The courts will put a stop to this.
Psychologically, the mother may have been backed into a corner where she cannot comfortably accept the reality and inevitable outcome without a severe loss of face in public, and probably a huge reprimand from the attorney she is hoping will deliver millions of $$$$ in the lawsuit.
Lots of coercive factors operating here. Someone needs to find her an "out". That is what negotiations and mediation are about.
Exactly, Herat. Agree 100%. Professional negotiators (good ones) always strive for some kind of "win win" outcome that allows both sides to maintain dignity and save face.
Making it into a situation where both sides dig in and one side has to "lose" is never productive, IMO. The situation only escalates.
This situation has recruited such a social media following of supporters for the family that there is a real psychosocial/ cultural issue with "loss of face" as the family continues to "battle the courts and the hospital".
There is a way to save face, IMO. The family needs to take control of decision making in the ways that they can, and communicate that with confidence to the media sand their supporters, if they need to.
For example, to "take control", they could announce that they have made the loving decision to take Jahi home, and request support (hospital bed, volunteer staff, etc) from their group of supporters. That would give goal directed purpose to rallying "their" troops. And allow the family to both save face, and be in control.
They could announce that they will be making no further media or social media statements personally, or thru their lawyer, and that they need media distance and privacy to come to terms with the best way to proceed. They could explain that they are exhausted, drained, and need to withdraw for a while and focus on their needs, and the needs of their other kids, as they make decisions. And profusely thank their supporters, and exit the media frenzy.
Another example is that they could announce that
they (not the hospital) have decided to withdraw ventilator support. The hospital would be happy to confirm, at the family's request, that the family had made the difficult decision to withdraw support, and they would do their best to continue to support the family's needs as the family makes the final arrangements. I'm guessing the hospital would even do a joint press conference with the family, and let them be the speakers while the attorneys and docs just stand there quietly.
There are a number of ways, IMO, to get to a "save face" resolution. I really hope there are professional negotiators behind the scenes trying to arrange this.
I wish the judge had ordered mediators to be involved from the beginning, along with counselors (or social workers or psychologists) from outside the hospital. The judge could have mandated daily
structured meetings with a negotiation team that reports back to the judge every 48-72 hours or something. (NOT a yelling and shouting fest-- a structured and focused meeting, with ground rules, and an list of issues and topics to update progress every day.) The family, or the family lawyer, and a clergy rep or other supporter could attend, as they prefer, for example. That is how purposeful negotiation works best. The judge could have gagged both sides, and quelled the media frenzy. Or the judge could have put limits on what kind of press releases occur from
both sides, such as only allowing written statements released to media. (Maybe, I am not a lawyer, but these types of things seem reasonable to me.)
As it stands, the judge (IMO) paved the way for this battle to continue, and escalate. Look at the fiasco of Singer and Dolan bickering in front of a crowd of cameras-- good grief.
