Open Letter to Gov Jeb Bush + Pix from Terri Schiavo's Vigil

Envoy Magazine Blog ^ | October 19, 2003 | Pete Vere

[NYer]

Dear Governor Bush:

As members of the Catholic media, we beg you, in the name of our Lord Jesus, to intervene in the case of Terry Schiavo, and, by extension, in the lives of the millions of persons with special needs in Florida and throughout our country whose lives will be greatly endangered if Ms. Schiavo is left to die, or, more accurately, murdered through the present withdrawal of food and water.

The judge in this case is acting on a remarkable doctrine: That food and water are medicines which may be granted or withheld based on a judicial order. What legal or moral authority gives anyone the right to withhold food and water from an innocent person? Starvation is a most painful and difficult death. If one were to propose it as a method of execution for death row prisoners, it would be instantly opposed by society under the Constitution's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. If starvation is cruel and unusual punishment, it should not have the imprimatur of the State of Florida for any innocent citizen.

We admire your seeking the assistance of the St. Thomas More Society concerning what is legally just. And we are strengthened in our hearts by their response that, at the very least, you have the authority and the duty to protect her life and to conduct a proper and thorough investigation. We appreciate the difficulty of this matter and that the right course of action before God may not be the popular one in today's culture.

The moral and just path, however, is clear to us who believe that human life is God's to give and His alone to take. History has shown the truth of the statement,  The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.  We would go a step further in saying that those who have the power to do good, and yet do nothing, participate in the triumph of evil, whether or not their withholding of the good seeks or intends such evil.

It may be that our Lord has put you into office, like Queen Esther of old,  for such a time as this . The God who saved Esther, and through her, the people of God, will not abandon you, dear Governor. He is faithful. May our Lord Jesus Christ be your comfort and guide in this urgent hour, and may you be His instrument to save the life of one of His  little ones , and through her, the dignity of every soul made in His image.

With gratitude and prayer,

Rosalind Moss,
Catholic Author and Speaker
 
Father Richard John Neuhaus
Editor in Chief, FIRST THINGS
The Institute on Religion and Public Life

Pete Vere, Editor
The Alhambran Magazine

Mark Shea
Catholic Author and Speaker

Philip F. Lawler
Editor, Catholic World Report and Catholic World News

Carl Olson
Editor, Envoy Magazine

John Pacheco
Catholic Author and Speaker

Domenico Bettinelli, Jr
Managing Editor, Catholic World Report magazine

Amy Welborn
Columnist, Our Sunday Visitor

Martin K. Barrack
Catholic Author and Speaker

David Pearson
Features Editor, National Catholic Register

Mike Mohr
Chairman, St. Bernadette Soubirous Chapter of Catholics United for Faith

Dave Armstrong
Catholic Author and Speaker

Gerald Korson
Editor, Our Sunday Visitor

Steve Ray
Catholic Author and Television Host

Rod Bennett 
Editor, WONDER Magazine

Matt C. Abbott
Columnist, the Wanderer

Tim Drake
Staff Writer, National Catholic Register

Dr. Paul Thigpen
Executive Director, The Stella Maris Center for Faith and Culture

Mary Kochan,
Contributing Editor, Catholic Exchange

Sandra Miesel
Catholic Journalist

David Moss
President, Association of Hebrew Catholics

Maureen and Robert Wittmann
Catholic authors and speakers

Steve Kellmeyer
Bridegroom Press

Mike Aquilina
Vice President, St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology

Mark Brumley
Catholic Author

Greg Popcak
Catholic Author and Radio Host

Patty Bonds
Catholic Author and Speaker

Jeff Cavins
Catholic Radio and Television Host

Fr. Joseph F. Wilson
Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn

[pollywog]

Please continue to post more pictures of the vigils and demonstrations, they are very important

YES, YES!!! Thank you very much and please update us and the MEDIA with photos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sweetliberty]

I wish we could go down there for the vigil. How long of a drive is it? I'm guesing in the vicinity of 17 hours.

[sweetliberty]

"Our Founders could never have envisioned that the doctrine of "separation of powers" would be invoked to legitimize a court-approved execution of an innocent woman."

You've got that right. But then there are a great many things going on in this country that I don't think they could ever have envisioned.

[Pegita]

There is a 1 p.m. vigil today at the Woodside Hospice, and another at 3 p.m. in front of the White House ... information has been posted in the Florida and D.C. Chapters and in the Open Forum ~ if unable to attend, prayer is asked, especially during those hours ...

[sweetliberty]

Ping to post #20.

[CinderAngel]

Since when do we starve our children to death in this country and then call it humane? It matters not how old the child is whether they are 2, 22, 32, 42 etc.. The death sentence of Terri Schindler is nothing more than Murder and must be stopped. I do not personally know her, but I am sickened and outraged by the life decisions of our courts in her case. She is a viable human being!

At last check a person could be jailed and charged with animal cruelty for starving their dog. No matter what the reason it is called inhumane. Why is Terri being considered as less than human with far less rights than a dog? She does not sustain her life by machinery only by food. Not unlike you or me and billions of other living beings, food is the number one life sustaining birthright!

I suffer from multiple diseases and one day it will be necessary for my husband to seek nursing care for me and I have prepared him and my family to carry out my wishes. I do not want to be sustained by machine, but I do not want to starve to death either. If in fact Terri had stated (during some point in her life) that she did not want to live as a vegetable or on machinery or artificial means I am sure she did not give one thought to her feeding. Who in their right mind would say, "honey, if ever I am incapacitated I would like to be starved to death."

No! I might not want to live on machines, but I would not choose to starve to death. If I can get nourishment and am not on machinery then there is hope! As there is hope for Terri! She has not gone backward in her recovery and is at no immediate risk to do so which means she has hope and a chance. I personally know 2 persons who suffered brain injuries, one in a coma for 1 year the other 6 months and they were called vegetables. Brain dead. No hope. Not viable. Phooey!

They are both alive and well! Allen fully recovered and Julie recovered with physical deficits, but gets around in a wheelchair and has a fully functioning brain. Neither of them needed machinery to keep them alive..........Only food! They had a chance just like Terri!

We have all heard the saying, "Our judicial system is set up to protect the criminals, not the victims" and in this case I absolutely agree. Anyone ruling to end this woman's life by starvation without her consent is a criminal and should be put on trial as such! Have we become Nazi's? Weren't members of the Nazi party put on trial for similar crimes? Hitler didn't think the Jews were viable humans either and starved them to death. Did we think that was humane and in the Jews best interest? I think not.

As for the Judges and politicians who sit back and let this happen......we will remember each and every one of you at the polls. Pull your heads out of the sand and give this family their precious child as only they should have the right to decide what is best for their daughter.


Hopeful for Terri

[Budge]

Are you going to use your Sovereign Citizenship and act decisively to save this woman's life or are you just going to march around and let the Kakistocracy prevail once more?

ALL are praying, some have traveled to Florida from great distance, most have written letters (not just e-mail) or made phone calls to ALL the people responsible for killing Terri, but also the Governor and his brother the President of the United States and anyone else with the power to stop this madness!

Please join us!

[mtbopfuyn]

I wish I had the resources to provide a generator and large screen tv to broadcast terri's videos at the vigil. The battle to educate people is so damnably frustrating.

What's frustrating is the tv media hasn't been all over this. I have FNC on all day and haven't heard a peep so have been switching to CNN and others but still nothing. Kobe, Rush, and OBL are the headlines rather than an American woman who's being tortured to death over a span of days.

[mtbopfuyn]

It appears that Pat Anderson does not have a nourishment problem.

What a crappy remark. Since you have enough strength to post such, you obviously don't have a nourishment problem either but Terri certainly does.

[diamond6]

Are there any prayer vigils in Fresno?

[Velveeta]

Governor Bush......the world is watching!

[mtbopfuyn]

I think the question has to be asked...why aren't there more people there? Many FReepers won't like the answer.

It's because the media hasn't been all over the story so most of the public is unaware of it. I've normally have FNC on all day and haven't heard a word about Terri. I've become frustrated and have been switching to CNN and other stations but again have seen no reports.

[agrarianlady]

Has anyone attempted to BRIBE Michael the 'legal guardian'? It seems that he loves money. Perhaps raising enough to offer him ONE MILLION to spare Terri's life. He's an evil man. A righteous man would not take a bribe, but neither would he deny his wife care.

Why would he turn down one million dollars? Offer to leave him in peace if he turns legal guardianship over to Terri's parents for the price of ONE MILLION dollars.

[mtbopfuyn]

Freepers form a big part of the over 1000 messages of support he receives over email each day

Just out of curiosity I looked at DU a couple days ago for Terri threads and didn't see any. I thought we were alike in all but our political views, but I apparently am wrong.

[FR_addict]

"I don't claim to understand all the legal obstacles involved, but if it is true that Governor Jeb Bush has his hands tied in this matter, then we must get legislation going that would untie his hands."

I don't believe his hands are ties. He can pardon murderers on death row, but he claims he can do nothing for Terri.

Even if his hands are tied, his feet aren't tied.

Why isn't he standing there with the rest of those maintaining a vigil for Terri? This is going on in his state.

[Budge]

You have the starvation almost correct, AH. The Nazis put all Jews and most dissidents in special above ground Concentration Camps (among them Auschwitz) where so many were gassed in the showers, virtual walking skeletons, then cremated in giant ovens.

Americans and Allies were housed in "stalags" where many starved, no thanks to the "Red Plus."

But you are correct, murder is still murder, and Terri is being murdered!

BTW, "Nazi" is nothing more than a slightly altered version of socialism that Adolf Hitler implemented.

[GirlShortstop]

The most serious is that Monsignor attempted to give Terri Holy Communion today, but was stopped by the police and the nursing staff.

After reading that, can anyone say that there is *not* EVIL going on here, and Terri is a victim?

Earnest prayers offered.

[mtbopfuyn]

Has anyone attempted to BRIBE Michael the 'legal guardian'?

Terri's parents have tried to give him all the money awarded in a malpractice suit that was intended to go for her rehab but he refused. There have different $$$ amounts floating around but somewhere around $1M. He likes the money but I feel he enjoys the power over her life and death more.

[diamond6]

"The most serious is that Monsignor attempted to give Terri Holy Communion today, but was stopped by the police and the nursing staff."

He obviously is afraid of a miracle happening. I am totally convinced of that. God is never mocked!

[NYer]

I do not want to be sustained by machine, but I do not want to starve to death either. If in fact Terri had stated (during some point in her life) that she did not want to live as a vegetable or on machinery or artificial means I am sure she did not give one thought to her feeding. Who in their right mind would say, "honey, if ever I am incapacitated I would like to be starved to death."

Precisely!! Terri was in her late 20's, when this unfortunate incident occurred. What person in the prime of life is thinking about a living will. And even then, who could ever imagine starving a person who is conscious and alert! It boggles the mind!

Terri is a catholic. She has now been refused the final Sacrament of Last Rites! This is a violation of her 1st Amendment rights, as a citizen and a heinous sin on the part of her husband.

Ironically, I don't hear any lawyers or judges suggesting that we pull the breathing equipment on Christopher Reeve. He would be dead in an instant, unlike Terri who must suffer through this anguishing, draw out death.

May God have pity on us as a nation!