Update III (3/19): Commenting is closed on this post. For more discussion, visit Evangelical Outpost.
You may also comment at VodkaPundit.
Update II (9:35 p.m.): Don’t forget to check Blogs for Terri and Terri’s Fight for the latest information.
Update (3:33 p.m.): FOX News is reporting that the tube has been removed.
Please pray for a swift and painless death for Terri and that she received Christ as her Savior before falling into this tragic condition. If her husband played a part in it, God will contend with him. But even his sins are forgivable. If God had mercy on me, he can surely have mercy on Michael Schiavo.
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Unbelievable. I accidentally deleted this morning’s Terri Schiavo post! My apologies to commenters and trackbackers. Oh, well. The good news this morning was that Congress called Terri as a witness to keep her alive. The Florida judge on the case has since ruled that she can be starved to death if her husband so desires. He does.
Here’s the latest:
The presiding judge in the case of Terri Schiavo ruled Friday that the feeding tube keeping the brain-damaged woman alive can be removed despite efforts by congressional Republicans to block the move by seeking her appearance at hearings.Pinellas Circuit Judge George Greer refused a request from U.S. House attorneys to delay the removal, which he had previously ordered to take place at 1 p.m. EST. Greer determined that it should go forward about an hour after another judge issued a temporary delay blocking the tube’s removal.
There was no immediate word on when the tube might be removed. (Source)
Also see Michelle Malkin’s post.
The following e-mail is from reader Jara D., posted with her permission:
I am a Christian. I was raised in the church, and after years of struggle and backsliding, I’ve finally come home. While I believe that you and your blog fans have the best of intentions, I believe the only thing this blog and other blogs like it is accomplishing is just a simple voicing of opinion and moral “high-horsing” (for lack of a better term). You can have all the opinions in the world, but not one member of any blog (or blog itself) about Terri Schiavo have either raised money for her parents’ cause, or had someone (or people) step forward and say, “I would be willing to sacrifice all that I have in order to keep Terri on life support.” And by “all that I have,” I mean a person’s emotional, financial, physical, and mental resources. Because simply, that’s what the feeding tube is…just another form of life support.Tell me this. Would God want us to live a life where we couldn’t lift our voice in praise? Where we couldn’t acknowledge the beauty that is all around us? Where we couldn’t even see to our own basic needs to stay alive to be able to do the things mentioned? I’m sorry, but the God I believe in is a God of mercy. Tell me how keeping this poor woman “alive” is merciful? What is life when you can’t live it?
I truly believe that had Michael Schiavo decided not to move on with his life, people who share your viewpoint would be saying, “Oh, poor man,” instead of “He’s a selfish jerk,” which really seems to be the way Conservatives like to deem this man. I personally do not think this man is selfish or a jerk. I believe he has done all that he could to do what is best for Terri. It’s unfortunate that Terri didn’t leave a living will. We don’t think to do things like that until we get older, but maybe we all should have one, because you never know when things like this may happen. And I vow that if, God forbid, something like this would happen to me, I would NOT want to be kept alive by artificial means. I pray that my family would love me enough to let me go to be with my spirit.
I know what it is like to have a loved one who’s in a vegetative state. I know what it is like to hope and pray that some day they will be miraculously cured, or that one day there is a breakthrough that could lead to something good, but the day never comes. I know what it is like to be physically, emotionally, mentally, and financially drained from this. I have nothing but sympathy for Michael Schiavo. Taking care of a loved one like that is HARD, and for all the proselytizing, not one of these blogs or its members, I’ve seen, have experienced what that man is going through. It’s easy to say what you think should be done when you’ve not had to live it.
My point is this: I do not believe that God would want any one of his children to suffer so. How can Terri die a “natural” death when our technology, great as it is, can literally keep her alive indefinitely? AND, who are we to deem what is “natural” and frankly have the audacity to say, “It’s not what God would want?” I am not God. I have no right to say what God would want and what he wouldn’t want in instances like these, where the line is not black or white. I instead ask for his wisdom, and that he lead and guide me to the path I am to take. I hope that Michael Schiavo did the same, though I am not going to assume one way or the other what Michael Schiavo’s relationship is with God. But whatever it may be, I believe that is in OUR best interest to not judge or criticize. Did our Father not say, “Judge NOT lest ye be judged?” God’s will is perfect, right, and it is just. He knows what is going to happen. Whether Terri’s feeding tube stays or goes, I know that it will be what GOD wants.
Again, I think you and blogs like this are well-intentioned. But what I feel is missing is a sense of compassion for Michael Schiavo, not just Terri, and for the situation itself. We are to love all men, as we are all God’s children. Do not hate this man because he’s trying to move on with his life. Don’t pray to God to save Terri. He already has her in his Hand. Pray that we may see and understand what it is He is trying to say to us. Pray that we understand the message behind this struggle. Pray that whatever happens, we THANK HIM for the outcome, and we THANK HIM for all that He has done for the Schiavos and the Schindlers, and for us as well.
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Unbelievable is right La Shawn. This totally defies the common sense factor.
The lunacy in all this is judges not allowing the parents to take control of her, claiming the husband, a husband who gave up that title the day he decided to be with another woman as his common law wife and have kids, has the right to make a decision.
Totally unbelievable.
The Congrees is in the process of appealing the judges decision (just heard).
How about having the judge arrested?
From Reuters………
House of Representatives leaders issued subpoenas for Schiavo while the Senate called her as a witness to congressional hearings to stave off the removal of her feeding tube, scheduled for 1 p.m.
Both the House and Senate also summoned her husband, Michael, who contends she would not have wanted to be kept alive in what court-appointed doctors describe as a persistent vegetative state.
“The Senate and the House remain dedicated to saving Terri Schiavo’s life. While discussions over possible legislative remedies continue, the Senate and the House are taking action to keep her alive in the interim,” said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican.
Federal law protects a witness “from anyone who … influences, obstructs, or impedes an inquiry or investigation by Congress,” Frist said.
Congressional aides said the protections are triggered as soon as the calls to appear as a congressional witness are issued.
Why does Congress have to appeal a state judge’s decision?
Why haven’t Terri’s parents filed for divorce on her behalf?
What is Greer’s stake in this? Is he that determined to be “right?” He’s acting like someone so invested in a point of view that they can not absorb new information or circumstances. Either that, or NARAL is lining his pockets or something.
Hmmm…
as a Christian it seems a living will that says “kill me” isn’t very Christian?? Sounds like you deciding God’s purpose for you as oppose to putting it in God’s hands (as the emailer quoted).
You are killing me Jara D.
This man (Michael) has been offered a few times to be able to move on by Terry’s parents and others so that they can take complete financial and physical responsibility for Terry.
Also, Please look at what Terry’s parents have to say. They have been trying to allow for the window in Terry’s room to be opened or to brush Terry’s teeth but Michael disallows this.
That’s not a will to move on. That’s a WILL to KILL and make Terry’s life tougher.
Terry’s parents point out time and time again that they have tried to allow Michael to move on by taking responsibility for Terry’s life. Unfortunately, if you don’t listen to talk radio or watch Fox News you’ll never see these points of views and you’ll feel sorry for the poor Michael whose done everything for Terry (false incorrect opinion).
The living will debate would be interesting, except that there isn’t one. This is all based on what her husband says that she “would have wanted.” Note also that he didn’t start up with “what she would have wanted” until he failed to secure $20 million for her care, via litigation.
It’s called “compassion” to ease a guilty concious.
Because Terri’s wishes are not clearly known, it is the legal responsibility to keep her alive. Because Michael Schiavo’s motives are obviously dubious, his wishes compel added scrutiny.
Terri deserves to live. Declaring your desire to die in extraordinary circumstances MUST recieve the highest scrutiny and a clearly defined litmus test. Why can’t we compel people who wish to die in this situation to have a will filed declaring their wishes? There is nothing stopping this from taking place, except those who do not want to see limits on euthenasia and abortion.
Each day that the litmus test is not put in place allows the few to chip away at the wants and wishes of those who abhor the wanton taking of life.
The absconding of personal responibilities and placing them in the hands of governments will continue to erode at our personal liberties.
Very good point Peyton. It seems everyone misses that point that he didn’t scream this on the day she was declared to be in this state, matter of fact, the reports say he was saying he would take care of her forever.
And how long did hse say he should wait before letting her die? Again, it really is disgusting.
Hope I’m allowed to post the TIMELINE from Terri’s web site. Hope you have the courage to read it JARA D.
————-
1990
Feb – Terri Collapses in her home
May – Terri discharged from Humana Hospital in St Petersburg, Florida.
Dec – Terri taken to California for experimental implant
1991
Feb – Terri moved to home with husband.
Jan – Terri moved to Bradenton Mediplex Rehabilitation Center.
Apr – Terri’s condition is assessed as improving.
Apr – Terri’s husband advised to move her to Gainesville Rehabilitation Center to receive advanced therapy to continue Terri’s recovery.
Jul – Terri moved to Sable Palms Nursing Home.
1992
Aug – Terri awarded $250,000 in malpractice settlement.
Nov – Terri awarded $1.4 million in malpractice trial.
Nov – Michael Schiavo awarded $600,000 in malpractice trial.
1993
Feb – Michael Schiavo denies recommended rehabilitation treatment.
Feb – Schiavo and Terri’s parents have falling out regarding lack of therapy for Terri.
Feb – Schiavo withholds medical information from Terri’s parents.
Feb – Schiavo posts Do not Resuscitate order in Terri’s medical chart.
Jun – Schiavo threatens Schindler family with lawsuit.
Aug – Schiavo orders medical staff not to treat Terri for potentially fatal infection.
Sep – Bob and Mary Schindler petition courts to remove Schiavo as Terri’s guardian.
Nov – Schiavo admits in deposition that he knew withholding treatment of infection could result in Terri’s death.
1994
Feb – Judge Penick dismisses guardianship suit.
Apr – Terri moved to Palm Gardens Nursing Home.
1995
Sep – Schiavo orders Palm Gardens not to treat Terri for potentially fatal infection.
1996
Jun – Terri’s parents obtain court order for access to Terri’s medical records.
1997
May – Judge Shames approves Schiavo action to remove Terri’s nutrition and hydration.
Jul – Schiavo’s engagement to Jodi Centonze announced.
Aug – Attorney Felos’s letter notifying Terri’s parents of action to remove Terri’s nutrition and hydration.
1998
Jun – Guardian ad Litem appointed by court to investigate Terri’s case.
Oct – Schiavo offers to donate Terri’s inheritance to charity if family agrees to allow removal of her hydration and nutrition.
Dec – Guardian ad Litem recommends the court not approve Schiavo’s petition.
1999
Feb – Attorney George Felos files bias charges against Guardian ad Litem.
Jun – Guardian ad Litem dismissed by the court.
2000
Jan – Judge Greer Conducts Terri’s Feeding Tube Removal Trial.
Feb – Greer Rules to Remove Nutrition Feeding Tube.
Feb – Affidavits filed by 3 doctors state Terri can swallow and is not PVS.
Feb – Greer denies petition to allow Terri swallowing tests.
Apr – Terri Moved from Palm Gardens Nursing Home to Hospice Facility.
Apr – Greer denies motion to return Terri to Palm Garden Nursing home.
Apr – Greer imposes restricted visitor list for Terri.
Jul – Appeal filed with Appellate Court to overturn Greer’s verdict.
Nov – Appellate Court Conducts Oral Arguments.
2001
Jan 25 – The appellate court upholds Judge Greer’s ruling to remove Terri’s feeding..
Feb. 8 – Motion for an Appellate Court rehearing or clarification – Denied.
Mar 12 – Schiavo petitions to remove Terri’s feeding immediately.
Mar 23 – Florida Supreme Court denies motion with the to review Terri’s case.
Mar 22 – Appellate Court issued a 30 day execution stay.
Mar 29 – Judge Greer moves up feeding removal date to April 20, 2001.
Apr 1 – The Appellate Court denies extending Terri’s stay of execution.
Apr 12 – Attorney Anderson files motion disqualify Judge Greer.
Apr 16 – Judge Greer denies disqualification motion.
Apr 18 – The Florida Supreme Court refuses to hear Terri’s case & denies Stay.
Apr 19 – The Federal Court claimed the issue was beyond that court’s jurisdiction.
Apr 23 – The US Supreme Court refused to hear Terri’s case.
Apr 24 – Terri Feeding was terminated.
Apr 25 – Schiavo bans Terri brother and sister from visiting Terri.
Apr 25 – Schiavo ex girlfriend (Cyndi) reveals Schiavo lied about Terri’s death wishes.
Apr 26 – Judge Greer refuses to hear new evidence about Schiavo’s lying.
Apr 26 – New evidence compels Civil court Judge Quesada to resume Terri’s feeding.
Apr 30 – Schiavo files an emergency motion to have Terri’s nutritional feeding stopped.
May 7 – Affidavit filed by Dr. Hammesfahr (neurology) states Terri is not in a PVS.
May 7 – Schiavo charged in the Civil Court with fraud.
May 8 – Schiavo ex girlfriend (Cyndi) refuses to testify for fear of Schiavo.
May 9 – The 2nd District Court of Appeals announces “Oral Arguments Hearing” date.
May 11 – Schiavo motion to negate Judge Quesada’s order denied.
Jun 1 – Affidavits by five (5) Doctors were filed stating Terri was not in a PVS.
Jun 1 – Schiavo excused from rendering his deposition.
Jun 18 – Schiavo files an affidavit that Terri is in an irreversible vegetative.
Jun 21 – Chief Judge Demers gave Judge George Greer’s Court authority to decide whether Terri should have any new medical evaluation or treatment.
Jun 25 – A three-member panel presided at the Appellate Court hearing.
Jul 11 – The Appellate Court ordered Greer court to conduct evidentiary hearings. The court denied Schiavo’s attorneys request to order Terri’s feeding stopped.
July 23 – Schiavo filed a motion for Judge Greer to immediately stop Terri’s feeding.
Aug 7 – Judge Greer totally ignored or rationalized all the evidence presented to him. Orders Terri’s feeding stopped on August 28, 2001.
Aug 10 – Attorney Anderson motion to disqualify Judge Greer denied.
Aug 14 – Greer denies request for Conducting Terri Medical Examinations.
Aug 16 – Attorney Anderson files a Notice of Appeal with the 2nd District Appeal Court.
Aug 17 – Judge Greer grants Terri a stay of execution until October 9, 2001.
Aug 20 – Schiavo files with the 2nd District Appeal Court to overrule Judge Greer stay.
Oct 7 – 2nd District Appeal Court orders Terri to be neurological tested.
Oct 23 – Schiavo files a motion to reverse the Appellate Court neurological tests order.
Nov 1 – The 2nd District Court of Appeals denies Schiavo’s motion..
Nov 16 – Terri’s medical testing plan will be determined before a mediator.
Dec 19 – Attorneys meet with a mediator in an attempt to agree upon the tests .
2002
Jan 18 – Mediated agreement failed, testing is back Greer’s courtroom to be resolved.
Jan 25 – Attorney Anderson petitioned the court for an evidentiary guardianship hearing.
Jan 29 – Judge Greer approved Schiavo’s motion to cancel the evidentiary hearing.
Feb 7 – Schiavo files with the Florida Supreme Court to overturn the Appellate Court’s October ruling which spared Terri’s life.
Mar 14 – The Florida Supreme Court denied Michael Schiavo’s appeal.
Jun 19 – Schiavo objects to the medical and neurological testing.
Jul 1 – Judge Greer conducted a 3+ hr hearing involving three issues:
1. Schiavo’s Plan to Enroll Terri into a Medicaid Program
2 Termination of Schiavo’s Attorney Fees
3. Equal Payment for Terri’s Examining Doctors
Jul 10 – Court Hearing again was for the purpose of allowing certain medical tests that were requested to evaluate Terri’s true medical and neurological condition.
Jul 12 – Judge Greer ruled -not-to-pay- Terri’s doctors for their professional fees to examine Terri. Notably, in a previous hearing, Judge Greer -approved- payment for Schiavo’s doctors fees.
Jul 22 – Judge Greer approved three of Terri’s desired neurological tests and rejected a dozen other.
Aug 28 – Judge Greer established the dates for Terri’s trial.
Oct 2 – Schiavo files petition to prohibit the media from seeing Terri’s recent neurological examination videotapes or airing the video’s to the public after they have been presented to the court as evidence.
Oct 2 – Schiavo petitioned the court to authorize Terri’s cremation.
Oct 11-22 Terri’s trial
Nov15 – Judge Greer conducted a hearing in response to a motion Attorney Anderson filed requesting time to investigate recent evidence suggesting Terri’s heart failure may have been caused by physical abuse.
Nov 22 – Greer orders Terri’s starvation death to begin on Jan 3, 2003.
Dec 9 – Attorney Anderson filed a ‘Notice of Appeal’ to the 2nd District Appellate Court.
Dec 9- Attorney Anderson filed a motion with Judge Greer to ‘stay’ the January 3rd feeding termination date.
Dec 10 – Schiavo filed a motion with Judge Greer to strike attorney Anderson’s motion to ‘stay,’ requesting a court hearing to argue his objection.
Dec 13 – Judge Greer acquiesced to Michael Schiavo’s attorney motion to conduct a hearing, which resulted in a ‘stay’ being granted, pending appellate resolution.
Dec 18 – Schiavo filed a motion with the 2nd District Appellate Court to overturn Judge Greer’s December 13th order.
Dec 23 – The 2nd Appellate Court denied Michael Schiavo’s attorney motion to overturn Judge Greer’s December 13, 2002 ‘stay’ order. Furthermore, the Appellate Court established filing dates and scheduled Appellate oral arguments to take place on April 4, 2003.
2003
Guardian Removal Petition Still Pending…
On November 15, 2002, attorney Anderson filed a petition with Judge Greer to remove Michael Schiavo as Terri’s legal guardian. The petition included a declaration of Adversary Proceedings, charging that Michael Schiavo violated a dozen or more specific Florida Statutes while serving in his capacity as Terri’s legal guardian.
Apr – Appellate Court Hearing.
Jun – Appellate Court Upholds Greer.
Jul – Appellate Court Denies Court Review and Stay.
Jul – Appellate Court grants 30 day stay.
Aug – Terri hospitalized under mysterious conditions, denied visits from her priest.
Sep – Emergency hearing to allow visitation and obtain current medical information.
Sep – Michael Schiavo ordered by court to give discharge summary to Terri’s parents.
Sep – Judge Greer scheduled October 15, 2003 for the removal of Terri’s sustenance.
Oct – 15 Terri’s sustenance removed at Hospice Woodside in Pinellas Park, FL.
Oct – 20 Florida Legislature and Senate meet in special session Terri’s bill is introduced.
Oct – 21 Terri’s bill approved, signed into law. Governor Bush issues executive orderr.
Oct – 23 Michael Schiavo announces plans to sue Governor Bush and challenge Terri’s Law as unconstitutional.
Oct – Dr. Jay Wolfson of Tampa, Florida assigned as independent Guardian ad Litem.
Nov – New Guardianship hearing in Sixth Circuit court.
Nov – Disability advocacy groups file Amicus Brief.
Nov – Judge Baird to hear case on Terri’s Law. Governor not properly served in suit, appeals venue.
Nov – Governor Bush petitions to remove Judge W. Douglas Baird on suggestion of bias.
Dec – 3 Terri’s birthday. Supporters convene at Woodside Hospice. Terri receives more than 1,000 birthday cards and gifts.
Dec – Governor Bush denied discovery in Schiavo v Bush. Governor denied subpoenaing witnesses.
Dec – 20 Guardian ad Litem dismissed by Judge Demers.
Dec – 22 Judge Baird rules that he will issue a summary ruling on Terri’s law without a trial. His ruling is withheld until appeals by Governor Bush are ruled upon in the Second District Court of Appeals in Lakeland, Florida.
2004
Jan – 8, Judge Demers denies petition for reinstatement of Guardian ad Litem
Jara D.
Read this message from Terry’s Parents.
————-
STATEMENT OF SCHINDLER FAMILY
IN RESPONSE TO OFFER OF MR. ROBERT HERRING
————————————————————————————————————
March 11, 2005 – It was with tremendous surprise that we learned yesterday of the offer to save the life of our daughter, Terri Schiavo, by Mr. Robert Herring. We learned through news reports that Mr. Herring, through his attorney Gloria Allred, had offered a sum of one million dollars to Michael Schiavo to let Terri live and return her to us – her immediate family.
Written words can simply not express the gratitude our family now feels for Mr. Herring and his most generous offer to save the life of our dear daughter and sister, Terri Schiavo.
We are not at all surprised that Mr. Schiavo’s lawyer, George Felos, will not allow him to entertain such an offer. It seems to us that the case law has become far more important to Mr. Felos than making any attempt to mediate the matter outside of the courts.
It also seems clear to our family that Mr. Schiavo has neither the inclination to discuss the matter with our family – as we have proposed previously – nor the desire to move on with his own life with his new family. After he has denied Terri therapy for so many years and denied our family any opportunity to help her, we can only come to the conclusion that he is not comfortable with the prospects of her regaining her abilities to speak and communicate to us the reasons for her collapse.
Clearly, Terri’s situation has touched the hearts of many people. Mr. Herring’s generous offer is surely one of the most incredible we’ve seen, but it is also illustrative of how good people can not sit idle when a grave injustice such as this is taking place.
We thank Mr. Herring sincerely and we regret that the spirit of his charitable proposal has been dismissed out of hand by Mr. Felos and Mr. Schiavo.
Dear La Shawn,
I strongly disagree with the letter you cite.
First of all, it’s not true that those of us who are outside the immediate family circle have no right to utter any opinion about the case. Whether you think the feeding tube should be removed or not, you have to agree that the issues the case raises are serious ones that affect everyone. How this case is handled is going to have an impact on future public opinion and jurisprudence regarding “right-to-die-issues.”
Second, the author says that God wouldn’t want Terri to suffer and then goes on to say that those who claim that God wouldn’t want her to be killed have no right to say what God would want. Leaving aside the double-standard, a Christian doesn’t have to try to speculate about what God wants. God has told us what he wants. One of the things he’s told us he wants is that we not kill. Thou shalt not kill, last time I checked, is still one of the 10 commandments.
Third, the author of the letter seems to imply that to want to keep Terri’s feeding tube in is to want her to suffer. Well, it isn’t. I’m sorry that Terri is suffering. I’m sorry that her parents are suffering. I’m sorry that Michael has suffered, if he has. So, yes, no one in his or her right mind would want to be in Terri’s situation or want someone else to wind up in it.
BUT to say, in effect, “I’m sorry you’re suffering, let me kill you so you won’t be suffering any more” has nothing to do with mercy as the Bible or the Christian tradition understands it. Biblical mercy means alleviating the suffering, not doing away with the sufferer. Not only that, but if it’s ok to do away with the sufferer, then there’s no reason to care one way or the other about whether he or she suffers or not.
Am I begging the question? Are we really talking about killing Terri Schiavo? Yes, we are. We’re all familiar with the bioethical principle that there’s no moral obligation to use aggressive treatment to buy a little time from an otherwise inevitable death. But that’s not what Terri’s feeding tube is doing. Nor is she “brain dead” as the media seem bent on having us believe.
Terri is brain damaged, but not brain dead, and, as far as I can see, being brain damaged does not revoke one’s status as a human being worthy of protection against attempts to take one’s life.
So, I go back to my first point. By speaking out about the Schiavo case, I’m saying that I’m against the murder of the seriously handicapped. Murdering the seriously handicapped for “compassionate” reasons is no better than murdering them to create a master race.
Adrian
Jara D. If you wish you can also see this letter offering Michael complete responsibility of Terry’s future need and financial obligations.
http://www.terrisfight.org/documents/SettlementLetter10-04.pdf
Jara D,
The one thing you said correctly (and by the way, going to church does not make you a Christian) is that we should THANK God. Because this is definitely a wake up call for those who believe in Him to choose life and look at how our complacency on abortion and other issues has caused us to try and serve TWO masters, of which he warned we can not do.
By the way, remember, He knew us before we were even born.
You might want to read your scriptures again.
One other point re: Jara D’s letter.
No one denies that it’s hard to take care of extremely needy people. Most of us have had experience of doing that at one time or another. The point is: is killing them the right way out?
I digress, for my point is this: have you ever noticed that people invoke the old “don’t preach until you’ve experienced it argument” (often without knowing whether the other party has experienced it or not) ONLY when they’ve already made up their minds that what is being preached against is OK? Note the implication: debate about whether or not it is OK is irrelevant and impertinent. Well, I think we should resist that implication.
When it comes to abortion, right-to-die issues, etc., we’re dealing with matters that affect everyone because we’re dealing with questions about how we, as a society, are going to regulate living and dying. If all we can do is bluster about compassion and appeal to our infallible personal experience, then we have no principled reason for resisting the bloodiest horrors.
Adrian
Jara, I applaud you for your courage to allow your letter to be posted. The group of armchair quarterbacks, who for some reason or another believe that they hold the moral keys to life and death, help me see the depravity we live with.
Maybe one day I can grow up to be a Moral Upstanding, all knowing Christian like Renee!! NOT!!!
Not when you espouse hate like you do Ken. You haven’t read one thing that I posted have you.
The best that we can say is that Jara was misinformed.
She held an opinion based on misinformation.
If Ken and Jara explore the postings I posted they’ll see they are WRONG.
“”"”Tell me how keeping this poor woman “alive” is merciful? What is life when you can’t live it?”"”" Excerpt from Jara D’s E-mail.
YOU tell me, Jara D, how murdering this woman will change your life and what do you care whether she lives or dies?
Obviously her parents do, if her husband was that concerned then YOU tell me why he snuck behind her back and started another family,(You who quote scripture so well check out the Bibilical law the says, Thou shalt NOT commit adultery and I believe there is another one that happens to be relavent here, what G-d brings together let no man put asunder) but you let the the ‘cat of the bag’ when you derided the conservative point of view.
You come from the Pro-choice party where is the choice in this case, it seems to me you people choose death in cases where the persons concerned are defenseless i.e., Babies and the disabled, who is next on your ‘hit list’, Alzheimer patients or terminal cancer patients.
This from the compassionate party accuse the ‘ Conservatives’ of being akin to Hitler and the Nazis, well surprise surprise looks who’s trying to euthenise people because this is compassion? Look at the facts you stupid liberal Moron , when they pull that feeding tube she will starve to death there certainly will be pain lots of pain, after 5 days or so she will become delusional and seizure ridden, then they will have to inject her with an anti-seizure medicine because this is what starvation does to a person. This is the lefts answer to everything take the easy way out.
Being a liberal has always been the easy way out it takes no guts at all to be a liberal, if you get pregnant have an abortion, easy, if a person is infirmed and you don’t want to deal with them kill ‘em,, thats the easy way out, if life is too difficult blame the “Conservatives” easy.
You talk the talk in your e-mail, but we all know talk is cheap but you when it comes to the tough decisions you whuss out. Typical Liberal.
It surely looks like we lost this one but G-d help us we will win the war.
Motor T
Initially, I was impressed that you would post this letter from Jara D. But, now I see that you posted it merely to hang the writer out to dry.
I think it is more disgusting that this personal family tragedy – this woman’s life – has been turned into a political football. The fact that Congress has continued their week of political grandstanding by ordering Terri to “testify” is highly disturbing. Next, we will have the pregnant women undergoing an ultra-sound appearing before Congress to “prove” the sustainability of a 8 week old fetus outside of the womb, in an effort to block her right to determine whether or not to continue with her pregnancy.
As Jara D. stated, at what point are we merciful? At what point to accept death is inevitable? I suppose if you had your way, Terri will remain in this state for the rest of her “life”.
Thank God my family and I have spoken at length about this subject and we know each other’s wishes. I would hate to end up as a daily headline on Fox News or the NYT – or worse, subject of some righteous blogger’s crusade.
So, while you are filing this and other entries under “Schiavo”, how about sending some money to the family to assist in her care or sending flowers or lunch to the nurses who care for her daily. Do something constructive with your passion to assist her family and the people who are caring for her.
Yea, I’m hateful and wrong, yada, yada, yada!!!
whatever ken…
but since Jara made a point that he is a “Christian”, it wouldn’t hurt to read God’s word as opposed to guessing what he thinks
If the truth hurts, so be it.
This brings out the ugliness in us?
Read my earlier posts Ken before just reacting…
Here is the jist again Ken since you can’t seem to scroll.
————
This man (Michael) has been offered a few times to be able to move on by Terry’s parents and others so that they can take complete financial and physical responsibility for Terry.
Also, Please look at what Terry’s parents have to say. They have been trying to allow for the window in Terry’s room to be opened or to brush Terry’s teeth but Michael disallows this.
That’s not a will to move on. That’s a WILL to KILL and make Terry’s life tougher.
So just because I do not agree with you, I am not a Christian!!! Please!!!
We do, as Christians, have an obligation to uphold God’s commandments in regards to suffering, living, dying. Adrian makes a brilliant point. Too many calling themselves Christians push Adrian’s argument to the side. It is as if they have tried to shape the Bible and God’s wishes to fit their argument. For those who quote God in favor of pulling the tube, that’s their angle. It is sad, and it undermines the greater message of God that so many strive very hard to spread.
Thanks, Adrian, for bringing up a critical angle that many miss.
…again you fail to read …GEESH.
If the truth hurts, so be it.
Renee,
I am sorry that you completely missed my point. Instead of getting the overall message, you chose to pick out one thing, and disregard everything else.
To make my point clear, the overarching message is this: God is in control. No matter what happens, whether you agree with the outcome or not, it is what God wants. That should never be forgotten. Don’t let your personal viewpoints stand in the way of compassion for ALL involved, including Michael Schiavo.
This case is sad all around. I encourage all of who read this to stop and put yourself in Michael Schiavo’s place, and then put yourself in Terri’s. To me, what is being lost are the PEOPLE and instead, this case has become a forum for people everywhere to get on their moral high-horses. Tell me, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?! Be honest with yourself!
Don’t be so caught up in YOURSELF and what YOU believe that you don’t take the time to understand where someone else is coming from. I know it’s hard when you’re passionate about what you believe, but until you have been in a similar situation, do not attempt to judge. Instead,pray that God move the hearts of those necessary to carry out his will, whether they be those on the side of Michael Schiavo or on the side of the Schindlers.
We all want what is best for Terri. What is best for Terri is not for us to decide, but up to the Father. If the Father moves the hearts of lawmakers to uphold the feeding tube removal, then that’s what is to be done, and vice versa. No questions. We may not understand, but it is not our place to understand. We accept, we believe, and we trust in Him and his will.
No you are stating opinions (and so is Jara) based on misinformation.
I am not going down the road of descrediting your religiosity.
But you lose credit the longer you go not exploring the information I posted.
Jara,
Your own post states what you don’t think God wants. Well I stated that God has stated what he wants and he also states, it is more than likely not what we want.
No one is saying this is not a bad situation.
Who mistook what eh?
Ken, this is, for most of us, about what happens when a person becomes inconvenient to have around.
Renee, give me a break!!!
Hey wall, how are you today…
Gald to hear
Yea Peyton, we usually put them in jail or they are homeless, or sitting in some remote resthome
Jara wrote, “This case is sad all around. I encourage all of who read this to stop and put yourself in Michael Schiavo’s place,”
I have Jara. You haven’t. LOOK AT THE INFORMATION THAT YOU ARE FAILING TO READ THAT I POSTED EARLIER.
Jara wrote, ” Tell me, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?”
What would I do Jara? I would have given financial and phsycial responsibility to Terry’s parents as they have requested numerous times (which you fail to recognize) if I wasn’t able to cope anymore with the expense of it all.
Jara wrote, “Don’t be so caught up in YOURSELF ”
Right Jara, Go out and explore the new information that you don’t know and stop being so caught up in your feelings based on misinformation.
Have the courage to branch out and learn please.
I would keep it with the Husband.
Remember the lesson learned here boys and girls, get yourself a Living Will!!
Jara,
You assume as someone else quoted that no one here has been in that situation ever. We know what assuming does.
You also assume that just because you find it HARD and Michael finds it hard (I am sure it is when you have another family, that’s hard for someone who has a so called “healthy” wife), it has to be hard and unbearable and therefore justifiable for everyone else.
Sorry, we are not clones.
Thank God for that Renee!
Remember the lesson (living will) because there are people like Ken and Jara who don’t take the time to inform themselves and make conclusions based on false information.
Hey Bak,
We are starting to get used to that in America.
“My lack of preparedness is obviously someone elses fault”
Just because it is hard and seemingly unbearable, is not justification to give up. That is human shortcomings trying to interpose itself in place of God’s will. God clearly tells us in His word what to do in times of dire distress and seemingly unbearable circumstances.
And yes, Ken, everyone should get a living will to ensure that their wishes are met.
Hey Bak,
I have informed myself, and my conclusion is the TUBE SHOULD GO!
Dear Jara,
What you call riding one’s moral high horse I call attempting to make a contribution to the public debate about a life-or-death issue whose outcome has implications for the whole of society.
I don’t have to be in the shoes of a man afflicted with a powerful compulsion to torture women to know that it’s wrong for him to be a serial killer. Nor do I have to be in Michael Schiavo’s shoes to know that what he wants to do is wrong. Let’s assume the motives are different: the serial killer enjoys killing, Michael wants to be compassionate. But this difference in motives doesn’t change the nature of the act. Murder is murder.
I don’t pretend that it’s always easy to do the right thing. Nor do I presume to judge the immortal souls of those who fail to do the right thing in difficult circumstances. We’ve all been there and, thank God, there’s abundant mercy to be had. My point is simply that the right thing doesn’t become the wrong thing when the going gets tough.
Adrian
I very much agree with Jara D.
Judging Michael Shiavo is an mistake, we don’t know why he has made the decisions he has. It is entirely possible that he is wrong, without being evil. It is also possilbe that he is right.
I also very much dislike the extra-legal means that are being employed as a way of getting around the law in this case. Use Terry as a poster child to change the law in the future if you want, but don’t write laws or employ congressional subpeonas as a way of getting around the law.
I have posted more on this here.
The woman should starve in your opinion (14 day agony and dying process) because what? Michael wants it that way? He’s been offered total financial and phsyical responsibility so that he can “move on” but Ken deems that doesn’t matter that one person should be able to decide to starve someone over the objections of the people who want to take care of her.
Boy. You sure exude compassion (evil actually).
Renee-
That’s why we have to go to such great lengths to CYA in these cases. It stinks, but it’s something that the erosion of our society has brought about.
Dave, Read my earlier posts with Terry’s parents information and timeline and press releases. It isn’t about Michael.
I apologize, I posted out of anger, which I should not have did.
I believe based on my own preferences, that the tube should be removed. May Terri Rest in Peace, and may God have Mercy on our Souls.
Very true Chris.
Self preservation at any cost is our motto.
Jara
Dave
Ken
Please go here, because you are missing the point by focusing on Micael’s desire to KILL.
http://www.terrisfight.org/documents/SettlementLetter10-04.pdf
Terri deserves the same consideration in the federal courts that death row inmates receive. More, considering that Terri is innocent of any transgression of the law.
If Terri were a death row inmate, or a beach whale for that matter, liberals would stop at nothing to save her life.
That is modern day liberalism for ya!
I believe a lot of people are sorely misinformed about Schiavo’s condition.
One reader of the court record said there was “no cortical function” – this is determined by measuring brain waves with the electroencephalogram (EEG).
And the movies of Terry following the baloon apparently could not be replicated. Even patients without cortical function can retain brainstem function, and some response to outside stimuli.
If ther is “no cortex” there is “no awareness” and “no thoutht”.
And Terry’s parents – God bless them – are sorely misinformed if they truly believe that Terry will ever get any better. Just not so.
And thankfully it’s not up to you Ken. It should be up to those who care…. Terry’s parents.
Henry Waxman called the efforts to save Terry “a perversion of democracy”.
They just reported they removed the tube.
Fox News just reported that.
Look, I’m not interested in judging the state of Michael Schiavo’s soul. He may be a saint for all I care. The question is whether or not it’s ok to remove Terri’s feeding tube.
Adrian
And that adrian would be against Terry’s parents wishes.
Commencing 14+ day suffering and very agonizing death. Televised.
Henry Waxman is an idiot, if he would spend some time finding out what is really going on instead of investigating Steroids he may have a clue.
Waxman himself is a “perversion” of Democracy. He is more interested in grandstanding and getting re-elected.
Adrian,
You hit the nail on the head with your earlier comment here. The point is how we as a society hadnle life and death. As it stands, we are using someones measuring stick (some man, any man, doesn’t matter what man) to decide what is a quality life, what is a worthless life, who deserves to live, who deserves to die.
This should be taken very seriously because as next thing we know, a spouse can use this excuse to kill their spouse due to depression, a cold, a broken leg, you name it. Some say that’s a stretch but 30 years ago this would be stretch also.
Makes one wonder.
I don’t know Mark, them steroids are a danger to society as a whole
, we gotta stop them wherever they are.
In response to Jara’s e-mail: Her defense is full of holes. First of all… there are children born with mental and/or physical disabilities every day. Would she argue that God would want them killed because they cannot physically praise God? You do not need to sing to praise God. You can praise God simply by existing as He created you. If you cannot speak and even have limited brain function, you can praise God by living. He creates all for a purpose. To argue that God would want Terri to die is completely ridiculous. God created Terri in His image and would want her to live the life He gave her. He definitely has a purpose for Terri. Terri is precious in His eyes… as are all who are mentally and/or physically disabled.
Janna:
Excellant post and this is the whole issue. The preservation of life.(period)
It is all academic now, the feeding tube has been removed as of 1:45 PM..
First lesson should be a Living Will. Because they didn’t have one this fellow should allow the decision to be made by the parents. His motives are suspect. Take the money offered by other folks, file for divorce and move on. Let her mom and dad take care of her. From the videos, its looks like there’s definitely someone in there. Give God a chance to do a miracle.
THIS IS NO MORE HUMANE THAN WHEN THE FIRST PERSON WAS MARCHED INTO THE GAS CHAMBER.
Well said stan. I don’t understand what the deal is to end her life, especially with her family willing to take care of her. With no living will, and only his word, would it not be wise to error on the side of life?
Well said Renee.
Absolutely, Renee. “Error on the side of life.” That is exactly and totally the point.
The feminist that’s left in me wonders if the sexes were reversed and Terry was a husband whose wife was living with another man and had children with this man and the husband’s parents were opposing her, if the results would be the same–especially if the wife had collected a huge award ostensibley for the husband’s care and then had denied care and therapy. Well, at least, the little judgie-poo who was so “uncomfortable” with keeping Terri alive will not have to be uncomfortable much longer.
Jara,
Another critique from your quote, “How can Terri die a “natural†death when our technology, great as it is, can literally keep her alive indefinitely?”
Yes, feeding people keeps them alive. I’d hardly equate that to technology.
Praying.
Ernest, I am praying too. I hope that something still can be done. I have to admit that my heart sank the moment I found out that they actually did remove Terri’s feeding tube. I wish Judge Greer and all pro-death supporters would try (from this moment on) not eating and drinking ANYTHING (not even water) to see how long they can stand it before they change their mind. What they are doing to Terri is horrific. She is going to suffer as she dies… there’s no doubt about it. But ultimately, there will be justice. Try standing before God having had supported something like this. I would not want to be in those shoes.
I am not stating that it is His will for her to die. I’m stating that I don’t know WHAT his will is, and whatever it is, that it is perfect. Since the feeding tube has been removed, then THAT is his will.
Compassion for all people involved need to be the focus.
I have read many articles AND the actual court documents involving both Michael Schiavo and Terri, and I based my opinions on not only what was presented at trial from both sides, and from my own personal beliefs. And I believe that he has done all that he could. Could he have given care over to the Schindlers? Definitely. For some reason, he chose not to. I’m not about to determine whether or not this was for his own gain, as that is not my place to do so! But for some reason, God ALLOWED the ruling to be upheld by the court for her care to remain in that of Michael Schiavo. Had He wanted a different outcome, He would have moved the hearts of the judges to grant care to her parents.
What’s being forgotten is that God’s hand is in ALL of this! MY opinion doesn’t matter and neither does yours. What matters is that God’s will is being done, whether you agree with it or not.
We are human. Our logic and reasoning is not meant to be perfect, nor are we meant to be infallible. But what we can do is follow, through our own PERSONAL relationships with God, what is right for us individually. What is right for you may not be right for someone else. Don’t blow what I’m saying out of proportion and take it to extremes. But it is not your right to sit and criticize and judge and determine that he or she is this, that, or the other. You do not know what that person’s relationship is with God, and are using your imperfect judgment upon them.
Cases like these have no black and white. Giving up isn’t always a bad thing; it depends on what it is you’re giving up. In this case, it is giving up control. Giving up control is the hardest thing we as humans can ever do. And I believe that Michael Schiavo thought he could do whatever he could do keep Terri alive and back to a point where she could have the quality of life she once had. And you know what, there comes a time when everything you have done in your power still isn’t enough, and you have to let go!
I have said all I’m going to say about it as what’s done is done. Anything I said or what has been said to “refute” me can be skewed to suit anyone’s purpose, as that’s what OPINION is all about. But again, I want to leave you with this. God has asked us to forgive. As forgiving is what will truly set us free. So if you truly believe that Michael Schiavo is wrong, then don’t hate him. If you believe that Michael Schiavo and the courts are wrong, then don’t worry yourself over their judgment, as God has already forgiven them. Worry about your own immortal souls, and live by example, not acrimony or accusations.
“What matters is that God’s will is being done, whether you agree with it or not. ”
WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!
God is not some micro-manager who dictates every aspect of every life and your theological position, based on what Bible I don’t know, is COWARDLY!!!!
God’s will is not always done!! We have this thing, given by God called FREE WILL. Mankind often does things outside of and contrary to God’s will.
You want allow a woman to be starved to death? That is an interesting form of Christianity you practice to say the least.
Jara wrote, “And I believe that he has done all that he could.”
No he hasn’t. He hasn’t given financial and physical responsibility to the parents who have been asking for the right to take care of their own daughter without his trying to KILL her. Also he has been taking negative actions like preventing doctors and nurses and her parents from doing simple things like brushing her teeth or opening the blinds of the window.
Jara wrote, “God ALLOWED the ruling to be upheld by the court for her care to remain in that of Michael Schiavo. Had He wanted a different outcome, He would have moved the hearts of the judges to grant care to her parents.
What’s being forgotten is that God’s hand is in ALL of this! MY opinion doesn’t matter and neither does yours. What matters is that God’s will is being done, whether you agree with it or not.”
If someone is about to be raped Jara, that is God’s will and there is nothing that you or I should so anything about it? Your logic is OFF THE CHARTS.
Jara wrote, “And I believe that Michael Schiavo thought he could do whatever he could do keep Terri alive”
Again. False. Michael is doing the opposite. It’s like saying Scott Peterson did everything he could for Lacy.
Jara wrote, “And you know what, there comes a time when everything you have done in your power still isn’t enough, and you have to let go!”
Yes. Jara let control go to the people who care about Terry…. HER PARENTS.
And by the way, If I ever see someone doing an unspeakable act….. I’ll be sure to criticize them even though as you say God has forgiven them. Because we have that right to protect ourselves from people who do unspeakable acts and we have the right to speak up and try to protect Terry just as Terry’s parents are trying to do.
Janet said it better than I. It’s Free will and we are allowed to try to intervene and affect an outcome because somepeople use free will for bad.
Sorry, La Shawn, but her death would be a tragedy. I’m praying that the evil people trying to murder her are thwarted. She needs to be cared for by those who love her, not by those drooling over the opportunity to kill her. There have been tons of expert witnesses that testified that she can improve with therapy. Would you wish for a speedy death for yourself if there was hope for recovery?
I’m praying that the Holy Spirit gets ahold of Judge Greer and Michael Schiavo and shakes them up good. That they’ll never be free of the guilt of the horrible thing they’re doing until they publicly repent of it and ask forgiveness. I’m praying that if there’s any soul left in either of them, that the Lord will grip it tight and keep them up at night fearful of the judgment they’ll face when they stand before Him.
I’m praying that God will open the door for Terri to get the therapy she needs, and will recover and the world will see what an evil thing euthanasia is — that people are not dogs to be put down.
No, I’m not gonna pray for death, because God is a God of life, and as long as there’s hope, life is what we should be fighting for. It’s not our job to look for death. It’s not a doctor’s job to pull the plug. Their job is to fight like the dickens to keep that person alive. Because it’s God’s job to take people when it’s their time.
Pray for life, La Shawn. …and have faith.
Jara, to answer your question about raising money – go to glennbeck.com and you will see that supporters of Terri have raised over 3.5 million dollars so far.
God Bless you, Jack Lewis! May Almighty God through Christ our Lord bless you for having the courage to say what needed to be said.
I join my prayers to yours, wholeheartedly. Matthew 18:19
“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”
I agree with you Jack Lewis. Let us join our prayers, even if it is just two of us.
Jara:
God cares about what we do/don’t do, and he wants us to do the right thing. It’s not a matter of indifference to him whether we murder or don’t, whether we rape or don’t, whether we speak out for what’s right or not.
How could we say that God cared about us, was merciful towards us, if he didn’t care about what we did/didn’t do?
Would you say the same thing in another case involving an act you thought was clearly and obviously evil, e.g., torturing animals or small children?
Just because you don’t see a problem with pulling Terri’s feeding tube it doesn’t follow that, all of a sudden, there’s no black and white, right or wrong about it.
Why not just say you think it’s ok to pull Terri’s feeding tube and give your arguments without trying to delegitimize the counter-arguments by saying that any argument in the matter is vain and presumptuous?
Why should it be vain and presumptuous to say that something is wrong and try to give arguments for it? Doesn’t Paul, who presumably knew a thing or two about Christianity, say this “do not become partakers of the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather CONVICT them” (Eph 5:11)?
Adrian
Thank You Jack for that wisdom. I am praying.
I’m just sick…can’t even imagine what her parents are going to go through. Why did her husband put them through this? Why didn’t he just be up front and call someone like Dr. Kervorkian or let them have her? It may be wishful thinking but if I could describe the look in her eyes that we all saw, it would be hope.
Jara,
I believe God is involved in this, as He is in everything. But have you considered whether He is testing all of us, which side we will chose, life or death.
As you know, God doesn’t stop bad things from happening. We are to learn from the terrible things in life. But that doesn’t mean we should just close our eyes to injustice either. If we fight to save those in need, then one day when we need help hopefully others will be there for us.
Lesson here is – if you’re inconvenient, we pull your plug.
“One reader of the court record said there was “no cortical function†– this is determined by measuring brain waves with the electroencephalogram (EEG).”
An EEG is not an acceptable test for determination of Persistent Vegetative State (PVS). That requires and MRI and/or PET, neither of which Michael Schiavo will allow.
It is true that God doesn’t stop bad things from happening. I believe that He makes the most out of the situations that befall us. I have a friend who was senselessly murdered last summer. He and his fiance were Christian camp counselors… living out God’s Will for their lives… and they were murdered in cold blood for no reason. I was completely devastated and heartbroken and very angry at the person who killed them. But God has brought great triumph from this tragedy for many reasons but also because of the faithfulness of the victim’s families. I have seen first-hand how God can take tragedy and bring profound good from it. Not that I don’t wish for my friend and his fiance to still be alive… but God can truly do powerful things through tragic circumstances in which you are helpless and powerless to change.
That is why I feel that this case with Terri is so important. We, as human beings, are not powerless here. We CAN make a difference. Our government can choose to save this woman’s life. But they are letting personal agendas get in the way. This is a preventable tragedy… so we need to be on our knees praying to God for Terri’s life to be spared. I truly hope and pray that God will spare her life and make her a living symbol for the defense of the disabled. If Terri dies… this will open up the floodgates of abuse to thousands who are currently in a state like Terri’s or worse. For example, what will people do with Alzheimer’s patients who cost a lot of money to provide care for? Will they “mercifully” starve them to death to remove the burden from themselves? This whole mindset of throwing a life away as if it meant nothing is frightening at the very least. Life is a gift from God Almighty! He wishes us to be here and what we do here determines our eternity. Don’t make the assumption that just because some judge in Florida can get away with choosing to remove Terri’s feeding tube… that it is “God’s Will” and that we ought not fight it. We need to stand up for those who cannot fight for themselves!!! Read this compelling passage from the Bible below… these are the Words of Jesus Christ:
~*~*~*~
“For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.”
Then the righteous will answer Him, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?”
The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.”
[Matthew 25: 35-40]
~*~*~*~
What’s even MORE compelling is what Jesus says after this…
~*~*~*~
Then He will say to those on His left, “Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.”
They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?”
He will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.”
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
[Matthew 25: 41-46]
Your faith and restraint is admirable, oh great LS. I would personally smash Michael Schiavo’s head in if I could. The guy is a coward of the greatest degree.
I believe in retribution and Michael Schiavo’s time will come, God willing.
that’s where our society is now, steve. the divorce rate is 50% and above because of convenience. there are millions of abortions each year because of convenience. people do what is convenient for them because it allows them to escape the responsibilities of their actions. if the stigma was still attached to un-wed pregnancy, it would still occur, but not at the rate it does today. if divorce continued to have the stigma attached that it once did, then the rate of divorce would not be as high. michael schiavo has come to the conclusion that it is inconvenient for him to continue care, or offer someone else the chance to give care to his wife. he has to be able to “move on” or seek “closure” to this. those statments mean leaving responsibility behind, not leaving behind the memories of his soon to die wife.
Peyton: “What is Greer’s stake in this? Is he that determined to be “right?” He’s acting like someone so invested in a point of view that they can not absorb new information or circumstances.”
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head, here. Greer wants to be right, and I’m sure he wants it to be over.
I wonder how he’d feel if he were conscious but unable to feed himself, and his life were in the hands of a stranger…
I’m an atheist, and I’m sorry to say, I have no charity for Judge Greer. May the same fate befall him someday. Michael S. too.
Read the “exit protocol” prepared for her previous tube removal. It is available at http://thrownback.blogspot.com. It is gruesome. It is not slipping away. It is torture.
Christopher Reeve could not feed himself or breathe normally. Why did everyone rally to him and not to her. Just because she can’t speak for herself, she is starved because her husband says she wanted to. From mere hearsay?
Whatever happens, I suspect that Terri’s husband will be remembered as the man who wanted his wife to die so that he could marry the woman with whom he was committing adultery.
Were were the women’s rights groups? Her husband just got away with murder!
Congressional Majority leader Tom Delay, and he said they (Congressional Republicans) will see this through to a positive conclusion, to that I say G-d Speed, Tom Delay.
Or in the Words of that great philosopher Yogi Berra, ‘It aint over til’ its over’
John,
I just heard Morton Kondracke on Hugh Hewitt’s show sat authoritatively that Terri is in a PVS. Actually, I’ve heard this several times today but the one on HH I can document. Where does this come from? Hugh Hewitt is still advising us to pray and contact the Florida legislatures. The other item is EVERYONE, IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO, HAVE A LIVING WILL WRITTEN THAT CLEARLY STATES YOUR DESIRES MAKE SURE THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE KNOW WHERE IT IS OR HAVE COPIES.
Praying for Terri, her birth family and sometime husband.
Just heard a congressman, whose name I didn’t catch, say that the President could call out the U.S. Marshals to stop it and save her.
Oh, I hope so! Anything that can be done to save Terri’s life ought to be done. How ironic is it that it is a crime to starve an animal to death… but not a human being? Well, technically it is illegal to murder someone… but why is it not illegal in this case? It’s just ridiculous. Where is the common sense?
If Terri were instead a convicted mass murderer, sitting on Death Row, she would be guaranteed that her execution be stayed for the next fifty years.
After all, executing mass murderers is “barbaric” to the left, right?
But “allowing” someone incapable of feeding himself is just fine. How long until “allowing” babies to starve to death is considered “extremely-late-term abortion” ?
There will be a great price for us all to pay due to this decision. God will only be mocked for so long.
http://www.helpterri.com
The family lawyer just said on Hannity and Colmes to go to this site (if you have not done so) and there is information on how you can support.
House lawyers appeal Schiavo case to Supreme Court
http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/18/schiavo.brain-damaged/index.html
I wouldn’t want to be in Mr. Schiavo’s shoes. Having experienced the death of a dear friend with her husband–my friend also–and other family and friends, it is a gut wrenching thing. This young woman went into cardiac arrest while undergoing dialysis. She was revived at least six times in the twelve days between the initial cardiac espisode and her death. We HATED the neurologist telling us that it was a lost cause. We prayed fervently. We read scriptures to her. We placed headphones on her ears so she could hear Christian music. We rejoiced when her coloring improved and the edema greatly reduced after dialysis was administered while she was in the coma. Even though her cognitive signs were fading, we were encouraged by every movement or response she made.
She didn’t want any extraordinary measures taken to save her life, so as she slipped deeper and deeper into the coma, her husband reluctantly made the decision to let her go. It was devastating for all of us, especially since we all believed that her particular sickness would not be unto death. There was a lot more ministering for her to do. There was a lot more living and mothering and preaching and being our friend and laughing and crying to do. It wasn’t supposed to be that way! But, at some point in time, life as we know it has to end. The knowledge that she was a born-again believer made her death easier to deal with as time went on, but at the time WE weren’t ready for her to go.
I feel for Mrs. Schiavo’s parents also. What they are going through is gut wrenching also and I imagine it has been magnified exponentially by this drama being played out in such a public way. We dealt with our situation for only twelve days. They have been suffering anguish for years. I believe that they are sincere in their belief that their daughter will be healed. I would love for their desire to become reality.
However, absent a living will, we CAN’T know what the arrangement between Mr. and Mrs. Schiavo was/is regarding the situation they find themselves in now. That is the sad, maybe even cruel, fact. This issue can be sermonized and moralized and whateverized ad infinitum, but the fact remains that WE DON’T KNOW, no matter how our passions may be inflamed. Legally, he is her husband, his conduct since his wife’s incapacity notwithstanding.
Curiosly, he hasn’t crassly taken the money offered and excused himself from the situation like some would have. I don’t know why. I just know that the feeding tube has been removed and the supoenas from Congress will probably be rendered moot.
I wonder what this all means. I am getting a headache trying to wrap my head around all of this. It isn’t a black and white issue. I am glad my parents have made their intentions known, so my family won’t ever have to go through such a thing. Keep all of the principals and this nation in your prayers.
Excuse me, but if I hear one more intellectually and spiritually “challenged” individual whine that this is “not a black and white issue” I think I’m going to regurgitate my large intestines up my esophagus and out my mouth.
Starving someone to death and dehydrating them is murder. God’s Word is incompatible with murder, which is to say that it is incompatible with the taking of INNOCENT life. It doesn’t get any more black and white than that.
It is disingenuous for one to pretend that one does not know right from wrong. If one is truly that deficient in knowing good from evil, one must be more severely brain damaged than it is alleged that Terri Schiavo is.
It’s called checks and balances…. Someone is always accountable to someone else and the federal government has a responsibility to step in when the states act a fool.
In viewing all the turmoil over this poor woman’s situation, I can’t help but ask “what about her family, her parents, her husband”? What comes first, the emotional needs of her family or the needs of the hordes of ideological demons feeding on this tragic situation of one family in that strange place called America?
Hey people, if want to know what Hell is all about I can tell you from experience. My mother passed away in 2000. My wife, my Dad and I were at her bedside the night she left us. Yes, I was nothing less than Ghengis Khan with the doctors and the hospital staff. My mom was still alive when I left the hospital — one hour later she was gone. So what did I do, like a friggin jerk and flew across country the next day on urgent NASA business. Do you people want to know what Hell is all about — it’s about the guilt I felt about leaving my family behind to handle the important stuff while I dealt with the trivial!
For God sake, leave the courts and the government out of this situation and let Terri’s family cope with a situation that we have done nothing more that make Satan smile!
Some thoughts:
1. What cognitive abilities does Ms. Schiavo possess? One side says a permanent vegetative state; another says she laughs and recognizes people. Which is it? Does she laugh at a point where a laugh makes sense, or is it more like misfiring neurons? Is she merely alive or is she capable of “having a life?” Does she have any hope of recovery?
Merely being alive is not grounds for continuing her sustenance. Being able to breathe on one’s own is not indicative of any active inner mental life. What do brain scans show? What is the real state of her brain (and thus her personality and her ability to have a life)?
2. “Only God has the right to take a life.” Odd, because everytime God’s natural world tries to take one, people seem to have no problem with us getting in the way with medicine. That’s for you, Jack Lewis.
3. No one is “killing” Ms. Schiavo. Refusing to treat someone and actively killing them are not the same thing – if they are, I hope we’re prepared to imprison everyone who stands by while someone dies in a burning apartment building.
4. I see a lot of talk of what a bad, bad man her husband is. Other sources I’ve read talked about him flying her around the country in search of experimental surgical procedures, of paying someone to walk her and talk to her on a daily basis hoping to spark her brain, and of going into the medical field himself to help others. You know, maybe he is an ***hole, but I think he loves her.
Everything I see here so far, with few exceptions, seems based on the laziest of thinking and the immediate falling back on of gut reactions rather than applying philosophical reasoning to the matter.
If Ms. Schiavo’s life is so important, then we owe it to her, and to others, to think thoroughly through the matter and not resort to platitudes, insults to this political party or that, and to reveling in how her husband will get his comeuppance from the good lord.
Bottom line: if Ms. Schiavo is realistically capable of having a life, then she should be protected. If she’s effectively a breathing shell, with no hope of recovery, there is nothing immoral about ending the life of the body her mind once controlled.
For those of you who think that Michael has done all he can do (like Jara) please look at the timeline again. It shows he’s done the opposite (everything he can do to KILL her).
1990
Feb – Terri Collapses in her home
May – Terri discharged from Humana Hospital in St Petersburg, Florida.
Dec – Terri taken to California for experimental implant
1991
Feb – Terri moved to home with husband.
Jan – Terri moved to Bradenton Mediplex Rehabilitation Center.
Apr – Terri’s condition is assessed as improving.
Apr – Terri’s husband advised to move her to Gainesville Rehabilitation Center to receive advanced therapy to continue Terri’s recovery.
Jul – Terri moved to Sable Palms Nursing Home.
1992
Aug – Terri awarded $250,000 in malpractice settlement.
Nov – Terri awarded $1.4 million in malpractice trial.
Nov – Michael Schiavo awarded $600,000 in malpractice trial.
1993
Feb – Michael Schiavo denies recommended rehabilitation treatment.
Feb – Schiavo and Terri’s parents have falling out regarding lack of therapy for Terri.
Feb – Schiavo withholds medical information from Terri’s parents.
Feb – Schiavo posts Do not Resuscitate order in Terri’s medical chart.
Jun – Schiavo threatens Schindler family with lawsuit.
Aug – Schiavo orders medical staff not to treat Terri for potentially fatal infection.
Sep – Bob and Mary Schindler petition courts to remove Schiavo as Terri’s guardian.
Nov – Schiavo admits in deposition that he knew withholding treatment of infection could result in Terri’s death.
1994
Feb – Judge Penick dismisses guardianship suit.
Apr – Terri moved to Palm Gardens Nursing Home.
1995
Sep – Schiavo orders Palm Gardens not to treat Terri for potentially fatal infection.
1996
Jun – Terri’s parents obtain court order for access to Terri’s medical records.
1997
May – Judge Shames approves Schiavo action to remove Terri’s nutrition and hydration.
Jul – Schiavo’s engagement to Jodi Centonze announced.
Aug – Attorney Felos’s letter notifying Terri’s parents of action to remove Terri’s nutrition and hydration.
1998
Jun – Guardian ad Litem appointed by court to investigate Terri’s case.
Oct – Schiavo offers to donate Terri’s inheritance to charity if family agrees to allow removal of her hydration and nutrition.
Dec – Guardian ad Litem recommends the court not approve Schiavo’s petition.
1999
Feb – Attorney George Felos files bias charges against Guardian ad Litem.
Jun – Guardian ad Litem dismissed by the court.
2000
Jan – Judge Greer Conducts Terri’s Feeding Tube Removal Trial.
Feb – Greer Rules to Remove Nutrition Feeding Tube.
Feb “ Affidavits filed by 3 doctors state Terri can swallow and is not PVS.
Feb – Greer denies petition to allow Terri swallowing tests.
Apr – Terri Moved from Palm Gardens Nursing Home to Hospice Facility.
Apr – Greer denies motion to return Terri to Palm Garden Nursing home.
Apr – Greer imposes restricted visitor list for Terri.
Jul – Appeal filed with Appellate Court to overturn Greer’s verdict.
Nov – Appellate Court Conducts Oral Arguments.
2001
Jan 25 – The appellate court upholds Judge Greer’s ruling to remove Terri’s feeding..
Feb. 8 – Motion for an Appellate Court rehearing or clarification – Denied.
Mar 12 – Schiavo petitions to remove Terri’s feeding immediately.
Mar 23 – Florida Supreme Court denies motion with the to review Terri’s case.
Mar 22 – Appellate Court issued a 30 day execution stay.
Mar 29 – Judge Greer moves up feeding removal date to April 20, 2001.
Apr 1 – The Appellate Court denies extending Terri’s stay of execution.
Apr 12 – Attorney Anderson files motion disqualify Judge Greer.
Apr 16 – Judge Greer denies disqualification motion.
Apr 18 – The Florida Supreme Court refuses to hear Terri’s case & denies Stay.
Apr 19 – The Federal Court claimed the issue was beyond that court’s jurisdiction.
Apr 23 – The US Supreme Court refused to hear Terri’s case.
Apr 24 – Terri Feeding was terminated.
Apr 25 – Schiavo bans Terri brother and sister from visiting Terri.
Apr 25 – Schiavo ex girlfriend (Cyndi) reveals Schiavo lied about Terri’s death wishes.
Apr 26 – Judge Greer refuses to hear new evidence about Schiavo’s lying.
Apr 26 – New evidence compels Civil court Judge Quesada to resume Terri’s feeding.
Apr 30 – Schiavo files an emergency motion to have Terri’s nutritional feeding stopped.
May 7 – Affidavit filed by Dr. Hammesfahr (neurology) states Terri is not in a PVS.
May 7 – Schiavo charged in the Civil Court with fraud.
May 8 – Schiavo ex girlfriend (Cyndi) refuses to testify for fear of Schiavo.
May 9 – The 2nd District Court of Appeals announces “Oral Arguments Hearing” date.
May 11 – Schiavo motion to negate Judge Quesada’s order denied.
Jun 1 – Affidavits by five (5) Doctors were filed stating Terri was not in a PVS.
Jun 1 – Schiavo excused from rendering his deposition.
Jun 18 – Schiavo files an affidavit that Terri is in an irreversible vegetative.
Jun 21 – Chief Judge Demers gave Judge George Greer’s Court authority to decide whether Terri should have any new medical evaluation or treatment.
Jun 25 – A three-member panel presided at the Appellate Court hearing.
Jul 11 – The Appellate Court ordered Greer court to conduct evidentiary hearings. The court denied Schiavo’s attorneys request to order Terri’s feeding stopped.
July 23 – Schiavo filed a motion for Judge Greer to immediately stop Terri’s feeding.
Aug 7 – Judge Greer totally ignored or rationalized all the evidence presented to him. Orders Terri’s feeding stopped on August 28, 2001.
Aug 10 – Attorney Anderson motion to disqualify Judge Greer denied.
Aug 14 – Greer denies request for Conducting Terri Medical Examinations.
Aug 16 – Attorney Anderson files a Notice of Appeal with the 2nd District Appeal Court.
Aug 17 – Judge Greer grants Terri a stay of execution until October 9, 2001.
Aug 20 – Schiavo files with the 2nd District Appeal Court to overrule Judge Greer stay.
Oct 7 – 2nd District Appeal Court orders Terri to be neurological tested.
Oct 23 – Schiavo files a motion to reverse the Appellate Court neurological tests order.
Nov 1 – The 2nd District Court of Appeals denies Schiavo’s motion..
Nov 16 – Terri’s medical testing plan will be determined before a mediator.
Dec 19 – Attorneys meet with a mediator in an attempt to agree upon the tests .
2002
Jan 18 – Mediated agreement failed, testing is back Greer’s courtroom to be resolved.
Jan 25 – Attorney Anderson petitioned the court for an evidentiary guardianship hearing.
Jan 29 – Judge Greer approved Schiavo’s motion to cancel the evidentiary hearing.
Feb 7 – Schiavo files with the Florida Supreme Court to overturn the Appellate Court’s October ruling which spared Terri’s life.
Mar 14 – The Florida Supreme Court denied Michael Schiavo’s appeal.
Jun 19 – Schiavo objects to the medical and neurological testing.
Jul 1 – Judge Greer conducted a 3+ hr hearing involving three issues:
1. Schiavo’s Plan to Enroll Terri into a Medicaid Program
2 Termination of Schiavo’s Attorney Fees
3. Equal Payment for Terri’s Examining Doctors
Jul 10 – Court Hearing again was for the purpose of allowing certain medical tests that were requested to evaluate Terri’s true medical and neurological condition.
Jul 12 – Judge Greer ruled -not-to-pay- Terri’s doctors for their professional fees to examine Terri. Notably, in a previous hearing, Judge Greer -approved- payment for Schiavo’s doctors fees.
Jul 22 – Judge Greer approved three of Terri’s desired neurological tests and rejected a dozen other.
Aug 28 – Judge Greer established the dates for Terri’s trial.
Oct 2 – Schiavo files petition to prohibit the media from seeing Terri’s recent neurological examination videotapes or airing the video’s to the public after they have been presented to the court as evidence.
Oct 2 – Schiavo petitioned the court to authorize Terri’s cremation.
Oct 11-22 Terri’s trial
Nov15 – Judge Greer conducted a hearing in response to a motion Attorney Anderson filed requesting time to investigate recent evidence suggesting Terri’s heart failure may have been caused by physical abuse.
Nov 22 – Greer orders Terri’s starvation death to begin on Jan 3, 2003.
Dec 9 – Attorney Anderson filed a ˜Notice of Appeal™ to the 2nd District Appellate Court.
Dec 9- Attorney Anderson filed a motion with Judge Greer to ˜stay™ the January 3rd feeding termination date.
Dec 10 – Schiavo filed a motion with Judge Greer to strike attorney Andersons motion to ˜stay,™ requesting a court hearing to argue his objection.
Dec 13 – Judge Greer acquiesced to Michael Schiavo’s attorney motion to conduct a hearing, which resulted in a ˜stay™ being granted, pending appellate resolution.
Dec 18 – Schiavo filed a motion with the 2nd District Appellate Court to overturn Judge Greer’s December 13th order.
Dec 23 – The 2nd Appellate Court denied Michael Schiavo’s attorney motion to overturn Judge Greer’s December 13, 2002 ˜stay’ order. Furthermore, the Appellate Court established filing dates and scheduled Appellate oral arguments to take place on April 4, 2003.
2003
Guardian Removal Petition Still Pending¦
On November 15, 2002, attorney Anderson filed a petition with Judge Greer to remove Michael Schiavo as Terri’s legal guardian. The petition included a declaration of Adversary Proceedings, charging that Michael Schiavo violated a dozen or more specific Florida Statutes while serving in his capacity as Terri’s legal guardian.
Apr – Appellate Court Hearing.
Jun – Appellate Court Upholds Greer.
Jul – Appellate Court Denies Court Review and Stay.
Jul – Appellate Court grants 30 day stay.
Aug – Terri hospitalized under mysterious conditions, denied visits from her priest.
Sep – Emergency hearing to allow visitation and obtain current medical information.
Sep – Michael Schiavo ordered by court to give discharge summary to Terri’s parents.
Sep – Judge Greer scheduled October 15, 2003 for the removal of Terri’s sustenance.
Oct – 15 Terri’s sustenance removed at Hospice Woodside in Pinellas Park, FL.
Oct – 20 Florida Legislature and Senate meet in special session Terri’s bill is introduced.
Oct – 21 Terri’s bill approved, signed into law. Governor Bush issues executive orderr.
Oct – 23 Michael Schiavo announces plans to sue Governor Bush and challenge Terri’s Law as unconstitutional.
Oct – Dr. Jay Wolfson of Tampa, Florida assigned as independent Guardian ad Litem.
Nov – New Guardianship hearing in Sixth Circuit court.
Nov – Disability advocacy groups file Amicus Brief.
Nov – Judge Baird to hear case on Terri’s Law. Governor not properly served in suit, appeals venue.
Nov – Governor Bush petitions to remove Judge W. Douglas Baird on suggestion of bias.
Dec – 3 Terri’s birthday. Supporters convene at Woodside Hospice. Terri receives more than 1,000 birthday cards and gifts.
Dec – Governor Bush denied discovery in Schiavo v Bush. Governor denied subpoenaing witnesses.
Dec – 20 Guardian ad Litem dismissed by Judge Demers.
Dec – 22 Judge Baird rules that he will issue a summary ruling on Terri’s law without a trial. His ruling is withheld until appeals by Governor Bush are ruled upon in the Second District Court of Appeals in Lakeland, Florida.
2004
Jan – 8, Judge Demers denies petition for reinstatement of Guardian ad Litem
Fascinating Renee, since conservatives seem to think it’s usually the feds playing the fool by messing with the states. Much like “judicial activism,” the call of “states’ rights” only seems to matter when someone’s pet belief is under scrutiny or in danger.
Mescalero,
Terri’s family IS trying to cope with it and has specifically and repeatedly ASKED for the government to get involved as well as all individuals who share in their fight for Terri’s life.
If Satan is smiling at all, it’s because of comments where people say, “Just let Terri die and stay out of it.”
And “Dude*,”
The “republic” is not going to come to a crashing end just because Congress has tried to stop a petty probate judge from murdering an innocent and helpless woman. And even if it would mean an end to the “republic,” I’d rather see it end than see it condone this abomination or sit idly by while allowing it to take place.
Please. Get a grip.
1991 bone scan image of Terri Schiavo showing a ‘history of trauma’. Discovered in November 2002
Did Michael do this Jara?
2003 testimony regarding his concern with bone scan image taken of Terri in 1991
Is this doctor lying Jara?
1990, Dr. Hamilton consults Terri two months after collapse. Discovered in 2002
What is Michael hiding?
Sorry, B. The links are affecting the format. Give the name of the web site instead. – Admin
1993, funeral file on Terri. Discovered in 2003
2002, petition to have Terri’s body cremated
Michael wants her dead and then cremated… To hide what evidence?
La Shawn, I’m so angered by what’s happened I could go on all night about it. I can’t believe this is actually happening in this country. I’ve been scarce at my blog lately (real life intrudes) but tonight I blogged furiously. Like you and others at your blog, I pray for all involved in this. As we all know, prayer is a mighty powerful tool. It’s all in His hands at this point. God bless and good night.
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” –John Adams
How true we see this being played out in our society today. Regardless if you are Chrisitan or not, the fact remains, the Constituion does not work in governing a perverted, self-absorbed society.
What is sad is…we DO know what Terri wants, she said it back in October of 2003, and she said it again, yesterday.
Terri says she wants to live! WND reports
I previously talked about this here, because Sherri is in Florida getting the story firsthand right now and Right Wing Nut Job is blogging on her behalf.
But this isn’t really news, people. Back in October of 2003, the same thing happened..
Of course, the MSM didn’t report it then, either.
Andy:
First it is not MS Schiavo it still MRS. Schiavo, because she is still married to the ‘ Jackass’, and he will not give her parents any rights to their own daughter.
Haven’t you read any of the post here, there is suspicion and latent evidence of bone trauma and one forensic expert has said her condition is ” Consistent with Strangulation” She was inexplicably found at home unconscious.
You ask if she has any hope of recovery, Alzheimer’s patients do not have hope of any recovery do YOU want them dead too.?
The bottom line is you and the rest of the “Pro-choice people” ONLY want people to have the right to choose when the decision agrees with your perverted and convoluted thought process. In other words, these people, to you, are like old milk containers when no longer useful or are an inconvenience , you throw them away. KILL Them.
Mark
Yep, let’s kill anyone who is an inconvenience. The nerve of them, just lying around like that, getting in the way of the more important people.
I will be praying for Terri but her death will be neither quick nor painless.
Our God is just and Terri’s death will be vindicated. I take comfort in this. Terri, however, will have no comfort until she finds peace in the arms of our Lord.
I’m livid.
You are right…, there is a lesson to be learned…
beware when you put your faith in man.
I don’t think people pay quite enough attention to the fact that Michael Schiavo has been offered dizzying amounts of money, $1 million once and $10 million the second time, to divorce Terri and let her go. Yet he refused to take the money. Anyone casting doubt on his motives has some serious explaining to do, because if looking out for his wife isn’t his true motivation, he’d probably have taken the money.
As far as whether it’s God’s will to let Terri live, Terri is already dead. She has no cognitive brain function; the only thing still working is her brain stem, which keeps her “alive” with less mental ability than a chimpanzee. The fact that the shell of her body still happens to be ticking doesn’t mean she’s alive. Michael contends that she didn’t want to be kept alive artificially (and let’s face it, you can’t discount his eyewitness testimony just because you don’t like the guy). Looks pretty cut and dried to me.
Before anyone jumps on the name-calling bandwagon, I’ve been a Christian my entire life, and I’m a diehard Republican. I just don’t understand why this case breaks down the way it does, with people adamantly insisting that Terri can’t have the one thing that she apparently wanted.
“”"”Checks and balances does not refer to this type of action by the Federal Government. And it is not the function of the Federal Government to step in when the states “act the fool.” Read the Constitution.”"”"(((((Comment by … 03.19.05 @ 9:06 am)))))
This is a legitimate constitutional act of Congress to do this. And it’s time that people like you understand how our government’s supposed to work and stop trying to mis-characterize both what the Constitution says and what you interpret the Constitution to say. The idea that the judiciary has trump power over Congress, that the judiciary has the last word, that’s something that’s evolved, but it’s not constitutional because the judiciary is not elected, Congress is. They are the elected representatives of us, the people, and they certainly have the power to rein in the judiciary. It certainly would help if YOU were intellectually honest. First off, nobody has said that the federal courts have no role in our system of government Clearly, federal courts do. But here’s the difference: That role that federal courts have in our system does not include setting policy for the nation, which is what has unfortunately evolved. In particular, judges are not free to impose their personal policy preferences on the nation. They do it because nobody stops them. But they are not free to do it. Federal judges have a say on what the Constitution means, but they don’t have the only say for all purposes. There are other branches of government that have constitutional powers as well.
I guess “Sucker” the difference between reading and understanding are strange to you.
Mark
It has come out that Terri recieved a CAT scan as part of her diagnosis for PVS. However she never recieved the standard MRI or a PET which are considered to neccessary before rendering a diagnoses of PV. Also the Dr. who testifiyed to a diagnoses of PVS makes a good living on the side by being an expert witness on PVS cases. It seems he has never testified with out recomending removal of life support and he is very active in the right to die movement. So there is the chance that Terri could have benefited from therapy and perhaps from even further medical treatment if an MRI had if proper testing had ever been done. The more I hear about this case the smellier it gets.
I’m beginning to have doubts about the honesty of a Florida judge or two. One of the resons the federal legislature is moving on this is the continuing testimony of doctors not connected directly to the case but who have seen videos of Terri and who have looked at the medical records available and the available depositions on this case. Can you spell murder by lawyer? Are you OK with killing someone who may have had a chance or who possibly was put into PVS deliberatly? Do you want reward a possible felon without a better investigation than what appears to have been done? For myself personaly my big fear is getting old, senile, and dying in my own shit in some third rate Medicare home. If I get a diagnoses of the big A I will probably kill myself. This is just to let you know my view on the right to die. It is the victims right not some judge on the take to decide.
I think David Koresh called himself a Christian also
(I couldn’t help myself)
Since I don’t know how to trackback (somebody please tell me how from livejournal), I’ve written my own post called Terri Schaivo, Marked for Murder (http://www.livejournal.com/users/lornkanaga/30202.html), acknowledging LaShawn’s fine work on the topic of course!
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