FLA. LAWMAKERS MAY PASS TUBE-FEEDING LAW (LEGISLATURE MEETING TONIGHT, OCT. 20, TO PROPOSE BILL)

AP WIRE SERVICE ^ | OCT. 20, 2003 | AP WIRE

[varina davis]

Fla. Lawmakers May Pass Tube-Feeding Law

October 20, 2003 07:17 PM EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida lawmakers were moving Monday to consider intervening in the case of a severely brain-damaged woman whose feeding tube was removed last week by her husband's order.

The Florida House scheduled a Monday night session to take up the issue. In the Senate, President Jim King said he will propose legislation that would give Gov. Jeb Bush the authority to order the feeding tube be reinserted to keep Terri Schiavo alive.

The tube was removed Wednesday following a decade-long court battle between Schiavo's parents and their son-in-law, who contends that he is carrying out her wishes not to be kept alive artificially.

"If we are to err - because time is of the essence - for goodness sake let us err on the side of caution," said King, a Republican.

Schiavo has been in what doctors call a vegetative state since her heart stopped in 1990 from a suspected potassium imbalance.

Bush told parents Bob and Mary Schindler last week that his staff would search for legal ways to save their daughter's life, but said Monday they haven't yet found a way.

"The legal ways, the remedies, don't exist," Bush said Monday, before the possible legislative moves became apparent.

Bush added, "I wish I could wave the magic wand and resolve this but every effort that we've had or every effort that has been proposed has either been thwarted by the courts or would be inappropriate."

Meanwhile, in a statement released through his lawyer, husband Michael Schiavo said Monday that he, too, is grieving, but "I did what I believe Terri would have wanted me to do."

[ChemistCat]

If she is having fluids withheld that is ridiculous. Jesus (a strong, healthy man) did 40, but I've never heard of anyone else managing it.

[yesnettv]

Michael's statement is at www.tbo.com
WFLA
and now I heard AP has picked it up

[Hunble]

Question: As a Christian, why do you not want her to be released from this body and enjoy her rewards in heaven?

God has already made the choice, and Man is trying to change it. Why?

Your efforts have been outstanding and I applaud you for them. But as a Christian, I am curious why you are so afraid of death and are fighting this so hard.

[Theodore R.]

Michael Schiavo said Monday that he, too, is grieving, but "I did what I believe Terri would have wanted me to do."

Biggest surprise of the ordeal. Of course, he is lying!

[ClancyJ]

Wonderful news. Maybe there is still help available. I was really discouraged.

As Dr. Dotson said - Watch out, this is the beginning of euthanasia as is done in Denmark. Once it starts with one, it progresses and progresses.

I don't want a lie determining my life or death. A living will must be in writing to be accepted. And in cases of dispute where the family strongly disagrees, there should be other options.

We do not want a society where there are ghouls out there saying this one or that one is not worthy of God given life. The door would be opened to all manner of manipulation of the "law" for profit, revenge, hate, race, and crime cover-up. Look at the slippery slope represented by abortion, then partial birth abortion, then stem cell harvesting of fetuses, then after birth denial of life, then doing away with the drains on society, then the old, the weak.

We should be able to handle our people better than that. Even some of the African nations do a better job of handling their elders. Many aides at the nursing home have said in their country, their mothers would never be treated as they are in the U.S. - the village cares for them.

[Ladysmith]

BTTT!!! The session online!!!

[FR_addict]

Thanks for the link!

[Theodore R.]

God has already made the choice

Absolutely NOT, God had nothing to do with this "choice." This choice was made by Schiavo-Greer-Felos triumvirate. God is not part of that horror.

[ChemistCat]

Oh, hon, I'm not afraid of death and I've been flamed for saying that we aren't going to lose this battle for TERRI. She is going to win. She will be rewarded by her Savior for what she has suffered on earth, I am not in any doubt about that.

But if we stand by and let murder be done that is on US. If we don't need Terri, do we not need Ronald Reagan? Where do we stop? She had NO LIVING WILL so this may be happening to her against her will. I believe it is, in fact, because she responded with upset and an attempt to escape when they told her what would be done to her.

No, I am fighting this for us, those who will be left behind, because our government, our judges, are doing this to her and to many people in similiar straits all over the country. We are accountable to God for what is done in our name.

Myself, I have a living will and I am quite certain I'd rather be dead and with my Heavenly Father, than live as Terri does. That is MY point of view, MY choice, and nobody has the right (IMHO) to take that away from me.

But nobody has the right to impose that on Terri, who has not expressed that choice--especially not the husband who probably put her in that so-called "vegetative state" in the first place, and has done his level best to see that she was dead and cremated without an autopsy, so he could keep the money and marry his new honey.

Terri communicates with her eyes. There is technology available that could have made it possible for her to have communicated complete thoughts. Her husband forbade that to be done. I think he is a murderer trying to hide the evidence as he gets the state to finish the job. That's an opinion many share. I am as responsible as anyone on earth for what is done to my sister, if I stand by and let it be done.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I heard he was "grieving" at the shopping mall a day or two after the feeding tube was removed.

[lil'bit]

Is what I'm hearing a LIVE feed?

[viaveritasvita]

CC: Please ping me to your reply to Hunble's post. Thanks.

Hunble: This is murder, pure and simple.

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[yesnettv]

If it is what I am listening to, yes!

[Florida Mama]

But as a Christian, I am curious why you are so afraid of death and are fighting this so hard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why is it that when a person fights for life, they are automatically afraid of death? The entire message of christianity is Life. Christ came that we may have life and live it more abundantly. If, as a christian, I was to claim your way of thinking, we all might as well off ourselves now because we would be better off. That is not the message that my savior gives to me. Life is a gift, we are intrusted with that gift, and should respect that gift and protect that gift.

This isnt a question regarding fear of death, but instead is a question of repsecting the gift of life.

[diamond6]

Terri communicates with her eyes. There is technology available that could have made it possible for her to have communicated complete thoughts.


Thats great. What technology is that? How long has it been around?

[supercat]

God has already made the choice, and Man is trying to change it. Why?

What makes you think God made the choice? Any person, no matter how healthy, who is prevented from taking food by mouth (at least one nurse's affidavit indicated Michael explicitly prevented anyone from seeing if she could swallow food or be taught to do so) will starve without a feeding tube.

[PleaseNoMore]

From what I have just read the legislature is in session and the resolution proposed by Jeb has just been read. There is a site that allows you listen but I don't know where it is. Maybe someone else can help??

[ChemistCat]

It's post 29.

God is great and will not be mocked by this process. I am afraid for those who know only enough to have the wrong opinion on this. I remember the words of Jesus though. "Forgive them for they know not what they do." That's not true of Judge Greer or Michael Schiavo--they are like those who knowingly condemned an innocent Jesus to death for convenience. But so many people who wave the palm branches one day for life--say, protesting capital punishment--are silent or calling for Barabas today.

People haven't changed a bit, have they? The nails keep on going in His hands, going in, going in, going in...and the hammer is rationalization.

[yonif]

When is the session going to be held? (time)

[diamond6]

Legislation for Terri is being discussed and opposed. Go here to watch and listen http://199.44.254.202/stations/channelA.asx