That line from Red October is running through my head again:”This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we will be lucky to live through it.”

Why? Because the Republicans are still counting fundie votes. They think they can control this, that nothing will happen and the base will be excited. But most of the base is revolted. They are horrifed at the sanctimony and the increasing rhetoric from people who should know better. Ignore judges? Kidnap a dying woman? Are they kidding?

Why has Terri become such an icon? Part of it no doubt is simply a reflection of the normal human tendency to respond emotionally to specific examples, rather than abstract generalities (Stalin knew his audience.) As a nation, we’ve also been media trained to respond to what we see on the tube. Like Pavlov’s dogs, who sailvated when they heard the bell even when there was no food in front of them, we’re now conditioned to become emotionally involved with people we see on television, even when they’re complete strangers — or fictional characters.

The crowd outside the hospice increased throughout the day on Saturday, as did the passions of the protesters. “Save Terri, please,” cried Judy Polasky, her eyes overflowing with tears.

She said she and her family had driven 26 hours from East Lansing, Mich., to join the vigil, arriving at 2 a.m. As she posed for news photographers, she held up a sign imploring Governor Bush to intervene.

“We saw it on television and felt we had to take part,” Ms. Polasky said, turning a scornful eye on the police who were guarding the hospice.

Today I happened to hear Bob Franken “reporting” on the scene of the solemn procession in front of the hospice where demonstrators were attempting to bring Schiavo a cup of water, intending to be arrested. Franken, as hush-voiced as a golf commentator on the 18th hole awaiting a crucial putt, described one of the scenes of demonstrators stepping forward and being led away by sun-glassed police as “poignant.”

The scene? A father being arrested with three of his children. Another child, age three, was spared, left to the custody of her mother. The father and three children–all three under the age of sixteen–were gently handcuffed and taken away in squad cars.

There was nothing “poignant” about this moment of togetherness. It was idiotic and irresponsible. If Dad wants to get arrested and spend the night behind bars with Otis the Town Drunk, fine, but don’t drag the kids into it, particularly children that young. Let them stay home with gran’ma as Dad and Mom enjoy a second honeymoon in handcuffs. Franken’s sentimentalizing of this pious photo-op is more proof that the so-called MSM is so cautious about being respectful of religion that it refuses to recognize the raw face of fanaticism even when it’s filling the camera lens. Practically nothing is said about the backgrounds of the nutjob organizers of these sickly pseudo-events, leaving the impression that is simply People of Conscience converging on Florida to bear witness and catch some rays.

First Quote of the Day:

“I advocate the use of force to rescue Terri Schiavo from being starved to death. I further advocate the killing of anyone who interferes with such rescue.” — Hal Turner.

Second Quote of the Day:

“Web Site Updates Temporarily offline.
I am traveling to do something important.”
–Hal Turner.