Barbarity in America (Terri Schaivo)

Worldnetdaily ^ | 03/18/2005 | Rabbi Schmuley Boteach

[Keyes2000mt]

I never believed that I would live in a country that would, in effect, execute a brain-damaged woman who never hurt anyone in her life. The story of Terri Schiavo should outrage every decent American. While our soldiers valiantly fight and die across the sea so complete strangers can enjoy human rights, here at home an American woman who suffered severe brain damage 15 years ago is being subjected to death by dehydration and starvation by order of a judge. Today, her feeding tube was removed.

The humanity of every society is determined first and foremost by how it treats its most helpless citizens, and a nation that is prepared to murder a feeble and vulnerable woman who can breathe but not eat on her own must take a deeper look at the source of its ethics.

Before Hitler came for the Jews and the gypsies, he first came after the mentally handicapped. He offered this rationale for euthanasia: "In nature, there is no pity for the lesser creatures when they are destroyed so that the fittest may survive. Going against nature brings ruin to man. It is only Jewish impudence to demand that we overcome nature." Hitler, who was a committed evolutionist and applied the ruthless principals of natural selection to the human species, opposed "artificial" means of keeping the infirm alive. The species was strengthened when its weakest constituents perished, just as nature decreed.

Charles Darwin expressed his own belief in stronger and more feeble parts of the human family when he famously wrote, "The more civilized so-called Caucasian races have beaten the Turkish hollow in the struggle for existence. Looking to the world at no very distant date, what an endless number of the lower races will have been eliminated by the higher civilized races throughout the world."

Thankfully, the United States does not derive its ethics from Darwin, but from Sinai. We do not believe in the quality of life, but in its sanctity. Since Hitler was the enemy of life, he despised not just Judaism, but Christianity, which in turn embraced the biblical idea of the infinite value of every human life and how each individual, regardless of the degree of brain cognition, was possessed of the divine.

Hitler famously said, "The heaviest blow that ever struck humanity was the coming of Christianity. ... The deliberate lie in the matter of religion was introduced into the world by Christianity." Hitler spent much of his table talk, faithfully recorded by Martin Bormann, attacking Judeo-Christian ethics: "This filthy reptile raises its head whenever there is a sign of weakness in the state, and therefore it must be stamped on. We have no sort of use for a fairy story invented by the Jews."

How the United States could today devalue the life of the infirm by removing a brain-damaged woman's feeding tube, and unwittingly ally itself with the euthanasia program of the history's foremost monster, should send shivers down the spine of every American.

But biblical ethics aside, there is also common sense and logic. Should we really take what might have been a throw-away comment from a wife to her husband about not wanting to live in a vegetative state as the rationale to murder a human being? Apparently, Terri and her husband were watching some film about a person in a coma when Terri told her husband she would never want to live like that. But people make comments like that during movies all the time without really meaning them.

And even if Terri Schiavo expressly wanted to die, does that mean we should kill her? Dr. Kevorkian is sitting in prison for the rest of his life precisely because he killed people who wished to die. How is this different?

And what jurisdiction should Terri's husband, Michael, have here? He maintains that he is fighting to remove his wife's feeding tube to keep his pledge to her that she be allowed to die with dignity.

Now this is curious. The husband has taken other pledges to his wife, which apparently are far less meaningful to him. For example, in marrying her, he pledged to stand by her "in sickness and in health." Yet, many years ago he abandoned Terri, moved in with his girlfriend and had children with this other woman. Apparently, his pledge of sexual fidelity did not mean much to him, either.

Now, I'm not suggesting that Michael Schiavo should have remained celibate for the last 15 years, and I understand the need for human companionship. But he could easily have divorced Terri and left her in her parents' care rather than cheating on her and having children out of wedlock. But staying married to your wife just to ensure that she dies sounds a lot to me like wanting to inherit her estate. But honestly, which sane judge, in this case Pinellas Circuit Court Judge George Greer, would allow a man who is living with, and has children with, another woman, to make life-and-death decisions concerning his wife? This is a shocking affront to basic decency.

Furthermore, Judge Greer accepted the opinion of doctors who said Ms. Schiavo, 41, is in a "persistent vegetative state," the definition of which, according to the New York Times, is "damage to her cerebral cortex [that] has made her incapable of emotion, memory or thought."

But woe to a nation that determines that the sanctity of life is determined by a capacity to feel emotion, memory or thought. Before he died, Ronald Reagan was so ravaged by Alzheimer's that he had lost all memory and all capacity for cognitive thought. But could one only imagine a sane individual arguing that Reagan should have been denied food years before his 2004 death because he had become worthless? The same applies to millions of the elderly who inhabit our homes for the aged. A great many do nothing but sit in a chair or lie in bed with scarcely movement or memory. How far are we from a time when calls will go forth to deny them all food as well?

What comes to mind in the story of Terri Schiavo is the famous quotation of Pastor Martin Niemöller concerning moral failure in the face of the Nazis: "First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me." Terry Schiavo has no voice, so we must become her voice.

I shudder for my country to think that such acts of barbarity can take place in the world's foremost democracy and humanity's guarantor of liberty and freedom.

[goldstategop]

The judge doesn't care. He's the kind of moral relativist lauded by today's sick culture. And he's also a cold-blooded murderer.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Lexinom]

They want to kill her for the same reasons they relish the death of the unborn and the deportaion of Elian back to a communist dictatorship.

I wonder what kind of party those here and elsewhere wanting her dead will have when Terri finally does die, if no help is forthcoming.

I will not eat while Terri is being starved. If Terri doesn't get to, why should I? I live in this land and am complicit with its laws and actions, guilty before God by virtue of my citizenship.

[exDemMom]

Judge Greer has been meticulous about constructing a scenario wherein Terri isn't human enough to be allowed to live, even going so far as to throw in a tidbit about her "not wanting to live like this" in the words of her husband.

To do this, he has ignored inconvenient evidence, testimony, and plain old common sense.

He is evil.

As long as there is vibrant life within the human body, it is not for us to say whether a person deserves to live or not, just because they're not as smart or talented as us. It really does say a lot about us, the way we care for those who can't care for themselves.

[Caipirabob]

Judicial tyranny must be stopped.

[Selkie]

Does anyone know why this FL. State Statute doesn't apply in this case ?
Florida Statutes
FS 765.309 forbids mercy killing, euthanasia and deliberate acts of omission.

[Lexinom]

"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him."
-James D. Miles

[goldstategop]

We can judge Greer's, Felos' and Mikey's character. I wouldn't get within 10 feet of these guys.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Windsong]

Funny how JimRob is strangely silent on all of these weeping "terri" threads, no?

[ClancyJ]

....This is the natural next step in the evolution of an abortion culture.
......

Exactly. Now we have free murder sponsored by the state if you are married and manage to get your spouse into an incapacitated state - temporary or not.

All feeding tubes are now subject to being removed - no matter the reason.

Next, those with a diagnosis of progressive illness - altzheimers, Lou Gerig's, cancer - must end their suffering and it so benefits us (the money you know)

Then all the homeless - who would want to live in their state? Most are mentally defective you know and they would not want to live that way.

Oh, don't forget the nursing homes. You could go through and clear out 50% of them based on Terri's situation.

Then the deformed and handicapped. After all - they just can't keep up.

Oh, you know - maybe we ought to have a procedure to be sure the "right" people are setting policy about the criteria of determining "life". What are the assets required?

Now, you know something must be done about the right-wingers. They are totally out-of-control causing all this havoc over society's humane responses. They MUST be out of their minds to create such havoc. Do they fit the "life" criteria being they are a bit deranged?

Isn't it wonderful that we have finally created the real superpower on earth with such a productive mass of people.

We so admire our new leaders - so very strong, wise and oh - so educated and qualified to be the real world leaders. Of course, we must follow them carefully, be sure to keep up on your jobs, don't be seen in a church, and always be seen with only the right people.

.......
Reminds one of the Nazi era.

[RPTMS]

"I wouldn't get within 10 feet of these guys."

I would, just so I could kick them in the nuts.

[UCANSEE2]

Funny how JimRob is strangely silent on all of these weeping "terri" threads, no?

There could be a multitude or reasons that is so, but the primary one is,,,,,,,

He is pretty silent about most threads, it is rare to see his posts outside of Conservative Political issues. He is a very busy man, and spends some of his time being forced to warn a poster who has violated the rules to COOL IT. (Been there).

[snowsislander]

Why is a judge willing to go to the length of ignoring supoenas in order to proceed with death to the young lady?

Indeed, why is he? He is putting himself in a false position by not complying.

[MarkL]

Why do the democrats want to kill her?

The hard core leftists want to bathe in the blood of innocents.

Mark

[MarkL]

This judge is storing up for himself some very hot times in that eternal sulfery furnace to come.

I don't believe in hell. But there are certain people for whom I pray that there is such a place. And Greer is one of those people.

I like Dante's visualization that those in hell suffer their sins for all of eternity... So Greer would be on the verge of starving and dying of hunger and thirst for all of eternity.

Mark

[Dante3]

The authorities had no difficulty in taking Elian, and they sure dragged off the Ten Comandments and removed the judge who dared to display them. But no cares about a disabled woman who is being tortured to death.

[backhoe]

 

Think Terry's Fight does not affect, or apply, to you?

Think again.

Got a recessive gene? Old parent or spouse? Handicapped child?

At what point do they become "a useless Eater"-- like Terry?

All you geezers that moved to Florida for low taxes & mild weather? You're next...

Just as the Pope predicted, we have become a Cult of Death--

 With Schiavo Subpoenas, Congress Is Testing the Limits of Its Power -- Send in the Marshalls. Now. 

To access the entire database of links we have ( some going back to 2003 ), click these:

 SCHIAVO; TERRISCHIAVO;  EUTHANASIA;  

 

 Do this or this show a vegetable, incapable of feeling or interaction?

 Myths About Terri Schiavo

 

Wampus SC, creator.

Wampus SC, creator.

[pickyourpoison]

Exactly...a little ole blind judge in Florida slapped Washington DC in the face, and they're just taking it. I go vote everytime the polls are open and volunteer at the Republican headquarters and what for? whimps?

[Bear_Slayer]

If the disabled do nothing more than teach the rest of us to become or to remain compassionate and tender to those in need, then we, at the least, owe it to our own selves to care for and defend them!

[Bear_Slayer]

Nice quote. Who is James Miles?

[MarMema]

Thank you for this post. I am waiting to see whether this country lives up to what I believe it is about.

Coincidentally I will be visiting a very beautiful and Christian country, albeit one with almost a third world lifestyle, in a few weeks. A new president is expected by many to make very great changes there in the next few years.

If they kill Terri, I will be looking seriously at those changes and strongly considering moving there.

More people should get out now, just as more should have in Germany.

My husband and I Have disabled children. They don't need to stay here and be euthanized.