Three critical points have been almost entirely absent from the media's discussion of the Terri Schiavo affair. I've written about two and others in the blogosphere have done a great job addressing the third:
1. Moral Arguments Favoring the End of Life Support
A thorough discussion of the very strong moral arguments in favor of honoring Terri Schiavo's end-of-life request to her husband has been completely missing in the media.
For my take, see:
"Schiavo, Mill and the Culture of Living"
2. The 1999 Texas Futile Care Law
There has been virtually no coverage of the hypocrisy of the President, Tom Delay and his supporters. In 1999, Governor Bush signed the Texas Futile Care Law, which only last week allowed a Texas hospital to remove lfe support from a terminally ill 6-month old over his mother's objections.
For details, see Mark Kleiman's blog:
"Schiavo, Hudson and Nikolouzos"
As expected, the National Review offers unconvincing rationalizations for Bush's apparent double-standard.
3. Bill Frist, the Hippocratic Oath and "Witness Malpractice"
It is sadly ironic that Frist, Mr. Tort Reform himself, would commit the Congressional equivalent of "witness malpractice." Lacking expertise as a neurologist and having never examined the patient, he weighs in all the same. It's exactly the kind of bogus expert testimony in the courtroom that Frist routinely decries.
For more details, see:
"Bill Frist: Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hide"