Terri Schiavo Essay

891 Words4 Pages
People are easily persuaded. The way a story is written can make something negative suddenly seem like a positive. Your opinion on a topic can easily be changed after hearing what someone has to say about it – or after reading an article on the subject. In 2002, the story of Terri Schiavo monopolized the headlines in Florida, Eventually; the rest of the country caught up and the Schiavo story topped the news throughout the country. In 1990 when Schiavo was 26, she collapsed in her home. Oxygen was cut off from her brain, which lead to severe brain damage. Even so, Terri Schiavo maintained a heart beat and was able to breathe on her own. However, the only way she was able to stay alive was with the help of a feeding tube connected to her stomach. After years of living this way, her husband Michael Schiavo believed it would be Terri’s wish, asked that the feeding tube be removed. As her parents did not agree, a debate began between pro-life and right-to-die advocates. An article titled “Starving for a Fair Diagnosis” by Reverend Robert Johansen looks at the case from the pro-life side, while “The Time Has Come To Let Terri Schiavo Die” by Arthur Caplan focuses on the right to die. It is obvious that Caplan makes a much more convincing argument. Unlike Caplan, Reverend Johansen’s argument lacks clarity and crispness. His statements often stray from the point instead of getting right to it, which makes the article seem unnecessarily wordy and lengthy. For example, he provides his readers with an excess of background information on the case right from the beginning. Additionally, his arguments are redundant. It is obvious that Johansen feels that Terri has not had the necessary care to determine if Michael Schiavo should be allowed to remove her feeding tube, but he reinforces his opinion to the point where it becomes too repetitive. Also, Johansen goes off on tangents
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