Andrew McCarthy has an excellent analysis which puts into perspective the lack of rights being afforded to Terri Schiavo in comparison to convicted murderers and terrorists. (I can’t stress this enough, it is a must read). Sadly we don’t have to restrict ourselves to the human species in comparing the treatment afforded to Schiavo.
Consider this: it is likely that the issue of whether lobsters experience pain has undergone greater scientific/medical scrutiny than Terri Schiavo’s vegetative state. A court has decided to put a woman to death and the most basic of neural analysis, an MRI scan, has not even been performed. What a sad commentary on our society that this comparison has any validity whatsoever. What complete moral bankruptcy that we show such concern over the infinitesimal possibility that a crustacean may have some feelings yet we put a woman to death on the assumption that she has none.
UPDATE:
Do Vegetables Laugh? – One look at this video of Terri Schiavo responding to a loved one with laughter should be evidence enough that she is not a vegetable. Forget all of the affidavits, reports, analysis and opinions and see for yourself. Medicine uses the term “vegetable” quite literally when describing someone as brain dead. While they are technically living, their brain no longer functions, and so they are literally considered to be plantlike. Except that vegetables don’t laugh.
Lots more videos over at Blogsfor Terri.
UPDATE II: Jeff Jarvis did a piece on blogs on the Terri Schiavo issue on MSNBC, which included a brief piece on our blog Musing Minds. The full quote cited by Jeff Jarvis is here. The video clip can be seen at The Political Teen. (Double hat tip to Lorie Byrd at PoliPundit)
UPDATE III: Jeff Jarvis linked to us here.