tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11032459.post4960587237302661024..comments2024-02-06T12:13:44.496-06:00Comments on FREEDOM EDEN: VA: "Your Life, Your Choices"Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09149784619342993569noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11032459.post-37605022798410583302009-08-25T12:22:51.504-05:002009-08-25T12:22:51.504-05:00Sheldon,
As a rule, when I respond to something ...Sheldon, <br /><br />As a rule, when I respond to something in the comments section of my blog, I don't write a treatise. <br /><br />If someone raises an issue that I want to address in length, whether it's to agree or disagree, I make it the topic of a new post. <br /><br />I have a problem with the level of discourse on the Internet. Some comments I receive are beyond vile, misogynistic and filled with expletives. That's why I use comment moderation.<br /><br />It's the option I have exercised.Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09149784619342993569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11032459.post-48845039121532439742009-08-24T23:39:17.241-05:002009-08-24T23:39:17.241-05:00Mary complains
---- start complaint-------
I'...Mary complains <br />---- start complaint-------<br />I'm not "painfully foolish and misguided." My arguments aren't "ridiculous."<br /><br />You should try expressing your disagreement in a civil manner.<br />--- stop complaint-------<br /><br /><br />Here's what I do if I'm criticized on the internet. And as a veteran of the bad old days before browsers --- it was a lot tougher.<br /><br />1. I turn on my crap detector. And ask whether what I've written or what others have written fits with what I know of the world. Does this make sense?<br /><br />2. I check if the criticism is correct. In particular, I look for information in places that are likely to disagree with what I'm most comfortable.<br /><br />3. If possible, I look for original documentation.<br /><br />4. If I still think I'm right I explain so, in detail. If I'm wrong or what I wrote needs clarification, I clarify or apologize. If I'm not sure anymore, I say so. Because I'm careful and follow these rules, I rarely had to apologize.<br /><br />5. If I'm 100% positive that I'm right, I sometimes make fun of the other guy. <br /><br />You didn't do any of this. Your response is to say that you haven't been treated nicely. And put out a plea for civil manners.<br /><br />You ain't gonna like what I have to say.--- but I'll be kinder than you deserve, you might learn something.<br /><br /><br />There's been weeks of death panel lies. But that is becoming less effective as even death panel Betsy admits there aren't death panels only...So what springs up, but the death book.<br /><br />Turn on your crap detector. What are the chances that a government approved booklet is going to be pro-euthanasia or pro-death or be out of line with similar materials from elsewhere? If you're not a total prisoner of the right-wing echo chamber then you've got to think that this isn't likely. <br /><br />2. Is the criticism accurate? I look at enemy web sites such as mediamatters.org or really high quality blogs on this topic such as Ezra Klein at the Washington Post. If you care about what is true and what is not true, then you've got to seek out opposing views. You've got to escape the echo chamber --- particularly if you're putting your reputation on the line. <br />Here's a simple guide-== for media criticism from democratic view go to mediamatters.org<br />for criticism from republican right wing I haven''t seen a lot of quality --- there's Kincaild's AIM and Bozell's media research center. <br /><br />3. There's no evidence you've read the original document. It's available all over the web.<br /><br />4. You didn't pick any of these options, you just complained.<br /><br />5. Doesn't apply.<br /><br />You complain that you weren't treated civilly. <br /><br />A couple of answers. <br />First, you are propagating gross distortions on a serious topic with the intent to influence others.<br /> Second, before propagating serious distortions, you didn't do any research beyond parroting what people with similar ideological views said. <br /><br />So if you ask me, your whole post is uncivil. But that's just a gut response to your original posting.<br /><br />If you had written:<br /><br /> "I've looked at the booklet and here it says in context "abc" and here it says in context "def". Therefore, the booklet does not present choices fairly" <br /><br />then I and I suspect most others would treat you more civilly, even if you are just as wrong.<br /><br />Why? Because you've made a good faith effort to discover and report what's true and what's not true.<br /><br />If all you want to do is mouth the lies and distortions of others then having your ideas merely called ridiculous is very, very kind.sheldon1010101https://www.blogger.com/profile/00768156704682828964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11032459.post-70827979848370486772009-08-24T20:51:36.907-05:002009-08-24T20:51:36.907-05:00I'm not "painfully foolish and misguided....I'm not "painfully foolish and misguided." My arguments aren't "ridiculous." <br /><br />You should try expressing your disagreement in a civil manner.Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09149784619342993569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11032459.post-53104307452729137002009-08-24T18:06:55.712-05:002009-08-24T18:06:55.712-05:00Mary,
What's funny is that throughout the Afg...Mary,<br /><br />What's funny is that throughout the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars veterans' care has deteriorated yet little was said about how that might demoralize a veteran and lead him or her to believe that the very people s/he had fought to protect, had been wounded to protect, were encouraging him or her to kill himself or allow him or herself to die.<br /><br />If you'd read the pamphlet, you'd realize how ridiculous your arguments are. You can't be forced to devalue your life if you're not already there. That speaks to a need for more and better psychological care for our veterans, not encouraging ignorance about one's medical choices.JJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01498330531771785302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11032459.post-39326792513802632092009-08-24T18:03:25.557-05:002009-08-24T18:03:25.557-05:00You are painfully foolish and misguided. Have you ...You are painfully foolish and misguided. Have you actually read "Your Life, Your Choices"? There is an entire section on discussing your deeply held religious/moral beliefs with the person you have charged with managing your health care if you cannot. The book doesn't encourage thinking about ending your life, but on communicating how you would like that end to arrive: Either with the most medical intervention that will keep you alive indefinitely or as little as possible that will allow you to go on to your reward (or not) as peacefully as possible.<br /><br />@ Rose's Blog: The pamphlet, IF YOU READ IT, has nothing to do with euthanasia which, frankly, should be an individual's choice to make anyway. This begs the question: Do you know what euthanasia is? Is MORE THAN refusing care; it's actively seeking someone who is terminally ill's death in a peaceful way. (Which is also not wrong, if the person being euthanized requested it and cannot perform it him/herself.)<br /><br />This isn't a debate you are having, but a demonization of people with different viewpoints using misinformation, inflammatory language and wilfull ignorance. Good luck with that.JJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01498330531771785302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11032459.post-61029698110071663872009-08-24T15:11:18.761-05:002009-08-24T15:11:18.761-05:00Thank you, Rose.
"Anonymous"--
There&#...Thank you, Rose.<br /><br />"Anonymous"--<br /><br />There's a difference between making out a living will and being encouraged to believe that you're a burden to others and create doubt in a veteran's mind about the value of his or her life. <br /><br />I think that's probably why Tammy Duckworth said that the VA death book is being revised. There are problems with it. Inexcusable that it remains online, even with that lame disclaimer that was slapped on it a couple of days ago. <br /><br />Certainly, the Terri Schiavo tragedy and her court-sanctioned execution should have brought the importance of having a living will to the public's attention.Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09149784619342993569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11032459.post-63344933976640114142009-08-23T21:45:33.965-05:002009-08-23T21:45:33.965-05:00Rose, these aren't crazy ideas from the sixtie...Rose, these aren't crazy ideas from the sixties that people are trying to push on us. These are personal choices that are standard in living wills. If you want every kind of intervention, regardless of your condition, that's fine. Write it down so others know. If you don't, again fine. Write it down so others know. Makes sense to me. Best to do it ahead of time while you can.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11032459.post-33329565940594036822009-08-23T10:12:39.835-05:002009-08-23T10:12:39.835-05:00Great blog. Well written. Thanks for the good in...Great blog. Well written. Thanks for the good information. I just listened to Fox News Sunday and this is the first I've heard of this booklet. I thought maybe it was about do not resuscitate decisions but this is active euthanasia. You know, I kind of thought all those crazy ideas of the 60's disappeared but these people have held on to them and are determined to implement them into society.Rose's Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03274726176008973369noreply@blogger.com