Serious and Manly

We passed a milestone in this house today. The boy, as he is fondly known to the dog, used a razor for the first time.

This evening, with his good arm in a cast from a bike wipe-out last weekend, he took a razor in his left hand and shaved his upper lip and chin. He had tutoring from me. Trudy did the photo documentation (despite his protestations).

He only got two nicks. And he emerged from the bathroom a cleanly shaven man.

Later in the evening, his grandmother made some comment about it. I don't remember what she said, but it was something like he could start being serious and manly and... Well even if that's not exactly what she said, her comments were something to that effect.

Yes, he agreed. And I can also continue reading my Swedish fairy tales!

Serious and manly, just like his father.

11:01:25 PM   permalink: []   feedback:   comments: []  

Terry Schaivo

I confess, I've not been particularly interested in following the Terry Schaivo case up to now. But the nature of the case has changed pretty significantly now that our illustrious legislators in Washington have decided to step in. The case has assumed constitutional dimensions.

Attorney Andrew Cohen, a legal analyst at CBS, presents the issues clearly. (The article is well done. It is a series of questions and answers and is worth the read.)

Cohen/Trial By Legislation: there is no other way to put it: this is the most blatant and egregious power-grab by one branch over another in my lifetime. Congress is intruding so far into the power of the judiciary, on behalf of a single family, that it is breathtaking.

Lean Left summarizes it.

Lean Left/Congress Vacates Constitutional Rule: It is not overreacting to say that the future of our country as a nation at liberty hangs significantly in the balance of this one otherwise unremarkable withdrawal of treatment case. ... we're one bad Court decision away from losing any hope of retaining even the limited rights of personal self-determination that have been fought for so hard and so long.

In the interest of civility, I'll bite my tongue on my view of Congress's latest move.

Let's just say, we live in interesting times.

Update: Juan Cole points out the ways in which this action on the part of the Congress is similar the resurrection of the once-abandonned aspect of Islamic law called, hisba.

Informed Comment/Islamization of the Rebublican Party: One of the most objectionable features of this fundamentalist tactic is that persons without standing can interfere in private affairs. Perfect strangers can file a case about your marriage, because they represent themselves as defending a public interest (the upholding of religion and morality).

Terri Schiavo's husband is her legal guardian. Her parents have not succeeded in challenging this status of his. As long as he is the guardian, the decision on removing the feeding tubes is between him and their physicians.

LeanLeft/Futile Treatment, the Right to Decline Treatment and Hypocrisy: The Supreme Court ... has gradually recognized that all competent adults not only have the right to decline any and all medical treatments... This is the basis for "living wills". Importantly, though, the Court has also held that any clear and convincing evidence of the patient's wishes may be taken as binding, even if explicit directions regarding healthcare had not been written down ...

The guiding principle in the case - that patients' wishes will be acted on when they are known ... is long established and is a vital part of seeing that patients have as much control over their own care as possible... It is that principle that is threatened by Schiavo's parents and by Congressional intervention in this case...

10:36:49 PM   permalink: []   feedback:   comments: []