Posted on 07/31/2006 4:58:07 PM PDT by Quiet Man Jr.
Charlie Crist Let My Daughter Die
by Robert Schindler, Sr. Posted Jul 31, 2006
As most Americans know, on March 31, 2005, my daughter, Terri Schindler Schiavo died of starvation and thirst after having her feeding tube removed by court order. The sad chain of events that concluded with Terri’s death ignited a media firestorm nationally and internationally. What few saw or heard was the callous inaction of aspiring governor Charlie Crist.
Florida Atty. Gen. Charlie Crist let my daughter die. He had it within his authority to save her life, but he turned a blind eye to her suffering. Even worse, he worked to ensure her death.
Terri lived in a neurologically compromised state for reasons that are still unknown, and my family wanted nothing more than permission to care for Terri for the span of her natural life. We were denied.
My daughter tenaciously fought for her life for more than 13 days after being deprived of the most basic, natural and constant need that we all share—the need for nourishment—food and water. Terri was not on a respirator, nor terminally ill. She was not dying, nor succumbing to a dreadful disease. She was disabled. She was dependent on others, but still very much a life, a woman, and a person.
Over the course of several years, our family, our lawyers, and our friends pleaded for help from local, county, and state police and regulatory agencies with constitutional and statutory authority to investigate the many sworn statements of extreme abuse and neglect suffered by our daughter.
Hoping to save my daughter’s life, our family sought the help of Attorney General Charlie Crist. Not only did Charlie Crist refuse our family lawful access to the assets of his office, but he violated his oath of office by actively cooperated with those in positions of political and judicial authority whom denied us legal access to the police and regulatory systems meant to protect the weak. Multiple sworn agents from responsible police and regulatory agencies who found probable cause to investigate allegations of abuse in Terri's judicial and physical care, were ordered to shut down those probes. This heavy-handedness made us powerless.
Information of direct interest to Attorney General Charlie Crist's office was directly delivered to his personal hands, and he refused to properly execute the duties of his office. And it was with deliberate decision that he failed to attend a scheduled Tallahassee meeting with our family. On another occasion, we approached each other by chance. Upon recognizing me, Charlie Crist abruptly stopped and walked away.
That callous action encapsulates Charlie Crist. He walked away from a man whose daughter’s fate he controlled. At that moment, he turned his back on Terri. And he turned his back on the most fundamental duties of his office.
It is quite clear that Charlie Crist, to this day, has demonstrated no public affection for the cause of life, or Christianity, or any set of core values. He has been posturing to become governor for decades. With each voting audience he has crafted a message based on the expediency of the moment.
To add insult to injury, at a recent banquet, our alleged pro-life candidate for the Governor of Florida said the following about Judge George Greer and other judges involved in the death of my daughter, "You are heroes to all of us, and your defense of the judiciary and what is right is beyond admirable."
Through his actions, Charlie Crist has demonstrated that he has no regard for our most vulnerable citizens, the high duties of public office, or life itself. Charlie Crist’s celebration of the merciless judges who condemned Terri to death speaks to his true character.
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Copyright © 2006 HUMAN EVENTS. All Rights Reserved.
bttt
Remember too that Mrs. Billy Graham once asked how America could be spared persecution considering how God handled Sodom and Gomorrah.
AGREED!! And it can start with a victory for Harris and Gallagher.
Right. However, we are in the Age of Grace NOW. The cross made the difference. Our belief in Jesus and His teachings and asking for forgiveness; thus, be covered under His Blood. But some can't because they choose to allow their hearts to wax cold.
Terri's food cost was never an issue in the case. For the record, it was eight dollars per day, not "hundreds of thousands" per year. PEG tubes are efficient.
>> I can get it myself, eat it myself and drink it myself and ask for more if I wish.
Congratulations! But when you were little and couldn't do those things, somebody had to take care of you. Somebody bought the food for you, and prepared it for you, and fed you. Now it is time for you to learn to help others if they need it the way you and Terri did.
No, you made a fine point. I was simply joining you, adding a little different take. You weren't the only addressee :-)
Keeping anyone in a medical facility costs hundreds of thousands a year.
We are not speaking about children who will grow out of their dependence but a permanent condition irreversible condition of death. Humans are more than a body clinging to a few life functions without consciousness. She was gone in all important respects.
What a nice thought! Thank you.
Terri was in a hospice, not a medical facility. Even if it was hundreds of thousands, it was no issue in the case. Her costs were covered.
>> We are not speaking about children who will grow out of their dependence but a permanent condition irreversible condition of death.
Terri wasn't dead until they dehydrated her. She could and did interact with her family and her environment.
>> She was gone in all important respects.
Well, let's run that by God. God, how about rewriting the sixth commandment? Fella here thinks you should have said, "Thou shalt not murder unless the victim doesn't live up to his personal quality-of-life standards, then it's OK."
I got a chuckle from #304. ;-)
I saw I wasn't the only address but thought you misread my post. Just wanted to point out that I wasn't in agreement w/that 'grabbing at straws' statement.
Society has limited resources to devote to medical problems. Hence it cannot indefinitely fund every procedure. This is such a simple point it is amazing that anyone considering themselves conservative should have to be reminded of it.
If this involved only private resources I would not object to the pretence continuing indefinitely.
As it stands there are FAR more important uses for those resources. The money spent on this lost cause could save the lives of hundreds or thousands of children in the Third World for one who die of entirely curable diseases. It could also do far more good at home for those without resources suffering from organ failures, cancers, and other problems.
How sad that it all just boils down to a question of economics.
I can get it myself, eat it myself and drink it myself and ask for more if I wish.
I'm very happy for you. At least you aren't a burden on society. I hope that you never come to the point where you can't feed yourself or ask for more if you wish. And if you do, I hope noone who has read this statement is around to remind you of it.
We are all subject to the realities of economics. I would like a new Ferrari but my wallet does not allow it.
Should I ever be in the condition of Terri I would hate to know it was to be prolonged indefinitely to no point as her's was. Death is not to be feared according to the Lord.
She was already dead. Autonomic reflexes are not life.
One of them is: you are limited to spending your own money, not dictating how others spend theirs for medical care. Terri's money was not yours to allocate. If you want to save children with curable diseases in the Third World, send your own check. Spare us hand-wringing histrionics.
Isn't it shocking that her doctors and nurses didn't notice?
Can you give us a quote on that, please?
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