Berlusconi is a d**k!

[annec]

No surprisethere then - but really.....
Italy faces constitutional crisis over coma woman | World news | The Observer

[Sally Donaldson]

Goodness I can't keep up with this tragic story. Only yesterday President Giorgio Napolitano was intervening.

NAPOLITANO SAYS NO TO ELUANA DECREE

Govt readies law to be hurried through parliament

ANSA) - Rome, February 6 - President Giorgio Napolitano on Friday said he would not approve an emergency decree to prevent doctors from removing Eluana Englaro's feeding tube in accordance with a landmark right-to-die ruling.

The article continues

ANSA.it - News in English - Napolitano says no to Eluana decree

Maybe the family should appeal to The European Court Of Human Rights.

[ram]

He (Berlusconi) seems intent on changing the constitution to give him more powers. This is only the latest example of his never ending conflict with the judiciary - in that Berlusconi is always right. All judges are communists -etc. What I find wholly repulsive in this story is that the Vatican has been on the phone to the government applying pressure resulting in Berlusconi saying that (even though we know that Eluanas brain only works in the motor function zone and nothing else and that it can never recover), that as she still mestruates - lucky Eluana could still have babies. Eluanas dad is nursing his wife through the final stages of terminal cancer and still is not permitted to lay his daughter to rest after 17 years. The Pope speaks of the mystery of suffering - its no mystery. She suffers precisely because the Church is opposed to letting nature take its course - parading photos of a young girl in its defence. Eluana is now a woman of 34 years old, unrecognisable from the photos we are subjected to day in day out, and a woman who made a living will stating her desire NOT to be kept alive in the exact events that have taken place over the last 17 years. Who is Berlusconi, the Pope or anyone to deny her her wish. Only her father and a handful of doctors in Udine seem to human enough to do the right thing, and they are being pilloried for it.

[AllanMason]

There are times when my contempt for the Catholic Church is beyond words.

As for Berlo, well, who in their right mind ever expects anything much of him? Clearly, he's in his line of work to make things easier for himself, whether that means passing laws to allow him to evade criminal charges or issuing a decree in order to get a Vatican potentate to stop pestering him.

The only positive thing I take from this story is that there are lots of Italians who seem to have intelligent, humane views on this case.

Al

[Charles Phillips]

Yes, but: there are a lot of Italians who feel so strongly about this case that "light a candle for Eluana" (a campaign which was promised for 17.00 this evening) has become really important.
I don't feel it is relevant for me to comment publicly on this issue, but I'm rather disappointed by equally unqualified commentators who feel confident to brand Berlusconi "a Dick" on this issue.

[Noma]

This bit is hard to defend:

Berlusconi saying that (even though we know that Eluanas brain only works in the motor function zone and nothing else and that it can never recover), that as she still mestruates - lucky Eluana could still have babies.

[Markcarter]

Originally Posted by Charles Phillips

I don't feel it is relevant for me to comment publicly on this issue, but I'm rather disappointed by equally unqualified commentators who feel confident to brand Berlusconi "a Dick" on this issue.

But he is "A DICK" in almost every other situation as well !!

Back to the thread. I was surprised to hear a number of people discussing it in the supermarket yesterday. The news was playing and everyone started commenting on how could they let this happen to the poor girl. At first I thought they agreed she should be allowed to die, but as I listened everyone was in favour of continuing to feed her. Their view was extremely naive, one person suggesting to just place the food in front of her and let her eat, why had they taken her food away?(As though the doctors had just not given her a plate of food).
I think if people were to see the state she must be in, it may change more minds. But we should never forget the hold the church has on everyone in Italy

Mark

[Persephone]

Originally Posted by Charles Phillips

I don't feel it is relevant for me to comment publicly on this issue, but I'm rather disappointed by equally unqualified commentators who feel confident to brand Berlusconi "a Dick" on this issue.

Charles, what makes anyone 'unqualified' to express their personal opinions on the forum?

[Ghianda]

Originally Posted by Charles Phillips

I don't feel it is relevant for me to comment publicly on this issue, but I'm rather disappointed by equally unqualified commentators who feel confident to brand Berlusconi "a Dick" on this issue.

Charles, I wasn't aware that a forum member's "CV" had to be "approved" before they could let their voice be heard. Have I missed something about the point of the forum?

I know i have only used part of your post in the quote, so if I am confusing a different point you were trying to make, please do come back and put me straight.

[sdoj]

is bound to cause offence to someone.

Winston Churchill said:
When abroad, I try never to criticize the government of my own country but I do make up for lost time when I am back at home.

Part of the reason he may have made that his policy was to avoid the uncomfortable feeling one gets when someone outside your family agrees too readily with your complaints about your mother, sister or daughter.

I have noticed this with Americans who might be fully paid up Democrats but would visibly wince when presented with Europeans pouring forth venomous words to denounce the ex Republican President Bush or Reagan.

I am a British citizen and although I regard myself as a republican I don't like it when people who are not her Majesty's subjects take the p**s out of her.

In this vein it seems to me that criticism of the Pope by non Catholics or of an elected prime minister by people who are not entitled to vote for him should be tempered in the same way as one would, if criticising a friend's brother or sister.