Peggy Noonan is messing with the truth:

In Noonan's most recent column, she claims that people supporting the decision to withhold nutrition to Terri Schiavo are "committed to this woman's death."

FALSE. The point at issue is, can a guardian, with court oversight, determine what medical treatment can be applied to an incapacitated person? In this case, it's withholding nutrition. It could just as easily be a decision to proceed with radical surgery or medication - which could be contested by parents (or other people for that matter).

DATA POINT: Did you know? (from the Los Angeles Times) (emp add)

"Michael has done everything possible for Terri over the years," said registered nurse Angie Olson, who doesn't know Schiavo personally but has worked with his colleagues.

"He was a respiratory therapist before she had the accident, and you can't tell me they never talked about life-and-death decisions. That is something he would have been dealing with every day."

posted by Quiddity at 3/24/2005 10:30:00 AM