The fight over the death of Marlise Muñoz, the pregnant and brain-dead North Texas woman who was left on life support for two months, appears likely to begin again soon at the Capitol.
A Fort Worth lawmaker is pushing a new state law that would provide representation for fetuses in court hearings — an idea that Muñoz’s family opposes.
A blood clot caused Muñoz, 33, to collapse at her Haltom City home in November 2013. Two scans taken at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth revealed that she was brain-dead. Her family immediately asked the hospital to remove her from life support, as her husband said she would have wanted. Doctors refused, saying that because she was 14 weeks pregnant, state law compelled them to keep her alive.
Her parents and husband recall the “torture” of watching her body deteriorate for two months before a judge ordered the hospital to grant the family’s wishes.
“We felt that they were pushing aside her wishes — pushing aside our wishes — and using Marlise as an experiment, if you will, to see how long the baby could survive,” said her mother, Lynne Machado.
The proposal by Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, would appoint a representative to speak on behalf of the fetus if a pregnant woman is declared brain-dead or otherwise permanently incapacitated. Krause is working with legislative bill-drafters and has yet to introduce a specific measure in the House.
“You’ll hear what the family wants, and you’ll also give the pre-born child a chance to have a voice in court at that same time,” Krause said. “The judge weighs everything and he or she makes their decision based on that.”
Watching your loved one deteriorate because there is a life growing inside that has no hope of survival. Does not get muhc more macabre than that.
So of course we can all see where this is going and what it could mean for women thinking of getting an abortion. It will not be long before Texas starts to assign lawyers to embryos the minute the plus sign shows up on the pregnancy test.
Of course once the little bastard is born, Texas could not give two shits about them.
Hahahaha! Cmon, Gryphen, now you are just making shit up!......Right?
ReplyDeleteJust what I've always wanted for my nieces and all the young women I know----to be an effing incubator for christo-fscists who couldn't care less about quality of life.
ReplyDeleteNice tort reform--Texas.
I doubt that. Texas's is so louded with wierdos. They think this is a blessing in disguise!
ReplyDeleteWhen pro-lifers start marching to protect children from hunger, abuse, predators, sex trafficking, when they enmass adopt or foster children, then will I believe that they are motivated by their Christian principles. They sicken me.
ReplyDeleteAnd what if the pre-born tells its lawyer it doesn't WANT to be born?
ReplyDeleteBirdbrain53
There re bible quotes that supports your premise. Here's one of them:
Delete"Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun."
Ecclesiastes 4:1-3
That is the most depressing quote. It really makes me wonder how many really depressed people seek religion because they are terminally depressed. Sort of like when I was a teenager and listened to sad music over and over.
DeleteThe ancient Chinese used to cry at a birth and rejoice at a death.
DeleteDamn, that's much worse than atheists with attorneys!
ReplyDeleteWhy would an Atheist need an attorney? Oh, right, we sometimes need to hire an attorney because a bunch of bible thumping weirdos show up uninvited at our door after ignoring 5 Private Property and No Trespassing signs. I've paid to get restraining orders against 3 churches, yet they still come. The loaded shotgun pointed at their pointy little heads seems to get my message across, although I'm thinking about inviting the next group inside so that I can actually "stand my ground", although I'd hate it if they they left what few brains they actually have on my brand new hardwood floor.
Delete12:54 Spot on. We have really irritated 12:26. What a stupid troll. For the life of me, I wonder why they show up. The last place I’d go is C4P or anything similar. One can only surmise they have a vested interest —maybe a Palin.
Delete12:54, 1:19, I was trying to make a joke, sorry you didn't get it. Isn't Palin always accusing atheists of coming after Xtians with attorneys? Would you have been less offended if I'd said...oh, never mind, if you think I'm a troll you think I'm a troll.
Deletehttp://woodgatesview.com/2013/02/18/stupid-in-texas/
ReplyDeleteThis perfectly illustrates how forced-birthers really feel about women. That they are irrelevant. It makes no difference if the woman is alive or dead, she is just an incubator.
ReplyDeleteExactly. This terrible double tragedy of the woman in the story Gryphen linked to is proof of this. I'm glad the family finally was allowed to give her the dignity she deserved.
DeleteYou know what is bad here in TN it takes about a year to get a divorce. We all know how bad divorces are the state will not let a child have an lawyer to protect them, during this time. This is just plain idiotic..
ReplyDeleteHer body is dying - piece by piece - the smell of death is upon the family members when they visit her in the hospital. I see this as nothing more than a nightmare.
ReplyDeletePull the plus and let her go!
Mistake above 1:12 PM Last sentence should read "Pull the 'plug' and let her go!"
DeleteIt's not at all surprising to see Texas following in Alabama's footsteps. There's a good Daily Show segment on this subject: http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/ouq3mw/the-unborn-ultimatum
ReplyDeleteYet another way right to lifers hope to bequeath “personhood” on fetuses. Sheesh. They all try anything, even this.
ReplyDelete"So of course we can all see where this is going and what it could mean for women thinking of getting an abortion. It will not be long before Texas starts to assign lawyers to embryos the minute the plus sign shows up on the pregnancy test."
ReplyDeleteNow, now, Gryphen. Don't you be spreading tall-tales about how things work here in Texas. (Pats him on the head and offers him some pie.)
The truth is, each woman of reproductive age will be issued a lawyer whose job is to shadow her every move. Ladies, the next time you forget your razor or shampoo, just ask your state-appointed lawyer to get out of the shower and bring it to you. It's not a bit creepy or intrusive and we are creatin' jobs!!! Woot!
Also, too, does anybody want 10lbs of frozen bacon? Since reading the earlier story about Huckabee I found out I'm a Muslim and can't have bacon any more.
Embryos need body guards to make sure a woman doesn't exercise too hard or eat the wrong thing. Pregnant women, we are watching you!
Deletesigned,
the party of so-called small government
There is no such thing as a "pre-born" baby. It's like another favorite male GOP term for a fetus: the "unborn" baby. I'm willing to bet that this latest male GOP legislator doesn't want universal health care, good public education, good day care provision, decent housing, environmental protections or a decent social safety net for the families of the "pre-born" or "unborn" or, what next, the "not-yet-born" or the "waiting-in-line-in-heaven-to-be-born." I am so tired of these people who don't give a damn about anyone who is in the here and now, parents and children and senior citizens living and perhaps struggling every day of their lives.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
All those potential children women shed every month from the time they are 12 or 13 until they are 50. All those potential children men destroy every time they masturbate or deposit them into condoms or useless (read: not fertile at the moment) women.
DeleteEvery sperm is sacred. And so is every egg. Lawyers for everyone!
"Pre-Born Baby" = "Billable Hours"
ReplyDeletewhen are these law makers going to put in place a program for all of these incubators? health care, good public education, good day care provision, decent housing, environmental protections or a decent social safety net for the families of the "pre-born" or "unborn" or, what next, the "not-yet-born" or the "waiting-in-line-in-heaven-to-be-born."
ReplyDeleteDrLager
Hell, they don't even want women to have maternity care--they want to pull it from health insurance.
DeleteThis guy doesn't give a damn about fetuses. He's got a shtick that brings in campaign dollars. Pretty much the same as a preacher that knows how to fill the collection plate. It's not religion it's simply a successful business. Grifters gotta grift.
ReplyDeleteIt being Texas, I'm sure there will be a law coming along allowing a fetus to have a gun as well.
ReplyDelete"Onward Christian terrorists! marching as to war!
ReplyDeleteWith the cross of Jesus going on before"
Yes, it is our very own American Exceptional Terrorists, working to keep women and other humans as powerless chattel.
Many peopel choose often to not continue to live a life full of pain. Wht would fetii be any different. WHO will be the first attorney to say so as a fetal rep?
ReplyDeleteMany people choose to not continue to live a life full of pain. Why would fetii be any different? WHO will be the first attorney to say so as a fetal rep?
ReplyDeleteThis is galling to say the least. How dare these people intrude on a family's already untenable grief.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter was entering her 8th month when her OB/GYN determined that 'the fetus is no longer viable'. As if that wasn't tragic enough for her and her husband along with the rest of our family, the state of CA insisted that she had to wait a few more days for 'permission' to obtain a 3rd trimester abortion. Those were 4 more unnecessary, cruel days for her to suffer knowing the child inside her was no longer alive. One of the options was carrying the baby to 'term' and delivering a stillborn. This may work for some in the born-again evangelical mindset but it didn't play in our family. The option she chose was an immediate termination of the pregnancy so she could begin the grieving process and move forward.
I would wager that the law was written by men who hadn't the slightest concept of what it would be to carry a dead child inside their body for several painful weeks more.
I have a lot of thingy's. May I have a lawyer too? Civil and business law. Oh and real estate law and family law too...
ReplyDelete