Battle Over Possible Euthanasia of New York Teenager Gets Pro-Life Attention

Life News ^ | 1/1/08 | Steven Ertelt

[wagglebee]

Bronx, NY (LifeNews.com) -- The battle over the life and death of a teenage girl in New York has drawn the attention of pro-life advocates in recent days. The fight to save Javona Peters reminds some of the struggle of the Schindler family in Florida to save the life of Terri Schiavo, a beloved daughter and sibling whose former husband eventually took her life.

In this case, Peters' parents are disagreeing on whether or not to remove her feeding tube and take her life.

Peters fell into a coma in October while she had a routine medical procedure at Montefiore Medical Center. Doctors have pegged her as being in a persistent vegetative state, a medical diagnosis pro-life advocates dispute because so many patients have partially or fully recovered.

Peters' parents were never married and are estranged and have considered a medical malpractice suit against the hospital, according to a New York Daily News report.

But Janet Joseph and Leonard Peters are also feuding over Peters' care and have each filed separate requests to be given custody of their daughter. Peters has been opposed to removing the feeding tube but has wavered recently.

Edward Gersowitz, an attorney for Joseph, told the newspaper that "Because of her condition, she cannot make decisions for herself, and the court will have to appoint a guardian to make decisions for her."

As a teen, Peters doesn't have a living will or some other advanced directive providing guidelines for the type of medical treatment, or withdrawal, she favors.

The case has drawn the attention of the Schindler family, which sent out a notice about the case from its foundation, which helps disabled patients receive legal help and appropriate medical care.

Leading bioethics watchdog Wesley J. Smith has also commented on it and he says the PVS diagnosis seems "rushed" to him.

Smith says he sympathizes with the father and the pressure he is under to take Peters' life.

"We know that too often medical teams and social workers pressure and cajole for such outcomes," he said.

Smith draws comparisons to the case of Haleigh Poutre, a Massachusetts girl whom LifeNews.com reported was also declared PVS, but who has recovered from the abuse she suffered.

In that case, state government officials had ordered her feeding tube removed but she recovered from the PVS state shortly beforehand.

[Dante3]

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Javona Peters update...

A judge has found for the mother who wants to snuff Javona, but not entirely, just for the malpractice suit. Hmmmmm.

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A woman seeking to cut off life support for her comatose 16-year-old daughter against the father's wishes won a minor victory Monday in court.

Janet Joseph was named the girl's guardian, but only for the purposes of pursuing a medical malpractice suit against Montefiore Medical Center, where the girl suffered irreparable brain damage during an operation three months ago.

The father, Leonard Peters, was not in the courtroom, but his lawyer agreed to the appointment.

The estranged parents - who never married - both filed for guardianship of their daughter, Javona Peters, in Bronx Supreme Court.

Referring to the life support issue, Justice Stanley Green said, "I just want to make it clear" that the appointment "has nothing to do with the continuation or discontinuation of life support or any care and treatment of this young woman."

Legal experts said Monday's decision would affect future court decisions on guardianship and Javona's fate.

"It sets the stage," said lawyer Joshua Rubenstein, former chairman of the Trusts and Estates Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.

Rubenstein and other experts said the issue could take years to resolve, an echo of the life support cases involving Terri Schiavo and Karen Ann Quindlen.

Monday's hearing was held behind closed doors at the request of the parents' lawyers, neither of whom would comment, except to state jointly, "The parents are agreeing to cooperate."

Mother of teenage girl in coma named guardian - but only for malpractice suit

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UF-DUH

An appeal to nip this travesty in the bud...

As the time for Dr. Death to deal quickly approaches, at least some question the celebration of a convicted killer of such mass dimension.

If pro-assisted suicide and euthanasia advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian's appearance is not canceled, the moral integrity of higher education in America will receive a serious blow. With the forced starvation of Terri Schiavo still fresh in our nation's memory, I am appalled that a convicted felon like Dr. Kevorkian is being given the microphone at the University of Florida. The immoral behavior he promotes is unfit for civilized society. Obviously, freedom of speech has limits. Would Accent also be willing to sponsor Hitler, Stalin or Mao? I sure hope not.

UF should cancel speech now

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Townhall...

.............The modern GOP and their enablers on K Street have made a conscious decision to abandon the Buckley-Goldwater-Reagan-fusionist argument and remake the GOP as the party of big government. They opened Pandora’s Box and out flew largess and patronage, subsidies, corruption, and earmarks. Out the window went the hard work of millions of dedicated conservatives.

For fifty years, the Religious Right understood its compact with the Economic Right and they were content to slug it out with liberalism in the states and localities. But when the Bush Republicans came to town, religious conservatives, under the siren song of “compassion,” embraced federal intervention in everything from education to the Terry Schiavo affair, from “Faith-Based Initiatives” to the federal Marriage Amendment. The Bush crowd promised the “easy fix” of top-down government to these religiously-motivated voters...........

It's Freedom, Stupid

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Bobby Schindler...

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The Florida Chautauqua Center presents the 13th annual Chautauqua Assembly, Jan. 31 - Feb. 3.

This year's theme is "A Journey into the American Presidency," featuring presentations by Terri Schiavo's brother, Jimmy Carter's research assistant, and the former host of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. 

Event schedule

Thursday, Jan. 31

7 a.m., at the Florida Chautauqua Assembly Hall of Brotherhood, DeFuniak Springs - A Continental breakfast with video presentation by WMBB-TV. 

10 a.m., at the First United Methodist Church in DeFuniak Springs - Keynote speaker is by Bobby Schindler, Terri Schiavo's brother....................

13th Annual Florida Chautauqua Assembly

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For some puzzling reasons, Unconfirmed Sources website over recent days obsesses over Terri, resurrecting stale satire stories from 2005. I haven't the interest in reading or posting them but if anyone is interested, here is the one for today...

Clergy Condemns Congress Over Teri Schiavo, Obesity Saves Social ...

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The death march of the euthanasia lovers continues wherever it can.

Useless and irritating as a Boyle...

Thread by wagglebee.

Madison, WI (LifeNews.com) -- The Wisconsin legislature will hold a hearing on a bill that would legalize assisted suicide and make the state the second after Oregon to allow the grisly practice. The bill follows similar measures in other states such as Vermont, Hawaii and California that failed last year and a new ballot initiative in Washington.

State Sen. Fred Risser and state Rep. Frank Boyle, two Democrats, are behind the legislation, which would allow terminally ill patients to request life-ending drugs from their physicians............

Wisconsin Legislature to Hold Hearing on Assisted Suicide Bill Next Week

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Dr. Alveda King latest in a thread by wagglebee. Thanks, too, narses.

ATLANTA, Jan. 14 /Christian Newswire/ -- Dr. Alveda King, Pastoral Associate of Priests for Life, will speak today in support of Georgia's Human Life Amendment at the "Let Them Live Rally" to be held at the State Capitol. She issued the following statement in advance of the rally.

My uncle, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said that "life's most urgent question is, what are you doing for others?" I implore our Georgia legislature to do what is right for others......

Dr. Alveda King to Address 'Let Them Live Rally' at State Capitol Today (Atlanta)

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Thread by pgyanke on sponsors of Planned Parenthood, a view on actions by LDI...

When Life Decisions International put out their most recent list of sponsors of Planned Parenthood, my company was on the list. In fact, my company has been on their boycott list since the mid-1990s.

I recently confronted the higher-ups of my company on this and was told that our most recent donation was due to a matching grant in 2004. We haven't donated since and no longer get involved in controversial issues. This new list came out after this conversation, so I went back to LDI to get information I could take back to the higher-ups. I wanted to show them that we do indeed continue to support Planned Parenthood. There is no information to support LDI's position. They received a letter from my company in 2004 saying the same thing I was told. They can point to no further donations since then. In fact, before the 2004 donation by a local branch office, our last donation was 1999. Then why are we still on the list?

According to "Ken", Douglas Scott (LDI President) believes that it's not enough for a company to cease its support for planned parenthood, it has to send a letter repudiating the organization entirely.............

Supporters of Planned Parenthood Expected to do Penance

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Follow on to Javona Peters update from LifeNews...

..............................

Bronx, NY (LifeNews.com) -- The mother of a teenage girl in New York embroiled in a euthanasia battle has been named her guardian, but only for the purpose of pursuing a medical malpractice lawsuit. She has now been named Javona Peters' guardian for the purpose of deciding whether or not to end the comatose girl's life.

The fight to save Javona Peters reminds some of the struggle of the Schindler family in Florida to save the life of Terri Schiavo, a beloved daughter and sibling whose former husband eventually took her life.

Peters' parents are disagreeing on whether or not to remove her feeding tube and take her life.

Peters fell into a coma in October while she had a routine medical procedure at Montefiore Medical Center. Doctors have pegged her as being in a persistent vegetative state, a medical diagnosis pro-life advocates dispute because so many patients have partially or fully recovered.

Janet Joseph wants to pursue a medical malpractice case against doctors at the hospital and she won a limited victory in court on Monday to be named Peters' guardian for that purpose.

Leonard Peters, Javona's father, was not present at the court, but, according to the New York Daily News, agreed to the appointment.

"I just want to make it clear" that the appointment "has nothing to do with the continuation or discontinuation of life support or any care and treatment of this young woman," Justice Stanley Green said during the hearing.

Peters' parents were never married and are estranged -- and they are feuding over Peters' care and have each filed separate requests to be given custody of their daughter. Peters has been opposed to removing the feeding tube but has wavered recently.

Edward Gersowitz, an attorney for Joseph, told the newspaper that "Because of her condition, she cannot make decisions for herself, and the court will have to appoint a guardian to make decisions for her."

As a teen, Peters doesn't have a living will or some other advanced directive providing guidelines for the type of medical treatment, or withdrawal, she favors.

The case has drawn the attention of the Schindler family, who sent out a notice about the case from their foundation, which helps disabled patients receive legal help and appropriate medical care.

Leading bioethics watchdog Wesley J. Smith has also commented on it and he says the PVS diagnosis seems "rushed" to him.

Smith says he sympathizes with the father and the pressure he is under to take Peters' life.

"We know that too often medical teams and social workers pressure and cajole for such outcomes," he said.

Smith draws comparisons to the case of Haleigh Poutre, a Massachusetts girl whom LifeNews.com reported was also declared PVS, but who has recovered from the abuse she suffered.

In that case, state government officials had ordered her feeding tube removed but she recovered from the PVS state shortly beforehand.

New York Teen's Mother Named Partial Guardian in Euthanasia Battle

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Didn't faze me, bro. I don't know jack.

The breath of death wafts through the hollowed (not hallowed except in the sense of halloween...) halls of the University of Florida. Yes, the revered pathological pathologist mass serial killer drew his reverence from this brand of brothers.

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Gainesville, FL (LifeNews.com) -- As dozens of pro-life advocates rallied outside, assisted suicide crusader Jack Kevorkian delivered an angry and rambling speech. Although he can only talk about euthanasia in a limited fashion, he advocates the legalization of assisted suicide and blasted President Bush, calling him a tyrant.

Kevorkian spoke to a sold-out crowd that officials estimated as over 4,000 -- not surprising given the attention focused in the media and at the University of Florida campus on the speech.

The student government's speaker's bureau paid $50,000 to host the retired pathologist who was jailed for eight years after killing a disabled patient on national television.

He told the audience that he would be violating the terms of his parole to discuss euthanasia in an expanded sense. His attorney, Mayer Morganroth looked on during the speech.

However, he said that Greece and Rome used assisted suicide and said the ancient cultures are ahead of ours, even though America exists in a modern time.

Kevorkian said he killed about 20 percent of the people who came to him and asked him for his help in taking their lives.

"My aim in helping the patient was not to cause death," he said, according to the Springfield Times. "My aim was to end suffering. It's got to be decriminalized."

"It's got to be decriminalized and the law has to step out of the picture," he said of the grisly practice.

Kevorkian also blasted President Bush and urged people not to vote to send him a message.

"Everyone should refuse to vote," he said. "That'll send the tyrant a message."

After the speech, Bobby Schindler, Terri Schiavo's brother, spoke with AP about Kevorkian's talk. The family's foundation sent petitions from more than 5,000 people to the college asking officials there to cancel the speech.

"My concern is this, you are paying a convicted murderer $50,000," he said. "It is poor judgment that would allow this man to speak."

The Pro-Life Alliance, a UF student group, organized a protest that included both students and pro-life advocates from the local community.

Ben Bur well, a UF sophomore and member of the group, told the Independent Alligator that he was disappointed his student fees paid for the speech.

"He is not a doctor, and I'm embarrassed that our school, which has such a prestigious medical school, has invited someone here who claims to be a doctor but had his license revoked," he said.

Jack Kevorkian Delivers Angry Speech in Florida Amid Pro-Life Protests

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This article comes complete with a video clip of the killer himself if anyone has the stomach to watch.

What a country!! Where else could people let a convicted serial killer of world class free to make money from his deeds and blab it all with impunity?

Amazingly, this friendly cuddly serial killer can switch to rage in an instant. Who could have guessed? Knowing what we do about how Terri was killed, we can see the flaws of his logic with the prism not used by the poor benighted students taking in his words with the eagerness only a simple fool can muster.

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But Kevorkian's seemingly low-key style makes his transformation into a furious and agitated promoter of physician-assisted suicide all the more stunning. And the transformation doesn't take long.

After a few pleasantries, Kevorkian grows visibly angry discussing the Supreme Court's decision to not take the case that sent him to prison for second-degree murder.

~Snip~

Kevorkian's frustration with the medical establishment is still visceral. That emotion comes through as he discusses Florida's high-profile "right-to-die" case, in which Terri Schiavo was pulled from a feeding tube against the wishes of some of her family. Kevorkian says he agrees in principal with ending Schiavo's life, because that was her expressed wish made to her husband. But the outcome of the Schiavo case highlights the kind of cruelty Kevorkian says could be avoided under legalized euthanasia.

"They just let her die without feeding and water," he said. "Is that humane? If it is then the Nazis did the right thing, didn't they, in the concentration camps. Huh? You don't want to talk about that, do you."

The Schiavo case has left some Florida residents' emotions raw about Kevorkian. Her brother, Bobby Schindler, is among those who has opposed Kevorkian's appearance tonight.

"Why do people oppose me? They don't know what I'm gonna talk about," he said. "If they protest me talking about my rights, they're really crazy."

Angry Kevorkian Denounces Court

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[kcvl]

It was supposed to be a routine, 90-minute procedure called a ventriculostomy. The surgeon would bore a hole in the brain to drain cerebral fluid into a cavity. This would alleviate the potentially destructive pressure of what’s commonly known as water on the brain.

http://tinyurl.com/2dvpfd

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How some think...

..................I live in the neighborhood I was writing about: the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. I was fascinated with all the changes that were going on in the neighborhood. In Williamsburg [prices for rent have] gone through the roof. There’s a lot of gentrification there. So I think that was really ripe material. And the Terry Schiavo case was going on….I was kind of intrigued about why someone would let a loved one stay alive for so long and how the media was portraying it.....

Get Out Wednesday: Jami Attenberg Reading at Elliott Bay

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Stirring story of an abortion in a thread by wagglebee...

VANCOUVER, January 15, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - It's been more than thirty years, but social worker Vicky Green still vividly remembers her abortion experience with Dr. Henry Morgentaler, and she tells part of her story in the short film '1st Degree Morgentaler' by John S.C. Hetherington............

Abortionist Morgentaler Patient: "I Told Him I Don't Want to Do This to My baby."

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Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the greatest killer of all, me, Hillary, or that B.O.?

Thread by wagglebee.

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Hillary Clinton campaign wasted little time in responding to a conference call Barack Obama's campaign held with the media on Monday. Just minutes after Obama's campaign finish flashing his pro-abortion credentials, the Clinton campaign took to the phones to refute the information and promote her pro-abortion views..........

Hillary Clinton Campaign Responds to Barack Obama's Pro-Abortion Claims

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How the states rank on life issues...

Thread by wagglebee.

..............................

Chicago, IL (LifeNews.com) -- A leading national pro-life group that works with state legislators to pass pro-life laws has released a new national ranking of states based on the laws they've approved related to abortion and bioethics topics. Americans United for Life's fifth annual ranking of the most and least pro-life state shows Michigan in the lead for the third time.

After Michigan, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Kansas topped the list. South Dakota, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Virginia rounded out the top ten.

"These states have made great strides in protecting women and their children from the negative consequences of abortion," Denise Burke, an AUL attorney, told LifeNews.com Tuesday.

On the bottom end of the scale, Oregon, which has the only law legalizing assisted suicide, placed last with California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Vermont and Hawaii finishing in the bottom.

Not surprisingly, euthanasia advocates have pressed for laws allowing assisted suicides in most of those states...........

Pro-Life Organization Ranks States on Passing Good Abortion, Bioethics Laws

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Thread by wagglebee on last night's killer performance where Dr. Death gave his FU talk...

Gainesville, FL(LifeNews.com) -- Jack Kevorkian is still set to speak tonight at the University of Florida and his speech -- which the university will pay him $50,000 to give -- has drawn considerable controversy. Despite objections from thousands of people and expected protests at the event, local officials say they think it will be safe.....

Jack Kevorkian Speech Still Set for Tuesday Night at University of Florida

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I extracted this from a thread by pissant. Thanks, narses, for the ping.

From the Duncan Hunter archives,

Representative Duncan Hunter, Republican of California, argued, "The unborn children who are going to be subjected to this very, very radical act through this particular provision are those children who are going to be aborted in military hospitals around the world, and I think it is a tragedy that this Department of Defense is going to be used as a Department of Aggression against unborn children."

FUROR ON ABORTION ENDING IN SILENCE (Duncan Hunter archives 1992)

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Pro-life BUMP