Bias in my Bonnet

The second bias in my bonnet with the Globe and Mail’s editorials from September 28, 2004 concerns "Terri’s Law."

Contrary to what the Globe asserts multiple times in the article, Terri Schiavo is not on "life support." There are no machines breathing for Terri Schiavo, no air is being pumped into her lungs. There is no machine making her heart beat. Terri Schiavo is unable to feed herself. Currently, she has a feeding tube providing nourishment to her. If that tube is removed her heart does not stop beating and her lungs do not stop breathing and there is brain activity. Remove that feeding tube and Terri starves to death. Starving to death is not a humane way to die.

Here’s how Terri’s family describe her condition:

Terri's behavior does not meet the medical or statutory definition of persistent vegetative state. Terri responds to stimuli, tries to communicate verbally, follows limited commands, laughs or cries in interaction with loved ones, physically distances herself from irritating or painful stimulation and watches loved ones as they move around her. None of these behaviors are simple reflexes and are, instead, voluntary and cognitive. Though Terri has limitations, she does interact purposefully with her environment.

Do the homework that the Globe and Mail’s editorial board has not done. Go to Terri Schiavo website and view the videos and decide for yourself but I do suggest you hurry as Michael Schiavo, the husband of Terri Schiavo, has threatened legal action to have the video’s removed from the website.

If the piece was not questionable enough, the Globe closes with this:

There is no clean end to this sad business, but the courts, having heard, questioned and reviewed the evidence, are in a far better position to determine the most just course than a governor given extraordinary powers to toss those hearings and reviews out the window. The Supreme Court was right to overturn Terri’s Law.

We all know that Justices never err and one should one ever question the verdict of the court. That being the case, I am looking forward to the next editorial from the Globe to be a call for Canadians to take action and issue pink slips to all who toil in the Court of Appeals.

Would it be intemperate of me to suggest that the Globe and Mail’s real issue is that the governor of Florida (with the support of the Florida legislature) was moved to act is named Jeb Bush, as in brother to George? Perhaps the Globe and Mail has never met a Bush it could like?