March 31, 2005

Street Talk by Carol Rosen

What are your thoughts about the Florida woman, Terri Schiavo, who is said to be in a persistent vegetative state, and whose parents went to the Supreme Court to reverse her husband’s wishes to disconnect her feeding tube?
(Asked at Old Almaden Shopping Center)

“Everyone has an opinion and my opinion is that these things take the wisdom of Solomon. My wife had a sister in the same situation so she has insight into these same issues. My father was on a drip tube with sugar that was disconnected in a Catholic nursing home on the recommendation of a nun. I’m not going to take sides until I have to decide for myself. My wife and I have had living wills for a long time.”

Andy Leach, 68
Almaden
Retired

“I feel like the situation is getting a lot of publicity that it doesn’t really need. It’s great that people have strong opinions and want to show them, but the decision is up to the family—her husband and her parents. Protesters will not change the situation. I think some of the media [circus] was OK in the beginning, but not now. Every news channel on television last night covered it. It’s too much publicity for this case. It’s a private issue for the family, they are the ones to decide, not the public.”

Ali LaVelle, 15
Almaden
Student at Presentation High School

“I haven’t been following it that much, but the whole situation is kind of horrible. The Republican Party is using it to their own advantage. It’s odd, I don’t question their values, but it seems like they’re milking the situation for all it’s worth.”

Stephen Cattaneo, 25
Santa Teresa
Starbucks employee

“I think the situation has been given far too much attention. It’s her husband’s decision and the correct one. She will never get well. Even if she regains consciousness, she would still be like a vegetable. I don’t think the politicians have any business getting into her situation. If they think it’s wrong, then they should pass a law for the next time. But it’s a little late [for her] and I don’t think they belong with this particular incident.”

Marion Dadisman, 60ish
Almaden
Retired

“I don’t think the entire story has been told. She had an eating disorder and she needed to be treated then! Her husband is a nurse and he did lots of her treatments earlier. I think he didn’t come to the decision lightly and she’s brain dead, so why keep her alive?”

Seth Winkenwerder, 17
Almaden
Student at Pioneer High School

“I think it’s a really sad situation. But they took her off the feeding tube 10 days ago. She’s brain dead, let her die with some dignity. I don’t think that the politicians should have gotten involved at all.”

Jamie Hopper, 18
Almaden
Student at Pioneer High School