Terri Schiavo's Life

The Wall Street Journal ^ | October 22, 2003 | DAVID GELERNTER

[OESY]

The death-by-starvation facing Terri Schiavo was averted yesterday when the Florida legislature passed a bill letting Gov. Jeb Bush intervene to save her life. Mrs. Schiavo has been severely mentally disabled since her heart stopped for a time in 1990. Although doctors have called her condition "vegetative," she breathes on her own, her eyes are open and in video clips she appears to respond with smiles to the sound of her mother's voice. That is one ground on which her parents have pleaded with authorities to let their daughter live. But last week her husband ordered her feeding tube removed, and until the legislature acted, Gov. Bush had no authority to override Michael Schiavo's decision.

[joesnuffy]

Dear Friend,

In a trial initiated by Michael Schiavo (Terri Schindler-Schiavo’s husband and legal guardian), a verdict was issued by Circuit Court Judge, George W. Greer, on February 11, 2000. Judge Greer granted authorization to stop feeding Terri. Judge Greer’s verdict will cause Terri to die in 10 to 14 days. Terri will die of starvation.

As Terri’s father, I have been designated as spokesperson for the family and more important, as a voice for Terri appealing to you to join us in our efforts to reverse this travesty of justice. We have to save Terri’s life. Essentially, Terri has been sentenced to death. We do not understand how, in a civilized society, Terri’s life was even put on trial. Terri has not committed a felony, or any crime. Terri has not desecrated any commandment of God. Terri has not violated any of society’s laws. Terri’s only culpability is ironic. She has made herself vulnerable because of a $750K medical fund that she acquired via a medical malpractice lawsuit payable to her inheritor when she dies. Terri has no will. The inheritor is her husband.

The precedence that Terri’s trial and ensuing verdict establishes should frighten everyone. Basically, any person that is impaired, who cannot speak their mind, is vulnerable to be legally executed. In Terri’s case, where money is the motivation, the risk increases substantially. This ruling could potentially open the door to eventually include everyone who is a burden to his or her caretaker or a drain on the state. The court’s verdict endorsees a current movement attempting to legalize euthanasia in the United States.

After hearing Judge Greer’s verdict, our family reacted with a variety of emotions. The thought of our daughter’s death by starvation is inexpressible. There is also empathy for the parents and families of murder victims. Particularly when the person guilty of committing the crime goes on trial and is acquitted due to dishonest testimony given by witnesses under an oath of God. The frustration must be unbearable.

Terri’s trial has attracted national media coverage. People have responded from across the country offering their support. There have been communications from people who also have family members impaired by brain damage and have recovered. They relate scenarios where their family member was in the identical situation as Terri. Like Terri, their child/sister would smile, laugh, cry, moan, show signs of recognition and appear as if they were trying to speak. In every case, the Neurologist interpreted these actions as reflex. In every case, the Neurologist prognosis indicated that there was absolutely no chance of recovery. Remarkably and contrary to the negative diagnosis, they report that there was recovery. Most notable was a young man who walks daily, unassisted, on a treadmill, and a woman, who after 20 years, has fully recovered. Also, we have the recently publicized case of Patti WhiteBull who recovered after 16 years, and Terry Wallis, who recovered after 19 years in a condition similar to my daughter.

There is hope for Terri to recover! She displays the exact characteristics as described by all the callers. Her husband does not want anyone to believe that Terri is a living human being who consistently responds when stimulated. He is well aware that he has denied Terri any opportunity to recover for the past eleven years.

Before we can concentrate on assisting Terri’s recovery, the immediate priority is to stop Terri’s execution. We have to keep Terri alive. We are dedicated to preserve Terri’s life. Terri does not deserve to have her precious life cut short. Please help us. We cannot do this alone. Please join our family and make this a community effort to overturn this cruel verdict. We must challenge this miscarriage of justice.

Hopefully someday, Terri will personally thank you.

With heartfelt thanks,

Robert Schindler Sr.

[madprof98]

I would never have made such an argument when the abortion decision came down, and I would never have believed it. I still can't believe it.

Who would have believed that today such a piece could appear in print only on the editorial pages of the WSJ and almost nowhere else in America's major media? (Meanwhile, this morning's Atlanta paper informed readers that the governor of Florida wanted to feed a "comotose" woman. The death-dealers will not quit.)

[KC_Conspirator]

David Gerlenter also lost a hand by an attack of the Unibomber, that freindly environmentalist.

[wisconsinconservative]

BUMP

[Velveeta]

Web posted Sunday, December 26, 1999
3:47 a.m. CT

16-year coma patient awakens


ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - Patti Whitebull's family got a Christmas miracle this year.

Whitebull, 42, woke from a 16 1/2-year coma.

"It's truly exciting," said Whitebull's doctor Elliot Marcus. "I can't explain it, but it's truly exciting."

Whitebull's mother, Snowflake Flower, says it was a Christmas miracle from God.

"My heart has been heavy this many years . . . always loving her and caring about her and making prayer feathers for her," Flower said.

Flowers points to feathers on the heads of small figures she makes.

"I put a prayer feather in their hair and that was prayers for Pat," Flower said.

Whitebull will have to learn how to walk and talk again, but mother and daughter will celebrate this Christmas together.

Whitebull became paralyzed after giving birth to her fourth son more than 16 years ago.

http://www.amarillonet.com/stories/122699/usn_coma.shtml

[Tax-chick]

Bump for Gelernter ... hugely talented and deeply thoughtful writer. We could use more like him!

[nickcarraway]

ping

[giotto]

And who dares say you have no right to commune with your gravely ill child? To comfort your child? To pray for your child? Who dares say you have no right to hope that she will recover no matter what the doctors say? Who dares say you have no right to comfort, commune with and pray for her even if you have given up hope? Yes, the woman is mortally ill. Who dares say that her life is therefore worthless, to be cut off at her husband's whim?

Who dares? The same Godless robots who clamor to expel God from our Pledge of Allegiance, from our schools, and eventually, from our entire culture.

[Republic]

Does anyone know if the Schindler's have a copy of this letter by Mr. Gerlernter, Yale Professor, in defense of Terri being granted a decent existence that only her parents care about providing?

Do any of you know how to contact the Schindler's and get a copy to them? They probably cannot keep up with all of the opinions written pro-Terri but we can help in this regard...they will need fuel when they meet up with that ghoul, felos and his willing and malicious puppet, Michael.

[cyn]

Thanks for ping -- Have you all seen this? It's defense of parents rights to care for their child.

Terri Schiavo's Life
The Wall Street Journal ^ | October 22, 2003 | DAVID GELERNTER

...she breathes on her own, her eyes are open and in video clips she appears to respond with smiles to the sound of her mother's voice. ...

Mrs. Schiavo's parents believe that she knows them and is comforted by them. They believe they are communing with their daughter. (Given my own experience with the gravely ill and the dying, I will take the parents' word over the doctors' any day.)

And who dares say you have no right to commune with your gravely ill child? To comfort your child? To pray for your child? Who dares say you have no right to hope that she will recover no matter what the doctors say? Who dares say you have no right to comfort, commune with and pray for her even if you have given up hope? Yes, the woman is mortally ill. Who dares say that her life is therefore worthless, to be cut off at her husband's whim?

[sweetliberty]

Terri's parents (Bob and Mary Schindler) -rschindlersr@yahoo.com

Terri's brother, Bobby - bobby@terrisfight.org

Terri's sister, Suzanne - suzanne@terrisfight.org

[Republic]

VERY IMPORTANT!

Please go to post#40 on the currently running thread about Terri Schiavo's attn vs Michael Schiavo's.....CNN late addition and follow the link to the poll.

Terri is losing miserably and we must CHANGE that-the link takes you directly to the poll-read it carefully-so far 73% say the feeding tube should NOT have been reinserted.

This poll will be broadcast today on the show! HURRY!

[Republic]

bumping for action! Please help Terri by voting in CNN poll. See above.

[Hildy]

A coma is much different than the condition Terri is in.

[nmh]

"She has made herself vulnerable because of a $750K medical fund that she acquired via a medical malpractice lawsuit payable to her inheritor when she dies. Terri has no will. The inheritor is her husband."

She married a creep.

[Velveeta]

Patti White Bull was tube fed for 16 1/2 years.

At what point during those 16 1/2 years would Felos (hypothetically, had he been involved) have decided that Patti was a "useless eater"?