Terri's Day challenges the nation to unify

Renew America ^ | March 13, 2006 | Kevin Fobbs

[KevinNuPac]

Terri's Day challenges the nation to unify

Kevin Fobbs

March 13, 2006

Terri's Day — A Celebration of the Culture of Life honoring Terri Schiavo with a day of remembrance challenges each and every one of us to stop for a moment and ask ourselves a question, do we respect ourselves, our families, our lives?

And if we are faced with the question of the possible certainty of death, does anyone truly know, or even have the faintest clue about, our wishes? That is the greatest good, the greatest legacy that Terri Schiavo's death and an annual "Terri's Day" can bring to our lives and to the celebration of the Culture of Life.

On March 18th, we as a nation will begin to grieve again, to reach into our hearts and feel with our collective national spirit what the Schindler family felt last year at this time as each moment since Terri was disconnected from the feeding lifeline, the moments crept by like hours and hours like days.

All of us have felt in some way that pain — even if it were only in the privacy of our loved one's home, hospital room, hospice or perhaps talking with an attorney and doctor attempting to make sense out of some fleeting comments made in a conversation perhaps voiced ten, twelve or even two decades earlier — not necessarily an expression of her true feeling about an end-of-life decision but merely an incidental musing in a long-forgotten side conversation.

For at least one million Americans, and quite possibly a whole lot more, this is an opportunity to voice an opinion through a pledge supporting a resolution in each state called "Terri's Day — A Celebration of the Culture of Life." Each and every person who cares that your family, your spouse, your mother, your father, your sister or brother understands with clarity what you wish the end of life for you to be, with dignity and certainty should sign the online pledge at www.kevinfobbs.com and take the additional step to sign a Living Will — or as they call it at www.terrisfight.org, the Will to Live.

Some have asked why Americans should care about an annual Terri's Day. It is quite simple, we tend to keep turning the page on the Culture of Life because we feel it does not affect us. We tend to believe that seemingly universal belief that those who are handicapped, those who are not quite living a "perfect" life or by contemporary notion "ideal" then those lives are possibly disposable, marginal, not relevant, and part of the Culture of Death which embraces a "disposable society."

But life and our values for the Culture of Life are not disposable. Think about the young people today who would rather hurt themselves or even take their own lives rather than feel "imperfect" or the elderly person whose family is told by an insensitive health care professional while the stricken person struggles to cling to life, "she would be better off in another place," — just let her die, disconnect her from life, because her quality of life is not up to "contemporary standards. "

Why does celebrating the Culture of Life in Michigan become so essential for all of us in America? It is important for several reasons. Dr. Jack Kervorkian, also known as "Doctor Death" helped launch first in Michigan and then the nation the notion of the death culture. Secondly, and equally as important, at the May 12 event — just two days before Mother's Day — there will also be a "Mary's Moms" celebration of those women and mothers who have met challenges in standing up for some aspect of the Culture of Life.

This past weekend I sat at my cousin's funeral — or going home celebration, which more accurately describes it — thinking about the dearly departed and how she packed so much caring for others into her life even as she struggled with illness and advancing age. She was a wonderful woman who had lived through many, many challenges in her life, but in her 73 years she had met these challenges with dignity and had conveyed to her family when would be the right time to allow her to pass away.

Her daughter, who is a minister, spoke to the packed church about the times when, with all of her pain and then a stroke, the doctors had informed them that perhaps it was better to let her go. Yet that was three years ago that that occurred, and if the family had listened to the doctors and refused to see how she fought back and not only recovered but went back to volunteering at the church to feed and clothe the homeless. The medical professionals didn't care about an elderly lady who was on dialysis, but the family did and they knew better. Patricia lived three more years — years her extensive extended family considered "a gift from God."

So isn't part of the lesson of Terri's legacy and Terri's Day for families and loved ones to have a meaningful conversation with their family and to have the written document on hand as well that conveys the wishes clearly and concisely? You betcha.

As I sat in the church I thought of all of the families across the nation and the world who were sitting at their loved one's bedsides — or even standing outside of a hospital emergency room — overwhelmed with emotion, torn by what may be days of conflicting anguished decisions. I thought again of how out of death we may have the certainty of life. Terri's death reminded the nation that yes a state can and will starve you to death, and your family may be rendered helpless as you watch your loved one's precious life forces drain slowly away.

By signing the online pledge at www.kevinfobbs.com or going to www.terrisfight.org, you can learn about how to encourage your state legislature to establish March 31st as an official Terri's Day. Hold a Culture of Life Home Party or meet-and-greet to sign pledges, share ideas and support The Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation as well as Culture of Life activities and events in your community or around the nation. Between now and March 31st you can make a dramatic difference for yourself, your family and for the nation. Stand up for the Culture of Life because one person, one life, one family can and does make a difference in America. Make the difference and be the difference today. America...The countdown for the Culture of Life has begun.

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Kevin Fobbs is President of National Urban Policy Action Council (NuPac), a non-partisan civic and citizen-action organization that focuses on taking the politics out of policy to secure urban America's future one neighborhood, one city, and one person at a time. View NuPac on the web at www.nupac.info. Kevin Fobbs is a regular contributing columnist for the Detroit News. He is also the daily host of The Kevin Fobbs Show on News Talk WDTK - 1400 AM in Detroit. Listen to The Kevin Fobbs Show online at www.wdtkam.com daily 2-3 p.m., and call in toll-free nationwide to make your opinion count at 800-923-WDTK(9385) © Copyright 2006 by Kevin Fobbs http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/fobbs/060313

[bjs1779]

and another cross on a pendant hanging out of the garbage pail.

Good call on that, I was thinking it was her feeding tube. What do you think the blank rectangle on the wall above the garbage can represents?

[HiTech RedNeck]

beats me. however it's painfully obvious that the lamp is giving no light.

[8mmMauser]

Another ping...items are pouring in.

Here is the sound bite on the Michael Schiavo radio interview.

Michael Schiavo Radio Interview

ProLifeBlogs has an interview with Diana Lynne.

Last night I had the privilege of speaking with WordNetDaily's Diana Lynne about her book,

Terri's Story: The Court-Ordered Death of an American Woman. I have a lot to say about our conversation and the insight Lynne brings to the table but time doesn't permit a full article (today). However, on this anniversary of Terri Schiavo’s death, I would like to provide a brief report to our readers with the hope that they will be motivated to obtain and read Terri's Story.

Lynne's research is exceptional and based upon both hard documentation and extensive interviews with Michael Schiavo, his family members and right-to-die activists as well as interviews with the Schindler family and the legal team that represented them. Lynne is a savvy reporter and an experienced news editor. She knows what questions to ask and presents information factually and in a manner that even her critics will appreciate.

As I read Terri’s Story and discussed the book with Lynne, it became obvious to me that most individuals in America are unaware about how legislation governing advanced directives came about and do not realize the agenda of those behind the laws. According to Lynne, hospice industry leaders, euthanasia activists, and assisted suicide proponents have teamed together, investing significant resources to propose carefully crafted and seemingly innocuous bills. The potential tax savings associated with a reduced number of individuals receiving Medicare benefits attracts politicians who have turned the proposals into laws.

Snip...

If you have any doubt about the value this resource will add to your understanding of the issues surrounding Terri Schiavo, advanced directives, legislation and the death oriented agenda of euthanasia activists, read Lynne’s articles on WorldNetDaily:

Terri’s Death – was it ‘God’s Will or Murder?

Zimbabwe Mom: US Exporting Euthanasia

Religious Right ‘Using Terri?’

Religious Right ‘Using Terri’ (Part II)?

The Silence over Terri

Terri's Story - A Must Read

8mm

(this includes Ohioan from Florida's ping list, update to 3/27.)

[bjs1779]

I am guessing, and only guessing, that it could of been a picture of her that the world no longer recognizes as a person, therefore blank.

[BykrBayb]

[pickyourpoison]

" they propose to transfer seniors out of their homes during storms straight into nursing homes"


Another Jim King legacy?

[JoAnka]

Sweet Terri. A year has passed and you're still alive in our hearts. We're praying for you and your family. We will never forget. You remember us before the Father.

With Love,
Joanna Najfeld
Poznan, Poland

[bjs1779]

Sweet Terri. A year has passed and you're still alive in our hearts. We're praying for you and your family. We will never forget. You remember us before the Father.

With Love,
Joanna Najfeld
Poznan, Poland

Thank you Joanna. Pray for our country too.

[KDubRN]

I think Jeb wanted to stop it, but when his brother the President backed off, and when he got stabbed in the back by the Florida Senate (GOP majority), I think he didn't have a lot of choice. It would certainly have been a lot harder for him to do something and justify it legally, and so I blame him a lot less than W.



There has been several series of events over the past decade which created the perfect environment. Lawton Chiles was GOV at the time.

Personally, I do not believe they knew initially why they seemed hog tied at every turn. Some of Florida's legislators may not get it yet.

Read this. This will explain much of the problem. The minds is the biggest factor.

http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/032906AssistedSuicide.html
The Mergers, The Money, The Minds Behind Assisted Suicide
By Karen Ward, RN
Rita Marker, a lawyer out of Steubenville, Ohio, has researched and written extensively about the foundations who fund the right to die groups pushing euthanasia and physician assisted suicide in the United States. Rita states that private foundations are the critical players in promoting societal changes. They also supply the money for the studies used in advancing an ideology. This is fact. Just follow the money trail.

[Halls]

this time last year I was laying on my bed crying to my husband hurt and deeply saddened. I am still sad losing Terri. I didn't even know her but I felt like she was close to me. She ment so much to me. I will never be the same.

[bjs1779]

I think Jeb wanted to stop it,

Jeb signed the bill that allowed the withholding food and water from PVS patients in 1999. His appointed guardian ad litem who reported directly back to him recommended swallowing tests to determine if she was PVS in 2003. Jeb is a little slow, he didn't catch the hint. Terri's Law was in effect at the time and she was essentially under his control until everyone got scared. The window was there.

[BykrBayb]

Terri's murder changed me on so many levels. All my life I'd heard people say unkind things about disabled people, but I had no idea how deep the hatred went, until I saw people publicly supporting the death by torture of an innocent woman, just because of her disabilities. I've seen people talk openly about killing their own family members. I've seen people stoop to the lowest levels imaginable. I've also seen people rise to magnificent heights. The discussions over Terri's murder revealed so much about people, their best, and their worst. I'm very fortunate that the people who have always meant the most to me, came out on the side of goodness and life.

[BykrBayb]

The shadow of the window frame forms a cross over Terri's heart.

[BykrBayb]

Bttt. Excellent article.

http://nationalreview.com/comment/johansen200603310740.asp

[BykrBayb]

http://ts.koliber.net

I hadn't seen your website before. It's a very good site dedicated to Terri. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Miss Behave]

8mm, thank you so much for keeping me abreast. I hope and pray that Terri's loved ones have gotten through this day and year as best as could be expected. Thank God for Father Pavone to be in their lives. I pray today and every day that our loving Lord holds tightly Terri's parents and brother and sister--in their grief, sorrow, and life forward--and that He comforts them in their every step and heavy load beared.

God bless the Schindlers, and God bless all who support them and the sanctity of life.

[Ciexyz]

Thanks for that update on your visit to Terri's grave.

[Ciexyz]

RIP, Terri. It's hard to believe that one year has passed already.

I'll never sign a "Living" Will. From what my friends in the medical profession tell me, nurses and caregivers ignore any patient who has a "Do Not Resuscitate" sign on their bed. They treat it to mean, give no care at all and let die.

[Pepper777]

** Terri's Law was in effect at the time and she was essentially under his control until everyone got scared. **

It's a crying shame that Terri's Law was over-turned. Terri's Law should have rescued Terri from michael's control for good, but for some reason it did not.

Jeb should never have allowed Terri to be returned to that hospice after her feeding tube was put back in, in 2003. She was not terminal, so why was she returned to the hospice? Hopefully I'm not mixed up on the chain of events.

[TheSarce]

This afternoon, I spent an hour at Terri's graveside...

FV, thank you for being there to pay respects, it means a lot to those of us who were unable to attend in person.

You've been instrumental in rallying FReepers to Terri's cause for all these years, bless you for all your hard work and dedication to keeping us informed.