misfitS pOLITICS

We talk. We write. We entertain. Or so we think.
  • Home
  • Misfit Migrants
  • Mess Hall
  • Meet The Misfits
  • Misc. Musings
  • Home
  • Misfit Migrants
  • Mess Hall
  • Meet The Misfits
  • Misc. Musings

When Life is Litigated

4/25/2018

1 Comment

 
J.R. Holmsted
The world has watched as the heartbreaking story of 2 year old Alfie Evans unfolded over the last several days. What should be a story of love, perseverance, and hope for a disabled infant, has been contorted into one of parental rights, court hearings, and state ordered death.

If you are not quite caught up on this case, the latest to focus our attention on the oh-so-benevolent powers of the UK healthcare system, Stacey Lennox at The Resurgent has done an excellent job writing about the ongoing developments.

Most of us have known someone with a terminal diagnosis. Many have grappled with the torturous decision to let someone go. Statistically, fewer of us have had to do so with a child. The argument that Alfie cannot be saved falls flat here. Anecdotal as it may be, how many of you have known someone who sought just one more opinion? One more course of treatment? Or hell, did nothing at all except stay comfortable or go to a place where they felt more so and outlasted all logical, medical predictions? I would guess that number is fairly high.

The point is not whether Alfie can be successfully cured or how long he might survive. The point is that he IS living now and that his parents are not legally allowed to do anything but watch him die as the hospital and courts see fit. They have fought for him. They have loved him. But they have been stripped of one thing that all good parents promise to do for their children. Make decisions to PROTECT them. They are deprived. Because government says so. That is the travesty.

There have been numerous solutions offered in this case:

Money is a problem? They’ll pay.

Keeping the hospital bed is an issue? They’ll go elsewhere.

The UK doesn’t see the need to continue his treatment? They’ll get Italian citizenship and military medical transport is on the tarmac.

Incredulously, they have all been denied. For what purpose? Why not just let them go? To protect the child from an adequately equipped plane ride he may or may not survive? Well what the hell is the difference than him dying in the hospital at any given moment? This has gone far beyond any medical or legal justification. It is a battle of pride, control, and politics.

The UK has actually sentenced this child to die how and when they say. When conference calls are being held after hours to EXPEDITE extubation, yet hearings are not granted with the same urgency, we should be skeptical. When those hearings are then delayed as every second counts while the child somehow survives on his own, it becomes more difficult not to question motives. When this child is being denied basic sustenance as he defies their odds, there should be great cause for concern, even among defenders of the hospital and courts.

Yet those defenders I will not entertain. I will not apologize for my intolerance. Presuming that the hospital is justified and protecting Alfie through refusal to comply with his parent’s wishes or even allow other options, I just cannot digest. It is the epitome of decades of indoctrination that those with authority are our betters. Worse, that some massive system could actually have our individual best interests at heart.

The system serves only one thing. Itself. And survival thereof.

Just looking at this and noting that #Alfie is an anagram of "A Life." pic.twitter.com/6NAJSTxE8G

— Susie Moore (@SmoosieQ) April 24, 2018
1 Comment

    Misfits

    Just a gaggle of people from all over who have similar interests and loud opinions mixed with a dose of humor. We met on Twitter.
    ​Enough said.

    (If that's not enough, you can learn more here)

    Tweets by misfitspolitics

    Archives

    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    January 2021
    September 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016

    Categories

    All
    2016
    9/11
    Abortion
    AFB
    Afghanistan
    Air Force
    #alfieevans
    Alfie Evans
    ALS
    Armed Forces
    Army
    Baby
    Ben Carson
    Bernie
    Blog
    Bosnia
    CAOC
    #CelebrateWomen
    Christie
    City Council
    Comey
    Cooking
    Crete
    Cruz
    Deep Fry
    Desert Storm
    Donald Trump
    Drug Companies
    Election
    England
    Europe
    Exclusivity
    F-16
    Fanfic
    Fayetteville
    FBI
    FDA
    Fiction
    Fire
    Florida
    Free Market
    Fun
    Germany
    Gilmore
    Government
    Health Care
    Hillary Clinton
    Hobby
    Iraq
    Italy
    John Kasich
    Kevin Williamson
    Korea
    Kuwait
    LANTIRN
    Life
    Local Politics
    Marco Rubio
    Medical Care
    Memoir
    Military
    MIsfitMemo
    #MisfitMemo
    Misfits
    Misfits Politics
    Moms
    Mother's Day
    Narrative
    National Review
    NATO
    Navy
    #NeverTrump
    Patent
    Pharmaceutical
    Philippines
    Phillippines
    Politics
    Raymond
    Reform
    Rex
    Rubio
    Scarcity
    September 11th
    Service
    Ted Cruz
    Thread
    Tweetstorm
    Twitter
    UK
    Water
    Weekly Rewind
    World Cup
    World Trade Center

    RSS Feed

Home

About

Contact​

Copyright © 2016
  MisfitsPolitics
  • Home
  • Misfit Migrants
  • Mess Hall
  • Meet The Misfits
  • Misc. Musings
  • Home
  • Misfit Migrants
  • Mess Hall
  • Meet The Misfits
  • Misc. Musings