Remember Haleigh Poutre. She’s the little girl who was nearly beaten to death by her stepfather and then nearly killed by her doctors and the state in their attempts to remove her from her ventilator. But due to the thanks of many, Haleigh Poutre is alive.
Haleigh awoke from her vegetative state and is now writing her name, brushing her hair, and even feeding herself.
This is must-see video. It will break your heart and inspire you but most of all I hope it reminds us all to never accept the culture of death.
HT Culture 11
November 22, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Truth always seems to speak the loudest from the lives of children. I hate the term ‘vegetative state’ it’s just like the word abortion, it dehumanizes the reality of humanity.
November 24, 2008 at 8:24 pm
(NOTE: I was going to post this on my own blog, but realized that it would not be allowed by Diocesan Blog Policy, my hope is CMR does not mind the long post, and perhaps can even make use of this moment for an article)
Did the 2008 Presidential Election settle the “race issues” in the United States?
I mean this title to be provocative. After a number of praises from various civil leaders, activists, ecclesial leaders, and foreign leaders, about historic nature of an African American president (which it has — non c’e’ any doubt about that), and that this has once and for all settled the “race issues” in the United States — I need to ask — has it really settled this issue? This inquiry is based on one simple observation: Mr. Barack H. Obama only won the election by a margin of seven percent points (52.8% for Mr. Obama vs. 45.9% for Mr. McCain of the popular vote).
I will grant that Mr. Obama ran a much better campaign than Mr. McCain did. He was much more prepared for the debates, his campaign team did a better job of preparing his vice-presidential candidates, and he did a better job of managing (perhaps manipulate is a better word) the news media.
Setting all campaign strategy and policy positions aside, I can also acknowledge that he appeal much more to contemporary American sensibilities. He has hailed the words from the 1992 presidential election well, “It’s the economy stupid,” appealing to our financial interests. He is young and charismatic. He was even good at tuning into what appeals to us. His mantras of “change” and “freedom of choice” indicate this.
Yet – he only won the election by seven percentage points!?!?
Looking at all the reasons above I think most people would expect that Mr. Obama would have won by a landside instead of seven stingy points. There is one factor not mentioned above, and that is race.
Perhaps the nation is not over the “race issue?” Looking at a map of the Electoral College results would seem to strongly indicate this. Solid support for McCain cuts straight through the Old South, with the exception of Virginia and North Carolina. These exceptions though have gone through significant demographic shifts in the previous decade, and so are easily explained.
I do not mean to call into doubt Mr. Obama’s fitness to be president. Clearly seven percent more American think he is more fit than Mr. McCain. What I mean to do is call attention to how the issue of race may have affected this election. Perhaps instead of burying the “race issue” and pretending that it has be resolved, it would be far better to bring it to the fore-front, when it seems like both parties would like to finally address it.