Remembering Schiavo
It is beyond me why anyone in bioethics wants to think about Schiavo right now.
The heat so vastly outstrips the light on the matter, with Michael Schiavo on a rested and ready book tour and the even more histrionic Schindlers et al pushing their way into TV studios everywhere. Perhaps this is that moment when bioethics is supposed to capitalize on the public's interest in order to do good work. Maybe that is a good idea. Perhaps we're nuts for not running a "Schiavo" issue of AJOB. Maybe we should stream some Schiavo video. I will confess to speaking at a Schiavo session at NYU Law School. But it was annoying, because so little has changed in the wake of Schiavo except for the principal parties involved. Anyway our friend Jon Moreno is doing what promises to be a good event on the matter.
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I think the term "extremist" is in the eye of the beholder. I would also point out that there is an awful lot of revisionist history going on here, basically to promote liberalism and demonize conservatism. Not one Democrat senator voted against the federal Schiavo bill, and indeed, the Democrats allowed it to pass with unanimous consent. One senator saying no would have stopped it. Also, about 45% of the House Democrat Caucus voted for the bill. Now, that polls show the vote to be unpopular, suddenly that little fact is forgotten. But if the the "extremism" bomb is going to be thrown around, it should apply to Dems as well as Delay, since that bill was one of the most bipartisan of recent years.
- by Wesley J. Smith on Mar 31, 2006 at 7:40 PM | link
I know they offend your politics, but in some measure, isn't it snarky to refer to grieving parents as "histrionic"?
- by Sparky on Mar 31, 2006 at 7:53 PM | link
I agree that the Democrats sat back and one can only guess they viewed this as a situation that wuld play out without their needing to alienate their conservative/vitalist voters.
I know of several peers who wrote to Senator Clinton but never heard a response. I think making this a partisan issue is wrong...it is a philosophical debate that became a bad political gamble. Bill Frist never looked so foolish.
- by Sheila on Apr 3, 2006 at 12:02 PM | link
The Democrats were afraid to lead, so they watched to see what would happen. If people liked the bill, they were there. If not, they could point fingers--as they have.
I thought both arguments for and con the federal bill were quite principled and worthy of our nation.
- by Wesley J. Smith on Apr 4, 2006 at 1:21 AM | link
I know they offend your politics, but in some measure, isn't it snarky to refer to grieving parents as "histrionic"?
- by Paris Hilton on Apr 5, 2007 at 4:54 PM | link