beat-esque

walrusgumboot:

Studying for a Life and Death Decisions class. Currently in the process of typing out the notes for the euthanasia portion of the test material. I think patients should have the right to die. I remember with the Terri Schiavo case the teachers at the catholic-bastion-of-hypocrisy-which-shall-remain-unnamed that was my high school shoved it down our throats every damn day… She was not minimally conscious, she was not in a coma, she was not in a “locked in” state.. she was permanently vegetative. She did not respond to outside sources of stimuli and I do understand that family members are extremely eager to cling to any shred of hope that unconscious patients respond to stimuli by making some sort of movements… but the brain scans show no brain activity. She was gone, mentally, and had been gone for many years.

I think Governor Bush’s (Jeb) involvement was way overstepping boundaries… and President Bush’s (Dubya) further involvement was just as unconstitutional. Keeping people alive— whether they are conscious or not— only diminishes quality of life at an alarming rate if they are obviously suffering or unable to enjoy ANYTHING about their existence, be it good or bad.

I also find it interesting that passive euthanasia is generally viewed as more morally acceptable than active euthanasia.. that is “letting a patient die” rather than “helping them” to die. Prolong suffering and end life or prolong life and prolong suffering? It’s a concept chock full of moral dilemmas. It’s also a concept in which religious beliefs and politics are intertwined so tightly that it sometimes seems absolutely ridiculous how religion can turn the hand of political social and healthcare policies.

I need a cigarette.

I don’t know about that, I read this just yesterday, maybe you should look at it.

http://bit.ly/comastory