The inaccurate blogosphere
Posted by Joshua Claybourn on 21 March 2005 | 15 responses
Several bloggers are erroneously reporting that Congress has passed a bill to reinsert Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube. But as you can see from reading the bill that the President just signed, Congress has merely created a cause of action in federal courts and given it jurisdiction over the case. I examine the constitutionality of the bill here. The federal courts may ultimately decide the same outcome as the Florida state courts. Below is a list of media outlets and blogs that are misrepresenting the bill. I will continually update the post, and feel free to point to sloppy bloggers/reporters in the comments.
- Best of the Web: “In an extraordinary midnight session, the House voted 203-58 to approve a bill to restore her feeding tube–removed last week by order of a Florida judge–and grant the federal courts jurisdiction over her case.”
- Notes from Dick: “The ‘value’ driven politicians in congress passed an emergency bill last night requesting the feeding resume for Terri Schiavo.”
- BlogsforTerri: After the President signed the bill, this blog headlined its post, “Terri’s feeding tube will be reinserted.” Maybe, but that’s up to the judge, not Congress.
- corrente: This blog incorrectly calls the bill an unconstitutional “bill of attainder” and suggests Congress cannot intervene in state courts, even though that happens relatively frequently.
- The Modern American: “They have given themselves the power to determine life or death over any individual they so choose.” Not exactly. They have given themselves the power to determine jurisdiction, a power they had already had.
- RockPaperScissors: Erroneously re-posts the Best of the Web summary.
- Two or Three: This blog also re-posts the Best of the Web summary.
- KarensKorner: “Judge Greer is in contempt of Congress.He told the hospice to remove terri’s feeding tube and to leave it out until Terri is dead! This after Congress ruled otherwise.” Congress didn’t rule anything of the sort.
- damnum absque injuria: This blogger actually accuses Michael Schiavo of previously attempting to strangle Terri without any evidence whatsoever.
In an unrelated note, here’s the complaint filed by Terri Schiavo’s parents.
Update: Best of the Web runs a correction.
15 Responses to “The inaccurate blogosphere”
One blogger, Xrlq, claimed that Michael Schiavo tried to strangle his wife. When I confronted him for proof, he said he didn’t have any but he basically didn’t care because Schiavo is a bad person.
Numerous bloggers are erroneously reporting that no CAT scan was ever done on Terri Schiavo.
I heard a weird argument that said the federal government is overstepping its bounds on the Schiavo issue to the loss of states rights, but jurisdictionally there are countless examples of times where the federal government takes juridictional control over a state and vice versa. The Schiavo matter hardly seems original.
I think it’s original in that it’s targeted at a single person, and that has rarely, if ever, happened before. Typically it’s targeted at a group of people or a group of actions.
Joel and you both misrepresent my position. The Schindlers have alleged that Michael Schiavo attempted to strangle Terri. I have not made any such factual statements myself. What I did do is allude to the possibility in an obviously fake quote purporting to be by Schiavo himself. Apparently, in Joel’s mind, discussing the possibility at all without proof only Michael Schiavo himself could produce (and won’t, obviously) is tantamount to leveling the accusation myself.
I didn’t expect better from Joel, but I did expect better from you, Josh.
With all due respect, the quote is far from obvious. I also fail to see the value or legitimacy in faking a quote that claims attempted murder. Such suggestions are serious and shouldn’t be taken lightly. I don’t expect better from some bloggers, but I do expect better from you, Xrlq.
Far from obvious?! Are you serious? Do you even read the quote in full?
If you really think anyone with an IQ above room temperature is going to interpret my entry as a serious Schiavo quote – or as one intended to be received as such – then the least you could do is invite your readers to make that determination for themselves after reading it in its entirety. I seriously doubt that more than a few of your readers, mine, or anyone else’s will believe a quote purporting to be from Schiavo is legit which has him referring to himself as “Mikey,” using such colloquialisms and “‘cuz” and “K?” or ending the statement by asking what this world is coming to when a man can’t kill his wife in peace.
If you think my cracks were unfunny, or that sarcasm was inappropriate, fine. Those are fair criticisms, but treating an obviously sarcastic statement as though it were anything but that is not.
Xrlq once posted another attorney’s bar information and tried to associate that information we me, so I don’t consider his ethics to be all that outstanding.
I don’t feel that I misrepresented his position at all.
Ah, yes, I almost forgot about your threat to bring a frivolous suit against Dean Esmay over a comment he didn’t even make himself, and probably would have deleted in due course if you had left well enough alone. I’m surprised that you are so eager to bring that up.
Xrlq,
Yes, but my comment was an instant and fairly natural response to being accused of being a pedophile pastor. I might have even apologized except that Rosemary Esmay then ran a post claiming that I had threatened the life of their son. What you did took planning.
Thanks for answering my question Josh! I haven’t been online much at all today due to “life,” but no one seemed to know whether or not Terri had her tube in.
Sorry if I also appeared a little “heated” at you in regards to your view on Terri. That was inappropiate of me and…yeah, wasn’t exactly a great way to express appreciation for a brother in Christ.
Anyways, I have to check 60 other blogs before going to bed so God bless and I’ll catch your blog tomorrow..er…today.
Hmm…my comment didn’t show. That was weird. Thanks for answering my question…I was wondering whether or not she had her tube reinserted.
And thanks for keeping us all acountable in regards to “the facts.” And if I got heated at you, forgive me for that as that wasn’t appropiate. God bless!
http://www.codeblueblog.blogspot.com?
David Wayne of Jolly Blogger claims that it is a concerted criminal conspiracy to murder Terri Schiavo.
I find it rather ironic that those in Congress and the President are passing laws and giving the parents of Terri Schiavo numerous new appeals in their fight to keep Terri alive. Aren’t these the same group of congressmen who say that those on death row for crimes they have committed have too many rights to appeal their death sentences yet they’re creating new rights of appeal for the life of Terri Shiavo and interfering in the judicial process? Enough of the appeals. Let the poor woman die with dignity. I can’t imagine that there is any quality of life living in the condition that Terri Schiavo is in.
The following is an excerpt from the American Crisis, No. 1, written by Thomas Paine in December of 1776. Washington had the pamphlet read to all the units in his army. The words in brackets make this writing applicable to the current America Crisis facing our country.