LAW: Helping Hands

Jacksonville.com ^ | 05-12-04 | Florida Times-Union

[phenn]

Kudos to Gov. Jeb Bush for continuing to act on behalf of Terri Schiavo.

Schiavo has been kept alive by a feeding tube for 14 years. Her husband wants her to die. Her parents do not.

The Florida Legislature enacted a law that would have continued her medical care, but a judge now has declared that law unconstitutional, citing the right to privacy.

There is too much about this that makes the case for the woman's death unconvincing. Bush should make certain she has every chance to live.

Ken Conner, the lawyer representing Bush, said, "The effect of all this, of course, is Michael Schiavo effectively gets to kill his wife through starvation and dehydration, if in fact this order is upheld."

Court rulings also suggest that judges may not approve of the Legislature intruding in what they consider their domain. The judge issuing the most recent ruling had telegraphed the decision almost from the start by calling the law "presumptively unconstitutional."

But the Legislature represents the people, and enacts the law, which judges are sworn to uphold.

Also, the liberal media seems a little too eager to get rid of Terri Schiavo, and more concerned about her husband's rights than hers.

If the woman had left a living will, or if her parents were in agreement with the husband, it would be an easy call. But it is not.

More than 14 doctors have reviewed Terri's case and submitted sworn testimony that she is not in a persistent vegetative state, Schiavo advocates say. Yet, the court accepted the testimony of others that she is vegetative.

Pope John Paul II spoke on this point, calling "vegetative state" an imprecise medical term. "Actually, there is no different diagnosis that corresponds to such a definition, but only a conventional prognostic judgment, relative to the fact that the recovery of patients, statis- tically speaking, is ever more difficult as the condition of vegetative state is prolonged in time," he said.

There are well-documented cases of at least partial recovery, even after many years; of some in that state, he said.

The pontiff also spoke on the practice of calling a person a "vegetable."

"I feel the duty to reaffirm strongly that the intrinsic value and personal dignity of every human being do not change, no matter what the concrete circumstances of his or her life. A man, even if seriously ill or disabled in the exercise of his highest functions, is and always will be a man, and he will never become a "vegetable" or an "animal."

Specifically, he said the administration of water and food, even when provided by artificial means, always represents a natural means of preserving life, not a medical act. "Its use, furthermore, should be considered, in principle, ordinary and proportionate, and as such morally obligatory, insofar as and until it is seen to have attained its proper finality ..."

Too many are arrayed against her. Schiavo needs a champion. The pope's words and governor's deeds do much to fill that need.

[phenn]

~ping~

A pro-Terri editorial from Florida? Am I dreaming?

[windchime]

Don't pinch yourself to wake up, phenn! This is the most supportive editorial I've seen from the 'mainstream media' in Florida.

[phenn]

Auntie Em, is that you?

;-)

It was really rather good. Also - www.terrisfight.org, there is an interview with the Gov on the subject in real media format. Very much worth a listen, if you get a chance.

[windchime]

LOL.

I haven't been to Terri's website in a while. I'll check out Governor Bush's interview. Thanks!

[sr4402]

May the Lord bless Governor Jeb Bush. He has stood up and defended those who have no defense. The Pope stands up and says that man is much more value than vegetables and sticks it to our sick society.

Lord please grant that we would have more leaders like these who will stand up for the truth and call sin sin.

[Ohioan from Florida]

Pinging to a pro-Terri editorial (in Florida, no less!). Thanks be to God!

Perhaps we should all write a letter to the editor thanking him/her for having the courage of conviction to print this!

[iowamomforfreedom]

Thanks for the ping.

What a refreshing change!

Good idea about writing the editor. I will certainly do that.

[Chocolate Rose]

Bump! Thanks for the ping.

Many thanks to Governor Bush. God Bless Him!!

[little jeremiah]

I particularly like this statement:

"I feel the duty to reaffirm strongly that the intrinsic value and personal dignity of every human being do not change, no matter what the concrete circumstances of his or her life. A man, even if seriously ill or disabled in the exercise of his highest functions, is and always will be a man, and he will never become a "vegetable" or an "animal."

Note that he says in ANY CONDITION. The eugenics philosophy which Hitler took to its natural conclusion (or did his very best to) started off with killing those born with deformities, the mentally ill and retarded, hopelessly ill, then the elderly, amputees, and so on. And we know what it led to.

In order to fully understand deeply what the Pope is saying a person really needs to see each person as a living soul - a spiritual spark, a child of God, and the body as a shell or vehicle. The condition of the body has nothing to do with the worth of the actual living soul - who is the REAL person - inside the body.

Some of us drive Lexuses, some of us drive '85 Buicks, does this have anything to do with our intrinsic value?

[firewalk]

bttt

[Ohioan from Florida]

If anyone would like to be on or off my Terri ping list, feel free to let me know.

BTTT

[phenn]

Yup.

The dude knew he would take a media bath for getting involved and he did it anyway. Local newspapers use this whole thing as a political speak-piece, but I don't believe for a minute that was what went through Jeb's mind and heart.

Moment of honesty: I vote independently, so there is no political benefit in my praising him for his courage on this. I just see a dude trying to do what he promised he would do in 1996: "Serve as a champion for the disabled". Well.... he's trying to do just that. And, of course, that's not good enough for political columnists and bitter little local writers who want only to smash his family.

The way I see it- smash on if you must, but not over this. There was nothing political going on. The guy was just trying to keep a wrongful death from going down. I just cannot find the fault with that.

Dare I say it? I'm very proud of him. And have told him so. He knows we are behind him, he knows why and I would assess that he is pleased that people are all on the same page with this situation. What's going on here is judicial tyranny and, if not checked, a homicide will be the end result.

I don't know Mr. Bush's tolerance for media bias or harmful commentary, but he and his legal team don't seem the least bit flapped off the target - we don't dehydrate defenseless people to death. End of chat.

[sr4402]

In order to fully understand deeply what the Pope is saying a person really needs to see each person as a living soul - a spiritual spark, a child of God, and the body as a shell or vehicle. The condition of the body has nothing to do with the worth of the actual living soul - who is the REAL person - inside the body.

Very well said. The liberals take Soviet view, that you are only as good as you support their causes.

In Christ, your value never changes. You are always loved and will always be loved. It cannot change.