Tag Archive for decision

Let Some People Die?

The news is shocking–in New York it has been suggested that medical teams think carefully about who they give their limited number of life-saving ventilators to. If it likely won’t save the person’s life, the argument goes, why not give it to someone who has a real chance to live?

This sounds heartless, especially if the sick person is someone you love. But this is nothing new. It goes on in hospitals often, when equipment is scarce or prolonging life just for the sake of prolonging life, no matter what quality of life will result, is questioned.

I’m a product of that decision. In the 1940s, polio gripped our nation. I was 3 years old. I was very sick, because I had all three types of polio at once (we found out later, since nobody knew back then that there actually were three types). Iron lungs were scarce. It was fairly certain that I would die. So they gave the iron lung to another child who would clearly benefit from it.

Obviously, I survived. The ordeal was very hard on my parents, but I feel it was the right decision. Otherwise, it could have meant not just my death, despite my use of the iron lung, but also the death of the other child who was deprived of it.

My message is this: medical teams, along with putting their own lives in danger treating patients with the coronavirus, have to make quick, difficult decisions. They’re doing all they can do to save as many people as possible. I don’t judge their actions, because I’m thankful for all they’re doing.

A Book Worth Reading

An intriguing  book to make you think:The Confession, by John Grisham. I admit that the death penalty has always made me queasy, and this book tells me why. It’s the story of a group of people trying to save an innocent man on Death Row in the final hours of his life. Among those groups is the admitted killer, who can take the authorities to where he buried the body, if they’ll let him. But Texas (and other states) are tough on crime, and they had their man. His confession, hand-fed to him by the detectives interrogating him over a prolonged period of time, proves his guilt. What’s a governor and DA with promising careers to do, give in to bleeding heart defense attorneys and biased family members? And what should a minister do when the admittedly guilty man shows up on his doorstep and confesses? 

Grisham puts his characters into difficult positions, making them choose between what’s right and what’s comfortable or even legal. They are forced to make moral and practical decisions.  And we, the readers, are pulled into those decisions, agonizing with the characters. Whichever side of the capital punishment issue you’re on, this book is a worthwhile read.

Tight Jeans–Invitation to Rape?

Denim Day?!  How stupid is that!  Not at all when we look at how it started and what wearing denim today means.

18 years ago the Italian Supreme Court reversed a rapist’s conviction because his victim was wearing tight denim pants.  Therefore, (they guessed) she must have helped him remove them.  Therefore, ruled the court, because she had given implied consent, the sex was  consensual.  The women in Parliament wore denim the next day in support of the victim and protest at the decision.  Thus, Denim Day was born.

What does it mean?  Standing up for rape victims.  Saying that what a woman wears does NOT mean she’s asking to be raped.  That there needs to be changes in attitudes toward sexual assault.  As the Denim Day Campaign says, “There is no excuse and never an invitation to rape.”

Tight Denim and Rape

Denim Day?!  How stupid is that!  Not at all when we look at how it started and what wearing denim today means.

18 years ago the Italian Supreme Court reversed a rapist’s conviction because his victim was wearing tight denim pants.  Therefore, (they guessed) she must have helped him remove them.  Therefore, ruled the court, because she had given implied consent, the sex was  consensual.  The women in Parliament wore denim the next day in support of the victim and protest at the decision.  Thus, Denim Day was born.

What does it mean?  Standing up for rape victims.  Saying that what a woman wears does NOT mean she’s asking to be raped.  That there needs to be changes in attitudes toward sexual assault.  As the Denim Day Campaign says, “There is no excuse and never an invitation to rape.”

 

College Decisions

Here’s a thought: When the members of the Electoral College meet this coming Monday, what if most of the 537 votes are for Evan McMullin?  

Evan who?  You know, that Independent who got the least number of votes after “Other” (even write-ins got more).

Really, there isn’t any Federal law or Constitutional provision against it–so sayeth the Supreme Court.

Hillary and Donald are still irritating people, and some are worried about a government run by the very rich and/or inexperienced and/or people who have made their intentions clear that they hate the departments they’re about to head up.

I guess there would be an uproar.  But any louder uproar than the election of Donald Trump?  If the election is already decided, why do those people need to cast votes on Monday and Congress count those votes on this coming Jan. 6?

President McMullin.  What if?  I was just wondering…………

 

 

How to Achieve Bliss

“If you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue. Make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved and the need to judge. Those are the three things the ego is doing all the time. It’s very important to be aware of them every time they come up.” –Deepak Ch

[A lot to consider on this Thoughtful Thursday.]