG!” - BING! \* "Sorry guys, the pharmaceutical companies are clamouring, we did the dick pill, gotta get the sleeping pill in too … " - 30 second ad for Ambien, followed by a financial ad telling us we can make online trades for only $10, perfect for the savvy-online-investor-without-a-clue in you! \* “Welcome back once again, we continue on w–” - Guests are having a cat fight off camera \* A nation polarized over a comatose woman. Hey look everyone! Another incoming judge’s order! And here I thought the parents were all out of options. Oh, they probably were years ago, but who cares, them’s good ratings. Let’s just … keep making up legal options even though she’ll be dead by Monday! It’s good for the media, y’know! And what’s good for the media is good for the economy, and what’s good for the economy is good for America! And if we don’t stand together as Americans, the terrorists have won! Or so says Sean Hannity. I wonder who the Schiavos will appeal to next? How bout that John Edwards guy? A medical attorney with political clout to boot! Maybe Michael Jackson? I’m sure he’s got an open bed ready and waiting for Terri at Neverland Ranch! Hey, how about the CEO of Kentucky Fried Chicken, while we’re at it? If any of you need me, I’ll be in the bathroom licking my grout clean. Maybe when I hear the collective groan and sigh that erupts the world over after this farce has ceased to be, I’ll come out and stick a pressure hose in my ear and turn it on to full blast to rid my mind of any remnant of this absurd tragedy-turned-media-phenomenon. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/2 "2005-03-25T04:57:55Z")
Oh look, another Terri Schiavo pit thread. ---
**Author:** ![anamnesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@anamnesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anamnesis)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/3 "2005-03-25T05:02:37Z")
> [@Silver Fire](#): > > Oh look, another Terri Schiavo pit thread. Actually, it’s a pit thread about the media and the people who continue to argue this case … thanks for missing the point completely. ---
**Author:** ![Carnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carnick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnick)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/4 "2005-03-25T05:09:48Z")
> [@Silver Fire](#): > > Oh look, another Terri Schiavo pit thread. Oh look, another pointless “I don’t care” response. Makes me wonder why they even open the thread to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/5 "2005-03-25T05:12:35Z")
[QUOTE=anamnesis] Actually, it’s a pit thread about the media and the people who continue to argue this case … QUOTE] So far. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/6 "2005-03-25T05:13:53Z")
> [@anamnesis](#): > > A nation polarized over a comatose woman. Actually the country seems pretty solid about this one, there’s just a minority making a ton of noise about it, even by their standards. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/7 "2005-03-25T06:21:28Z")
John Edward? But she’s not dead _yet_! ---
**Author:** ![anamnesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@anamnesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anamnesis)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/8 "2005-03-25T06:22:26Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > John Edward? But she’s not dead _yet_! ROTFL … good point, you got me there. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tinkertoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@Tinkertoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinkertoy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/9 "2005-03-25T06:32:22Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > John Edward? But she’s not dead _yet_! None the less he has already weighed in with his opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/10 "2005-03-25T06:53:45Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > John Edward? But she’s not dead _yet_! Come on, he talks to people with no brains all the time! ---
**Author:** ![Carnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carnick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnick)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/11 "2005-03-25T07:34:06Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Actually the country seems pretty solid about this one, there’s just a minority making a ton of noise about it, even by their standards. A recent Fox News poll put the “minority” around 40% I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Carnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carnick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnick)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/12 "2005-03-25T07:36:57Z")
Eh, I don’t know WHY I just put quotes around the word minority, since 40%, if it’s true, is by definition a minority. Whenever I’m in the pit I get the urge to incite flame wars. Anyway, my point was it’s not such a tiny group of people. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/13 "2005-03-25T07:38:21Z")
> [@Carnick](#): > > A recent Fox News poll put the “minority” around 40% I believe. Polls cited by other Dopers - from other networks, natch - put it as less. I remember one that said it was half that, and that poll had more Republicans than Democrats responding. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/14 "2005-03-25T07:47:02Z")
One poll that I saw had only 30% of evangelical Christians supporting the Congressional interference from last weekend. Meanwhile, according to commentators at CNN and MSNBC, 4,000 people were taken off life support today. I have no verification of the statistics. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/15 "2005-03-25T08:13:12Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > One poll that I saw had only 30% of evangelical Christians supporting the Congressional interference from last weekend. > > Meanwhile, according to commentators at CNN and MSNBC, 4,000 people were taken off life support today. I have no verification of the statistics. I have to call bullshit on that. 4,000 people a day being taken off life support would mean nearly 1.5 Million people per year [in the U.S.] would die each year after being deliberately removed from respirators, feeding tubes, and any other life preserving mechanisms. There’s no way that could possibly be true. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/16 "2005-03-25T08:55:04Z")
> [@neuroman](#): > > I have to call bullshit on that. 4,000 people a day being taken off life support would mean nearly 1.5 Million people per year [in the U.S.] would die each year after being deliberately removed from respirators, feeding tubes, and any other life preserving mechanisms. There’s no way that could possibly be true. Shut up, you liberal cum rag! ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/17 "2005-03-25T08:56:44Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > Shut up, you liberal cum rag! Oops. Sorry. The OP got me all inspired. ---
**Author:** ![MrFantsyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MrFantsyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFantsyPants)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/18 "2005-03-25T11:48:55Z")
> [@neuroman](#): > > I have to call bullshit on that. 4,000 people a day being taken off life support would mean nearly 1.5 Million people per year [in the U.S.] would die each year after being deliberately removed from respirators, feeding tubes, and any other life preserving mechanisms. There’s no way that could possibly be true. Not necessarily. They save them up for Fridays, so that the weekend staff have to do all the cleanup. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/19 "2005-03-25T11:57:12Z")
> [@neuroman](#): > > I have to call bullshit on that. 4,000 people a day being taken off life support would mean nearly 1.5 Million people per year [in the U.S.] would die each year after being deliberately removed from respirators, feeding tubes, and any other life preserving mechanisms. There’s no way that could possibly be true. Seems reasonable to me. About 6500 people a day die in this country. All four of my deceased grandparents had life support before dying. At least the deaths I’ve participated in, removing life support is very common. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158/20 "2005-03-25T12:25:20Z")
> [@anamnesis](#): > > Actually, it’s a pit thread about the media and the people who continue to argue this case … thanks for missing the point completely. I agree with you on the extent, and vileness, of some of the media coverage. I am never comfortable with “death watches” in the news, and I am appalled when I read in the paper or see on the news details about how Ms. Schiavo’s body is dying. However, I disagree with a majority of your OP. I think this is a fascinating case, with very real, very important issues, and one that will have long lasting, positive effects in the future. It is about time that we have news coverage of an important issue rather than one about Paris Hilton, Donald Trump, or whatever idiot the media picks out. This is a very difficult case. Ms. Schiavo is brain dead, but there is, in the opinion of 2 doctors, some miniscule amount of brain activity. Her wishes were not in writing. The videotapes contain some moments that, to the uninformed, are compelling. This is, by no means, an easy decision for anyone involved. I think it’s a very positive thing that this kind of right to die issue is, once again, being discussed by people. In addition, the public discourse on this issue is very positive in that more people are making their wishes known. Just as Ms. Schiavo’s wishes came about relative to a discussion of an earlier right to die case (Karen Quinlan), more and more people now are discussing their wishes if they were in a coma or PVS. More people are executing living wills and health care power of attorney. These are great positives. Finally, when this is resolved, it will be a victory of the legal process over political bullshit. Although I am very concerned that many people have no respect for the judiciary, I think, by and large, the rule of law will triumph in this case. Despite learning more saddening details about how the Bush brothers view, and run, the world, and despite learning more about the weakness of the Democratic party, all in all, I’m hoping this will have a positive effect on the nation. So, save your bitching for Bobby Fischer asylum, Michael Jackson’s and Robert Blakes circuses…err I mean trials, and American Idol. **This** case has been a welcome, and positive, change from our regular media coverage and water cooler talk. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-if-terry-schiavo-agrees-with-me/296158.md?page=2)