Posted on 03/24/2005 4:38:48 PM PST by freespirited
I spent the last week on my TV and radio show fighting to save the life of Terri Schiavo, like a lot of people. And like many opinion-givers, lawmakers and American citizens, I am saddened by the forced starvation of a young helpless woman, who is being sentenced to death simply because she can’t feed herself.
Now, applying this standard, infants, Alzheimer’s patients and the elderly, the infirm would face a court-ordered death. If we are to judge our society, as Hubert Humphrey once suggested, as I said before, by how we protect the weakest among us, our country is in trouble. . . .
I have noted over the past several days the growing outrage for a judicial system that would allow a mother’s daughter to starve to death in the most plentiful country on Earth. This morning on my radio show, like I said, I had planned to talk about the Patriot Act and a lot of other issues. But Portland called and they wanted to talk about Terri, Atlanta, Terri, Orlando, Terri, Washington, D.C., Terri, Iowa, of course. All they wanted to talk about was Terri.
Three days ago, few Americans seemed to care. But that’s no longer the case. We are all wide awake in America. And we are no longer afraid to look into the eyes of Terri Schiavo. And like her parents, we see a beautiful young woman made in the image of God, a God who will not bless this or any country that kills its weakest and most vulnerable citizens. May God forgive us all.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
I saw it. Joe is out of control.
So is Hannity. IMHO.
Out of control? Have you read descriptions of what it's like to die of starvation and dehydration?
Neither of these gentlemen are out of control. They, like me, don't think a helpless human being should be put to death. And, to your tag line, I don't have to respect your opinion, nor do you mine. But, I will listen to it.
Joe and Hannity have never been more in control of the real issues here. IMHO - LOL! Even you don't really believe your opinion is honest.
"...I am saddened by the forced starvation of a young helpless woman, who is being sentenced to death simply because she can’t feed herself.
Now, applying this standard, infants, Alzheimer’s patients and the elderly, the infirm would face a court-ordered death. ..."
Jeez Joe, she can't feed herself because she's a vegetable!
And YOUR point is???
If you keep a list of,by your reckoning, the
"out of control".....you may add my name.
I had an abdominal problem, 4 doctors in 2 hospitals couldn't diganos w/every kind of test they had in the hospitals, x-rays, C scans, blood workups, yada, yada, yada. And $15,000 later.
In 8 weeks, the teaspoon of water I had 3 times a day....came up immediately.
By day 3 I really wasn't hungry or thirsty.
Little by little, day by day, I cured myself.
So yeah, I know what it's like.
And you'd wish it on someone else? I can't believe you would.
I agree. You can add Rush, Laura Ingraham and Marc Levin as well.
This is one of those times in American history where process triumphs over justice. A very bitter pill to swallow.
May God forgive us indeed. Unfortunately, I don't think He will.
All I'm saying is I have experienced no food or water for several weeks.
And of all things, I spent the time sitting in bed watching a lot of the Food Network!! LOL, when I never did before.
You either have two big humps on your back or you're speaking to us from the next life.
Why didn’t Terri’s parents lawyer demand that Terri’s 14th amendment due process right to a trial by jury be afforded her in a case in which the state was called upon to end her life, thereby taking the case out of the hands of judge Greer and other corrupt judges and putting the evidence of Terri’s alleged wishes before the people, acting under their constitutionally assigned duty as a jury?
For documentation on this important issue, the constitutional right of Terri’s to the protection of a jury see: Terri Schiavo: due process denied?
No jury has spoken in Terri’s case, but corrupted judges have imposed their will.
JWK
acrs
The purpose of a jury is:
.“…to guard against the exercise of arbitrary power -- to make available the commonsense judgment of the community as a hedge against the over-zealous or mistaken prosecutor and in preference to the professional or perhaps overconditioned or biased response of a judge."--Taylor v. Louisiana, 419 US 522 , 530 (1975)
P.S.
The only related case law I can find which went to the Supreme Court regarding the due process question of a jury trial was in In re Mabel Jones, 339 So.2d 1117 (1978). The basis of the decision was that there was (allegedly) no right to a jury trial in Florida when the state constitution was adopted and that the U.S. Supreme Court had not decided whether a jury trial is required under the U.S. Constitution. Aside from the fact that Florida’s original constitution does in fact provide for the protection of a jury, Justice Boyd filed a dissenting opinion which is very revealing:
In my opinion, the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Florida contemplate that persons who are about to be denied their personal freedom by incarceration of any kind should have jury trials when they request them. ... I have difficulty in understanding why a person accused of violating the criminal statutes should be entitled to a jury trial when, at the same time, a person who is about to be involuntarily confined in an institution by the State should not... It is well recognized that unsupported allegations of insanity can have a detrimental effect upon the personal lives and careers of people. It should not be left to the discretion of a single judge to make determinations of such allegations. Whenever insanity is used as a defense for crime, juries evaluate and determine the question and likewise, when requested, they should make determinations in civil commitment proceedings. ... persons accused of mental illness are sent away to institutions through the benevolence of the State without what I consider to be constitutional safeguards granted to the most vicious criminals. This is inherently unfair and a denial of Fourteenth Amendment rights to due process of law. I respectfully dissent.
It should be noted that in the Jones case, the patient was only being detained for a short period of time, protective custody, which is far different than Terri’s case in which the state has been called upon to end her life and is irreversible and final.
Terri’s right to the protection of a jury was waived without her knowing and willing consent in a case in which the state has been called upon to end her life, and a judge, Judge Greer, improperly acted as a judge for Terri, legal counsel for Terri, decision maker for Terri, jury for Terri and then issued a court order to end her life.
Close, Joe...but may God HELP us all.
Free will....the power and the curse of all living this side of Paradise.
We have the power to prevent this in the future. May we learn, grow in confidence and be an agent for change.
Neither. But it was disgusting,
after all the medical cr@p I
went through and all that money, I cured myself.
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