I am so mad right now.

[thewilltopower]

Terry Schiavo passed away today. I have dealt with my fair share of loss, even though I am only 17 (R.I.P. Grandfathers Breese and McCullar, Uncle Dwayne, Aunt Janet, Derrick and Lindsey, among others), and losing a loved one is not something I would ever wish on anyone. So, even though I feel empathy and sympathy for the Schindlers (Terri's

Comments

Re: My view and response

[thewilltopower]

I did not use Terri Schiavo for political gain for myself or for any particular party. I am not a politician, so I am not criticizing the Republicans to make myself look good. I made no mention of Democrats or how they handled this anywhere in my entry, because 1. I am not really a Democrat and 2. The Democratic Party is in shambles and didn't really do anything of note during the debacle. Don't say I am a hypocrite when you don't comprehend what I'm doing. I was expressing my disgust with what they did, on a personal blog that maybe a handful of people read. What do I stand to gain from this? A: Nothing. I did this to vent my frustration. The Republicans used Terri for political gain. I ranted about that. When you can prove to me that I wrote this entry to try to make myself look good or for some political gain (which you can't), then I'll back off. But that is simply not true.

When talking about the death penalty thing, you completely side stepped my point. Sure, the jury recommended the death penalty (in some cases). The jury, however, can only convict as innocent and guilty. It is not actually the jury that gives death sentences, they can only recommend them. The judge does the actual sentencing, and even then, the governor can override the judge and give a life in prison without parole sentence. My point was that if Bush is so pro-life in all cases, why did he send people to their death instead of to prison? The president is hypocritical on this issue, and you refuse to acknowledge this because of your own political beliefs. How can one be anti-abortion and pro-death penalty? I know you'll bring up the fact that I am pro-choice, but I am pro-choice not because I believe there is nothing wrong with abortion (I do) but because I don't want the government controlling its citizens lives more than it already does. There is a clear and distinct difference, and if that difference isn't clear to you, then I'm not surprised that you're a Republican.

I may be hypocritical and stupid, but not about this.

Re: My view and response

[huttahforisrael]

With 24-hour news networks trying to fill the air with this business, statistics and figures abound in this case; but truth is hard to come by. The other night, I listened to one commentator who gives what appear to be cold, hard facts that condemn Terri's husband as a murderer, and then I read your blog and, if everything you say is true, I find it hard to disagree with you.

But that's the real question, isn't it? Where'd you get your facts? I'm not implying they're wrong, I'm just curious.

On an unrelated note, I oppose the death penalty, but it's difficult to blame George W. Bush, or any state governor, for the death sentences carried out under his jurisdiction, as the appeals process almost always runs far longer than any gubernatorial term. In addition, the question of hypocrisy (of opposing abortion and euthanasia but supporting capital punishment) is a question of justice. I think opposition to euthanasia and abortion is about defending helpless innocent life; i.e. that there are certain reasons for which killing is justified. I disagree with the death penalty for other reasons, but I don't feel that support of capital punishment is hypocritical.

Re: My view and response

[thewilltopower]

Most of my facts on the Terri Schiavo case came from last week's Newsweek magazine. If you're interested, I'll see if I can dig it back up and let you read it. Other sources included stories on MSNBC.com.

Appeals be damned, he received petitions for pardons, which bypasses the court processes. I don't remember if he gave any pardons, but the only thing that comes to mind is I think he pardoned some corrupt businessman, in true Republican form. I'll have to look that one up though.

Re: My view and response

[kenleycapps]

hey, whoever said I was a Republican? Just like Religion, I don't claim a party. I'm non-denominational.

The death penalty was, just as you've said, given out by the judge. And in such a case, can the Governor not assume that the jury, having recommended it, and the judge, having given the sentence, have determined the closest answer to the truth? Blame the judge, blame the jury, but don't put it all on Bush, for he said that in 'cases of serious doubts and questions' were we to protect life, and I strongly assume that if a court decision has been made, after appealing and doing as much as they can, then the decision no longer contains 'serious doubts and questions'. From here on, it's just semantics.

And like the other replier, I believe that there is a difference in the choice of life between an innocent baby (or premature baby), and a convicted felon. Myself? I would rather them in prison for life, and I disagree with Bush's actions to send them to death, though I don't fully blame him, for it was he who simply gave the OK, while the system determined who should die and who should live.

And about pro-choice/pro-life, I don't have a problem with the Government 'controlling' its citizens, for the Government is installed to protect the People, their freedom, and their property. I guess one must ask, does protecting people include those who are just being born? I don't see it as controlling, because if there wasn't a level of control, simple things such as traffic lights wouldn't even exist.

As for the Terri Schiavo segment, I can see where you rant, of course, but the process by which you changed from the topic of Terri Schiavo to the Government almost mirrors that of a politician's. I won't say what you were intending or not intending, but the effect of your post certainly conveyed an attack on Republicans through the subject of Terri Schiavo.