the auroran sunset (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} tithonus) wrote,@ 2005-03-19 09:57:00 |
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| Current mood: |  tired |
| Current music: | D-12 - U R The One |
schiavo and fair weather 'libertarians'
samizadata has written a reasoned， clear and sane item about schiavo， just so that i don't have to：
In very broad terms, Terri Schiavo is unable to make decisions for herself. She is apparently brain damaged, and has been in some degree of coma or "persistent vegetative state" for years. Her husband wants to withdraw artificial life support and let nature take its course. Her parents want her kept on life support indefinitely in the hopes that some day she will make some degree of recovery. As ever, you can find a medical expert to present just about any side of this that you want. This situation is, sadly, all too common.
The uproar around Terri Schiavo illustrates rather nicely the key distinction between libertarians and, well, everyone else. For libertarians, the critical question is "who decides?", based on their belief that you should be able to make your own decisions in life. Most other folks, it seems, don't care "who decides" nearly as much as they care about "what decision is made," and particularly, "whatever decision is made, it damn will better be one I approve of."
In Terri's case, this means that all sorts of folks who you think would know better than to invite the state to participate in medical decision-making are doing exactly that, because Terri's husband has made a decision that they do not approve of. [...]
When the patient is not a decisional adult, someone who will make decisions on their behalf must be located. You can appoint your own surrogate decision-maker, via a health care power of attorney (which I strongly recommend). Some states have lists of "deemed" surrogate decision-makers on the statute books, such as spouses, parents, siblings, etc., in rank order so everyone knows who has authority in a given case. As a last resort, a court will appoint a guardian. [...]
What we have in the Schaivo case, then, is the legally appointed and recognized decision-maker making a choice that is well within his purview. Multiple court reviews have concluded that he is the right person to make the call, and his decision should be honored. To this libertarian, that is the end of the matter, because the very essence of being a libertarian is respecting the decisions of others even when you might decide otherwise. To a broad spectrum of conservatives, however, the fact that medical decision-making should be private is of no concern when the decisions made are decisions they disagree with.
The uproar around Terri Schiavo illustrates rather nicely the key distinction between libertarians and, well, everyone else. For libertarians, the critical question is "who decides?", based on their belief that you should be able to make your own decisions in life. Most other folks, it seems, don't care "who decides" nearly as much as they care about "what decision is made," and particularly, "whatever decision is made, it damn will better be one I approve of."
In Terri's case, this means that all sorts of folks who you think would know better than to invite the state to participate in medical decision-making are doing exactly that, because Terri's husband has made a decision that they do not approve of. [...]
When the patient is not a decisional adult, someone who will make decisions on their behalf must be located. You can appoint your own surrogate decision-maker, via a health care power of attorney (which I strongly recommend). Some states have lists of "deemed" surrogate decision-makers on the statute books, such as spouses, parents, siblings, etc., in rank order so everyone knows who has authority in a given case. As a last resort, a court will appoint a guardian. [...]
What we have in the Schaivo case, then, is the legally appointed and recognized decision-maker making a choice that is well within his purview. Multiple court reviews have concluded that he is the right person to make the call, and his decision should be honored. To this libertarian, that is the end of the matter, because the very essence of being a libertarian is respecting the decisions of others even when you might decide otherwise. To a broad spectrum of conservatives, however, the fact that medical decision-making should be private is of no concern when the decisions made are decisions they disagree with.
once again the christianist right 'conservatives' should be ashamed。
