Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube has been removed.

I have written so much on this subject, there is really no point in saying it all again. My posts about Terri Schiavo are collected here.

There are two things on which, I would hope, most people could agree. First: starving and dehydrating a person to death is cruel. If we wouldn’t do it to our pet, we shouldn’t do it to a human. Second: absent a clear written directive, substantial controversies regarding a patient’s wishes on life-and-death issues should not be resolved by a single judge according to a civil standard of proof. I make that argument here.

Listening to the radio today, I could tell that most people are ignorant of the basic facts of this case. For example, Morton Kondracke said on Hugh Hewitt’s show that this is about how we treat terminally ill people — even though it is undisputed that Schiavo is not terminally ill. I think this is a good example of the way that people’s view of this case is colored by their own painful personal experiences, to the point where many are unable to look at the facts of the Schiavo case on its own merits.

In the extended entry, I pick a few of of my past posts on this issue, for the benefit of those who don’t know the facts.

(more…)

To my sister Holly, and to her new son Ryan, and her new daughter Julia.

Blogs are still being added to the long list of bloggers taking the free speech pledge to defy any unconstitutional rules passed by the FEC:

If the FEC makes rules that limit my First Amendment right to express my opinion on core political issues, I will not obey those rules.

A line has been drawn in the dirt. Will you take a step forward?

I told you the L.A. Times wouldn’t like Wolfie for the World Bank . . .

After all: when’s the last time you saw Wolfowitz wearing purple shades?