Gentlemen:
I, along with countless others I'm sure, am writing to you today on behalf of Terri Schindler Schiavo. I am not a Florida voter, but have numerous friends and family members that are. We are all following Terri's situation.
I will not reiterate the facts of her illness nor those of the treatment, lack thereof, and subsequent court procedures and rulings. I would hope that someone in your esteemed position would have this case foremost in your thoughts much of the time. Matters of life and death tend to be pervasive in thought.
I will state my dismay at the unwillingness of the court system in Florida to appoint a Guardian ad Litem in this matter. From my own limited knowledge of law, appointment of a GAL is of vital importance in many cases with so much on the line. Particularly those in which the parties are at odds. Surely a neutral party or parties can impart a fresh, unbiased viewpoint in this matter. I used the term "unbiased" because of the glaring bias present in the action at hand. You, Judge Greer, have been entrusted with a solumn, sacred duty. Not only are you to impart judgment -- it is imperative that you consider each case with an eye toward protecting the innocent. I am sure many judges who have been too quick to pass sentence and learn of the defendant's innocence (sometimes years later -- DNA testing, etc.) have lost sleep over the pain they caused. To order the removal of Terri's feeding tube is equal to looking at clear DNA evidence proving a defendant's innocence in a textbook "cut and dried" rape case -- and sentencing him anyway. Were you to do that, sir, it would be a logical expectation that your job would be in immediate jeopardy. Yet you seem to almost gleefully march onward toward the day of sentencing for Terri Schiavo -- an innocent person. And such a day you have chosen. September 11. The day your own brand of terrorism befalls Terri Schiavo.
Is it fair for me to make such a comparison? I'm not a "protestor" or crazy, I have never before written a letter in a matter like this. I hold no personal malice for you. I am very respectful of the positions you have attained, and the "hard work" that I'm certain preceded it. But I believe in life. Yes, I'm one of your "pro-lifers". I believe that all life is precious. And I believe that, with the starvation death of Terri Schiavo, the rights of every man, woman and child in America are at risk. We are all a car accident away from the same condition. I fed my husband when he was severely burned at work because he couldn't "raise a spoon" to his mouth. It was not a problem to do so. It wasn't difficult. It was my honor to be a part of his healing process. There are physicians out there, Judge Greer, that would love the opportunity to do the same for Terri Schiavo. There are physicians out there, Judge Greer, that believe Terri can have a much better quality of life. In the event she dies 10-14 days after the tube is removed, it will never be known whether that lovely young woman could have done it. Can you live with that kind of "what if"? I couldn't.
In conclusion, I would like to say that I fear for our future. I've always lived with the fear of being dropped at a nursing home -- elderly, ill, and alone. Left to die alone. Until I realized that God would be with me no matter what. Now my fear is that one day -- elderly and ill -- I will be dropped off at the local center to be euthanized. No one will come to my aid, no one will take my side, and no one will care. All because of that landmark case back in 2003. You know the one -- the Schiavo precedent. The only thing that curbs that fear is not that "it couldn't happen in America" -- it's that God will be there with me. No matter what. Can you say the same? Esteemed gentlemen, I beg you to respect life. If not for Terri Schiavo, for yourself -- for me -- for our children -- and for generations to come. I remain
Sincerely yours,
Kimberly