Many organizations and Americans are helping the Schindler family. Everything possible is being done to help Terri. Hundreds of people participated in the 24/7 Vigil at Hospice. It may still be going on as I type this.
The news media kept stating that the same small number of demonstrators were keeping a vigil for Terri. Thousands of people trampled Hospice's lawn for 8 days. Hundreds of people wanted to meet the family. There was the media circus going on as well. I have so many images in my head. I have at least 500 new friends.
Please contact terrisfight.org directly.
Even though the matter of the Constitution has been discussed, I want you to read the following article from today's Arizona Republic newspaper, because of the serious questions it raises, the repercussions - and that, ultimately, the court will once again pull Terri's tube.
How much of The Bill of Rights & States' Rights are we going to trash to save Terri? Have emotions ruled over logic? (In my case, they have.) Do we want to set a precedent that can be used by other states' to bypass their constitutions in the future?
We have a judicial system that, even with its flawed, driven-by-greed lawyers and ego-inflated, often lazy and incompetent judges, is still the finest system in the world.
Together, FReepers have a mind-boggling amount of power. We have the constitutional freedom to personally criticize judges and attorneys openly; and, through legal means, demand a higher court review of Judge Greer's handling and rulings.
As evidenced by what we have accomplished in Florida, we also have the power to change bad laws. And that takes determination - a tremendous amount of studying - a lot of hard work. __________________________________________________________
by Mitch Stacy, Associated Press
EXPERTS QUESTIONING FLORIDA RIGHT-TO-LIFE LAW
Legal scholars predicted Wednesday that Gov. Jeb Bush's intervention in a bitter right-to-die case involving a brain-damaged woman will be ruled unconstitutional, and her husband's lawyer angrily complained that the woman was "abducted from her deathbed."
"It is so repugnant to so many provisions of Florida's constitution, we are all certain that it will be overturned," said George Felos, attorney for Michael Schiavo.
Legal scholars also decried the move as an extraordinary end run around the courts.
"In my view, the bill is plainly unconstitutional," University of Florida law Professor Joseph Little said.
Terri Schiavo, 39, has been in a what doctors call a "persistent vegetative state" since 1990, when her heart stopped because of a chemical imbalance. Her eyes are open, but doctors say she has no consciousness.
Her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, have fought to keep her alive and say she still could recover. Michael contends that she told him she would rather die than be kept alive artificially, but her parents said they never heard her say that.
Her feeding tube was removed by court order last Wednesday at the insistence of her husband. The case is one of the nation's longest and most contentious right-to-die cases.
On Tuesday, the Legislature rushed through a bill designed to save Terri's life, and Bush quickly invoked the law and ordered the feeding tube reinserted.
Felos said that Terri suffered signs of organ failure Tuesday and that the reintroduction of fluids after a week without food or water could just make her suffer more.
The Schindlers had complained Wednesday that they had not been allowed by Michael, still their daughter's legal guardian, to see her in the hospital. They got that permission late Wednesday, but she had been taken to the hospice by the time they arrived at the hospital.
Felos said earlier that the woman was quietly dying after the tube was removed and that it was "simply inhumane and barbaric to interrupt her death process."
Legal experts widely agreed that the governor and Legislature went too far.
"This particular administration has not yet understood why we have separation of powers," former Florida Supreme Court Justice Gerald Kogan said. "They seem to believe that the governor and the Legislature can do whatever they want and the courts should not interfere, and that's not right." __________________________________________________________
typos are mine
That is wonderful that there is so much response. It is good to know that Terri and her family are surrounded by those who really care for them and are praying for them. Surely that is a comfort. Budge, maxplunder and I wanted to make the trip and considered it, but I was concerned that it would be a bit much for Budge, camping out on the hospice lawn and all, although I've sure got to admire his willingness to endure for Terri's sake, but I am thinking that perhaps we were needed here making contacts and sending emails. Budge has been on the phone constantly for days, and I am so squirrely my eyes are crossing. Max is over at the DU and doing a fine job of being civil. Terri has friends there too and it just goes to show how special she is that she can build a tunnel bridge between FR and the DU. I don't think it's ever been done before. LOL!