Giving "Water to the Least of These" -- Changing the Terri Schiavo Strategy

UCM List ^ | 23Mar05 | SH Zinser

[BlueMondaySkipper]

The Demodemocrats and the Husband (probably a murderer given that he refused autopsy, food, water, early 911 call, etc. etc) want this poor woman KOPECHNE'D.

Kopechne had plenty of water...

[Dust in the Wind]

I have no argument with this.

The judge and husband better pray they are never in the same situation they have put Terri.

May the arms of Christ enfold her in his love and comfort.

[Orange1998]

Maybe we are being tested. I have the faith President Bush will step in to save her. The President can save a life regardless what the current law says.

[Delphinium]

Everywhere I go people are talking about this.

My 18 year old son called me yesterday upset about it.

This is an outrage.

I still haven't gotten over Elian, how can I handle this? Especially with a republican president?

[Delphinium]

This amazes me. Arresting a woman for trying to give water to a thirsty soul. That is just not right.

It really is good against evil.

God will bless that woman, I hope others who can be there keep making headlines too.

[shezza]

Didn't the 'Honorable' Judge Greer also order that she not be fed orally either?

Copy of judicial order, page 2: ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that Respondents' Emergency Motion for Petition to Provide Theresa Schiavo with Food and Water by Natural Means is DENIED.

DONE AND ORDERED in Clearwater, Pinellas County, Florida, this 8 day of March 2005.

GEORGE W. GREER
Circuit Judge

[american colleen]

Lets not condemn the good Americans for the actions of the elite lunatic lefties as they push the devil's Eugenics program.

I wouldn't condemn anyone but sadly, a lot of conservative Christians have placed the God given dignity and the God given right to life of a human being, below that of the nameless, faceless state.

[fatnotlazy]

I'm posting this reply really to everyone.

To be honest, I don't like any of the parties involved in this matter, particularly the husband and the parents. I wish that of the 19 or so judges who have heard some aspect of this case, one of them would have put the parties in a locked room and made them work out some agreement. Now this whole situation has become a veritable three ring circus with all sorts of pundits and so-called witnesses coming out of the woodwork hurling accusations, spreading rumors and half-truths and telling some outright lies.

I've worked for attorneys for more than 30 years. Based on that experience, I can tell you that this is not about whether Mrs. Schiavo should live or die. It's about money. 99.99% of cases like this are about money. The family members want money -- Mr. Schiavo wants to keep his malpractice setlement; the Schindlers want a piece of that settlement. Money. For Congress and the President, this is a chance to get their names in the media, to round up votes and build power. And power means money. For all the so-called experts and alleged witnesses, this is about exposure to a wide audience, maybe writing a book, and making money. Everyone involved is going to make money on this....whether Mrs. Schiavo lives or dies is now irrelevant.

I am unhappy that government (state and federal) has become involved in this. I wonder whether Congress and the President will intervene when it comes time for me to depart this world. Will they pass legislation to keep me alive even though my living will says to terminate life support when there is no hope for recovery? Or how about this: what if some stranger has decided I'm not fit to live; will Congress and the President pass a law to kill me off even though I'm healthy and in my prime? Think these scenarios are far fetched? Trust me, they're not.

I also believe that there is a contingent out there which wants to limit or eliminate living wills. If that happens, our freedom to decide for ourselves, or to appoint those to make the decisions for us, will be lost. I don't know about everyone else here, but I don't want my rights in this regard to be taken away.

And if our lawmakers are so concerned about life, why aren't they working on legislation to benefit more than one person? How about some federal laws toughening sentences for pedophiles so we don't have any killings like that of Jessica Lunsford? Or how about finding ways to apply RICO statutes against street gangs to shut them down so our streets will become safer? There are a lot of pro-life issues out there our lawmakers could be working to address. Why aren't they?

Sorry to go on and on (comes from working for attorneys), but this whole situation really bothers me.

Thanks for letting me vent.

[american colleen]

Thanks for the pictures, NYer.

I doubt she did it with the intention of being a modern day 'Veronica' - but that is who she is. God bless her, she's fearless. I am sure her legal bills will be a burden but her well formed conscience is at rest knowing she tried to do the right thing.

[Salvation]

BTTT!

[Grampa Dave]

The murder of Terri may end up being the 9/11 wakeup call re the Eugenics Pushers of the Left.

Hopefully it will awaken a lot of the Christians who have gone asleep and allowed the ACLU to take over their churches, politicians and their own minds.

[american colleen]

Troubles me as well. But I cannot get my mind around anything but this physically healthy although brain damaged woman being starved and dehydrated to death. The pundits say there's no pain and it's natural and peaceful but we know that's bs - otherwise why feed the poor at all and why give this woman morphine for pain?

This woman is a human being who is being treated worse than an animal is permitted to be treated. All on the say so (I know it's legal, but that doesn't make it right) of a husband who never mentioned that she wanted it this way until seven years after the injury occurred.

I won't speculate about anyone's motives - I don't know any of them and I don't want to descend to cynicism and accusations. All I know is that I would move heaven and earth to keep someone from starving and dehydrating my daughter to death.

[american colleen]

Hopefully it will awaken a lot of the Christians who have gone asleep and allowed the ACLU to take over their churches, politicians and their own minds.

I hope to God you are right but the Netherlands is a Christian country (gone off the rails though) - and euthanasia is legal there... with or without the consent of the patient.

[sandbar]

>>>Maybe we are being tested. I have the faith President Bush will step in to save her. The President can save a life regardless what the current law says.>>>

The question is, will he?

[Carolinamom]

This is a collision between God's law and man's law. Christ said to render unto Caesar what is Cawsar's, but Terri's life is not Caesar's.

[Darnright]

>How ironic it is that this is happening during the week of Christ's crucifixion.<

I would argue that this is not ironic, in the sense that Greer, being a good Baptist, had to have known that by setting the date for the tube's removal on the 18th of March, that Terri's death would most likely come at some point during Holy Week. You will never convince me he did not do this with malice.

However, by having the crisis during Holy Week, Greer has set some powerful symbolism into place, making people even more aware of God's place in all this, to those that believe.

[Renatus]

ping

[shhrubbery!]

Yes. But there is no way to try anything with Terri unless custody is taken away from Michael Schiavo, who has forbidden any attempt to feed Terri by mouth for years.

Those nurses who did successfully feed Terri juice, jello and pudding a few years ago? They had to do that surreptitiously for fear of the wrath of Michael Schiavo.

(By the nurses' testimony, Terri was not only able to swallow pudding and jello, but she clearly enjoyed tasting something for a change!)

There is a completely legal way to take custody away from this monstrous man: The state Division of Child and Family Services is going into Greer's court TODAY to "request" an opening of Terri's medical records so there can be a state investigation of allegations of abuse committed by Michael Schiavo. (Those records were sealed by Greer.)

Even if Greer releases those records to DCF --which he almost certainly won't-- DCF still needs time to investigate the matter adequately.

This would require Jeb Bush to send the DCF to take custody of Terri until the allegations of abuse can be resolved.

I hope and pray Jeb will do it.

[Salvation]

The Catechism of the Catholic Church


Euthanasia

2276 Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible.

2277 Whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable.

Thus an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. The error of judgment into which one can fall in good faith does not change the nature of this murderous act, which must always be forbidden and excluded.

2278 Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of "over-zealous" treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one's inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.

2279 Even if death is thought imminent, the ordinary care owed to a sick person cannot be legitimately interrupted. The use of painkillers to alleviate the sufferings of the dying, even at the risk of shortening their days, can be morally in conformity with human dignity if death is not willed as either an end or a means, but only foreseen and tolerated as inevitable Palliative care is a special form of disinterested charity. As such it should be encouraged.

[shhrubbery!]

the Schindlers want a piece of that settlement. Money.

No. The Schindlers, if they get the custody of their daughter they're so desperately pleading for, will be paying for therapy and help with her care for many years. There is no material profit in this for them.

The Schindlers simply love their daughter and want to care for her. This is as plain as day for anyone who has watched this case.