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THE WORLD HAS GONE MAD
(4/10/2007)
Texas Execution of Toddler Only Hours Away!
My Fox Austin carried an interesting and informative article "Family Still Fighting to Keep Terminally-Ill Toddler Alive" by Kelley Shannon, Associated Press Writer (April 9, 2007). An article that reminds us that Tuesday, April 10th, at 5 P.M. Emilio's fate once again rests in the hands of Children's Hospital of Austin, unless a judge intercedes or a miracle takes place. Maybe the governor will demand a stay of execution? Or perhaps the hospital will voluntarily agree to extend the deadline even further? If not... the toddler will be executed in a matter of hours. There is a reason why this is an execution, rather than making a respected medical decision for a patient. For a family to decide all is hopeless for a terminally ill patient and request that doctors don't merely keep the patient alive because they can, is one thing. For doctors, a hospital and so-called ethics committee to over-rule a family's wishes and give a mere ten-day notice as though dealing with the shut off of a utility, rather than the termination of life of a human being, is beyond wrong. Convicted murderers enjoy more due process than the innocent who happen to be ill. There is something quite wrong with this fact. There are those who scream foul and insist that the government had no business getting involved in the Terri Schiavo case, while then suggesting that it is acceptable for the government to make a law that hands over rights of life and death to hospitals, doctors and so-called ethics committees, who could have an agenda that is in direct conflict with the well-being of a patient or patients falling within specific groups. Their argument, on the one hand, is that these cases are "private family matters", but on the other, that some families are incapable of making intelligent and rightful decisions and so must have these decisions FORCED upon them by the system. So these matters are only "private family matters" when deciding to "let someone go", but "public matters" should the family wish to fight for a loved one that the system thinks ought to be let go? How interesting! Terri Schiavo was not terminally ill. It was not a matter of removing the life support that was "all" that was keeping her alive. She was not dying, until a court "actually" ordered her to be starved and dehydrated to death. An order that would kill off the healthiest among us, if imposed upon him or her. An order that should have been challenged -- and still should be -- if any of us are to be safe. Emilio, like Terri, is vulnerable and at the mercy of a system that may no longer have much mercy to offer. How can any suggest that what is happening to Emilio is painful, while then arguing that, " Emilio's higher order brain functions are destroyed"? Wouldn't that then mean that he no longer feels pain in a way that will register, or register in any meaningful way, and therefore, prolonging his life and "invasive" has no true meaning to him? Why then use that as cause to end the baby's life? Might it be a form of damage control? Emilio Gonzales is a very sick little boy. No one denies or challenges that fact. What must be challenged is the doctor, hospital and so-called ethics committee's right to over-rule a family and invoke a ten day notice to terminate life. A right that may apply to little Emilio today, but who shall be affected tomorrow? And have we forgotten Andrea Clark -- a person that was conscious and wished to fight for life? This law is a right to execute those that are believed to have no quality of life according to the standards of those invoking the futile care law and those such as it. Executing those who are considered to have nothing to give back to society and are considered merely a drain on our resources. Emilio Gonzales may only have a few hours left, unless a judge intercedes or a miracle takes place. That is known. But there is another question to be considered. How long does our society (once made up of compassionate human beings) have before the transformation into cold and calculating robots, that can no longer appreciate the beauty and miracle of life, become complete? Cold and calculating robots that can so easily snuff life. Snuff it with a ten day termination notice with no chance of reconnection. Execution or miracle? I'm hoping for a miracle!
Carrie Hutchens is a former law enforcement officer and a freelance writer who is active in fighting against the death culture movement and the injustices within the judicial and law enforcement systems.
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