I disagree. It shows that we have developed a great deal as moral, ethical, and compassionate human beings.

You either believe families should be free to make these decisions on behalf of loved ones, or that the State should make these decisions.

I vote for the families to make these decisions.

Again, anyone who thinks removing feeding and hydration tubes from people suffering from terminal illness or from people in permanent vegetative states, hasn't had any first hand experience with natural death.

Thank god for Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and the hospice movement, who continues to have to battle the right-to-lifers like Rabbi Sol.

And everyone here who says they hope they never have to deal with these issues, I can't urge you strongly enough to make sure you have executed an Advanced Care Directive, and that your loved ones have, and that you have all had a TAPE RECORDED--OR EVEN BETTER, VIDEOTAPED CONVERSATION about your wishes.

If you haven't got one, you run the risk of people like the Schiavo parents or the Rabbi Sols of this world deciding what is best for you and your family--which will mean you being kept alive artificially with extraordinary medical measures, like respirators, feeding tubes and hydration tubes. For as long as they can keep you alive.

As to the Karen Ann Quinlan case, yes she did survive after the respirator was removed. No, they didn't remove the feeding tubes. But to claim they thought that idea was barbaric shows complete ignorance of the case. They were in touch with Nancy Cruzan's parents throughout their ordeal, and very much respected the choice of the Cruzans.

It is totally obvious to me, Rabbi Sol, that this is just another right wing, conservative hot button political topic for you. It's also totally obvious that not one person here agrees with you, and is appalled at the way you are politicizing this case. That's why so many people DON'T support the stupid NRLC's attempts to shove their religion down the nation's throat on right to die issues. Too many of us have personal, intimate experience of caring for dying loved ones to buy the right wing political propaganda you are espousing, Rabbi Sol.