Cheat-Seeking Missles

Friday, March 18, 2005

Rare Leftyblog Posts on Terri

Leftyblogs are angling away from the moral issues that are why the Terri Schiavo story exists; they just won't engage in the ethics, or lack thereof, of the government murdering a helpless person. Instead, they're busying themselves with anything that will keep them from thinking this through. My perusal of about 20 leftyblogs tonight found:
  • Most are ignoring the story
  • The top subject of discussion is the Congressional subpoena, which is viewed as Conservative political stagecrafting
  • Any sideshow activities, like calls for a citizen's arrest of Terri's husband, get long write-ups, but those lengthy pieces come and go without confronting the moral issues.
As usual, I leave the Leftosphere depressed and wanting hazardous duty pay. And as usual, I'll share a few of the more important posts.

Talk Left starts out right ...

I just wish she had left clearer instructions so it could be known that this was her choice. It's too bad the final decision has to be left up to judges who didn't know her before her injury, and who rule based upon their view of the credibility of a spouse vs. the parents. Her parents and siblings have my sympathy.
But then veers left ...

But I also think that the last minute attempt at personalized legislation by Republicans to keep her alive was a slimy move. This was not a case of assisted suicide. It's a question of an individual's right to determine whether or not to continue treatment. We all should have a right to die.

Pandagon focuses on the Congressional subpoena, calling it "the worst abuse of any Congressional power I've ever heard of" under the headline: Shiavo Ghraib. Possibly the most tasteless thing written in the blogosphere today.

Lean Left found some over-reactions from pro-life extremists calling for the murder of the judge or the husband ... offering no proof of validity of the comments ... and drew this conclusion:
The pro-life community has committed a good number of murders before (mostly of abortion providers, their staff, and sometimes their elderly escorts), along with countless bombings, chemical attacks, terrorist threats, and, as now, death threats on doctors, judges, and many others. But this, I think, is a first. A named party is explicitly exhorting another named party to kill a third named party using plausible, specified means.
A handy way not to deal with the issue at hand, don't you think?

Harry Shearer, guest-posting at Talking Points Memo, feels the entire Schiavo matter is simply a manufactered news event to push the conservative agenda and almost ignores the matter entirely, except to say:
Emailers have been advising me to weigh in on the Schiavo case, citing the surface absurdity of Congress subpoenaing a brain-dead witness. Ducks in a barrel, there, the brain-dead subpoenaing the--well, you get it.
Making jokes at the expense of someone who is being starved to death by a judge? You should have followed your instincts, Harry, and not commented.