Pro-Life Wisconsin says:'We have really taken a pasting'

This exchange posted on DailyKos blog:

E-mail to Pro-Life Wisconsin

Dear Sir/Madam --

I read with dismay your recent press release regarding the death of Marine Staff Sgt. Chad Simon. Given your obvious grief over his passing and compassion for his family's loss, and in light of his great sacrifice to our nation, I was wondering what you did in the days leading up to his death in an attempt to save his life.

I anxiously await your reply. Thank you very much.

Matt

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Here is the response that I received from the hate group:

Dear Matt,

Thanks for contacting us. To be honest, we had been contacted by certain members of SSgt. Simon's family who were alarmed that he might have his feeding/hydration tube removed. There was not much to be done, however, as the courts had already decided his fate. It is still unclear what exactly was in SSgt. Simon's living will document and exactly what his wishes were.

As for our press release, it has been greatly distorted. We put out a release that mentioned SSgt. Simon as an example of why ethical end of life directives are important. We perhaps were a little too aggressive in pointing out that SSgt. Simon did not die from the wounds he so valiantly received on the battle field, but instead died after having his feeding tube intentionally removed. His family was not mentioned, nor was the hospice center where he received care. [Do you think saying he was murdered might have been a little aggressive? The release did mention hospice care, and was rewritten after HospiceCare threatened a lawsuit. -- Xoff]

The sad fact of the matter is that while the press continues to play games around this issue, we have service men in Iraq who have signed end of life directives that may be used against them if they are incapacitated. People don't usually think about these issues and it is very easy to check a box without giving due thought to the intrinsic value of even a severely injured Marine. The press, however, will be the press. [Here's the release; Read it yourself.]

I hope I answered a few of your questions. I can understand why you were alarmed after reading some of the press stories around this issue. We have really taken a pasting. [Nowhere near what you deserve, but we'll keep working on it.]

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Marc Tuttle
Communications Director, Pro-Life Wisconsin
(262) 796-1111
marc@prolifewisconsin.org

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One of several previous posts here on the subject.