TERRI SCHINDLER SCHIAVO JANUARY 2005 Dailies: News Digest, Restating the Obvious & Thank Yous...

The Terri Schindler Schiavo Daily Threads are created month to month as we watch local and national news regarding Terri and her family.

Since Terri's supporters are in every time zone, you may see something FIRST. Please share news with us that you don't see here already. Now, why would you want to do that? Terri's Daily Thread for September/October of 2004 was viewed over 15,000 times. Terri's November Daily Thread was viewed over 6,000 times. December's thread is over 3,000 views.

More and more good folks are finding out about Terri and that judicial tyranny would take her life, but for lots and lots of prayer and non-stop lobbying of relatives, friends, clergy, our leaders, the media, a passerby, a cashier - ANYONE who you feel comfortable chatting with.

Folks always want to know how can this be in America or on earth for that matter? Unfortunately, this is really happening to an innocent woman who just celebrated her 41st birthday. She's not the only one but she's the one with devoted parents and siblings who knows what's in Terri's heart. Terri has a strong will to live. That's apparent. It's been 14 years.

Besides, feeding tubes have been around practically since the Civil War. They are not high tech devices. Terri is "not hooked up to machines". Her feeding tube is the diameter of a piece of spaghetti.

Talkin' about Terri is the best way to lobby for her. It is a salespitch to save her life and subsequently, many lives. If you've never sold anything in your life, START NOW. START WITH TERRI.

See Terri's flash movies if you need more information. You can see for yourself that's she's interactive and follows the doctor's instructions.

NOTE: Terri's December Dailies are noted as a source above. There are lots of important links at the very top of that thread. If you missed Terri's Celebration of Life, you can click on it from there.

http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=19987

U.S. Supreme Court spurns Schiavo appeal
Jan 24, 2005
By Joni B. Hannigan

Click to download Hi-Res Photo
The fight continues
The effort to save the life of Terri Schiavo, shown here looking into the face of her mother Mary Schindler, received a major setback when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case Jan. 24. Photo from BP files
WASHINGTON (BP)--The U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush Jan. 24 to overturn a decision by the Florida Supreme Court, which had ruled unconstitutional a law keeping a 41-year-old disabled woman alive.

In what Bush attorney Ken Connor said might be a wake-up call for handicapped people in Florida and throughout the nation, the high court left standing a decision by the Florida Supreme Court that Bush and the legislature did not have the right to intervene in the case of Terri Schiavo, a severely disabled woman whose husband has sought actively to end her life.

“This is a very sobering and troubling result for handicapped Floridians,” Connor said during a conference call for reporters.

Citing the impact of the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the Florida court’s decision, Connor said the precedent might be troublesome “not just for handicapped Floridians, but for handicapped individuals all over this country.”

The woman at the center of the legal debate, Schiavo has been in what some doctors consider a persistent vegetative state since 1990, when she collapsed in her home. She currently is fed artificially through a feeding and nutrition tube several times a day.

Connor told reporters the governor “obviously regrets the decision” which leaves him with no recourse.

Bush, Connor said, “has exerted the maximum effort to pursue all legal avenues” in the case, “first and foremost because this case involves the protection of an innocent life -– the life of Terri Schiavo.”

Her husband and legal guardian, Michael Schiavo -- who has fathered two children with his live-in girlfriend while remaining married to Terri -- has sought the removal of his wife’s feeding tube for nearly a decade, saying it is what she would have wanted.

However, no written request from Terri Schiavo exists. Terri’s parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, have long maintained that their daughter has not received the rehabilitation and care she requires.

“This case really demonstrates in bold relief the important need to provide a better way to deal with end of life issues for vulnerable adults,” Connor told reporters.

Schiavo’s feeding tube was discontinued in October 2003, but the Florida legislature passed a law giving Bush the authority to order the continuation of artificial feeding. He did so, and Michael Schiavo challenged the constitutionality of the law, which subsequently was ruled unconstitutional by the Florida Supreme Court in September 2004.

"It's judicial homicide. They want to murder her," her father, Robert Schindler, told the Associated Press in reaction to the decision. "I have no idea what the next step will be. We're going to fight for her as much as we can fight for her. She deserves a chance."

Though the case has reached an end for the governor, Connor said the Schindlers have several matters still pending before Florida courts.

One is a motion before the Second District Court of Appeals, asking it to rehear a motion involving Terri’s religious liberties as a practicing Catholic in light of a declaration by the Pope last year that removal of a feeding tube is not compatible with Roman Catholic pro-life teachings.

Another motion filed in the past few weeks asks Pinellas Circuit Court Judge George Greer to void his initial order allowing Terri’s feeding tube to be removed. The motion claims Terri had not been afforded independent counsel, thus depriving her of her constitutional right to due process of law.

Another motion, similar to others the Schindlers have filed in the last four years, asks the court to disqualify Michael Schiavo as Terri’s guardian based on what Connor called “obvious conflicts of interest.” The motion cites personal, financial, legal and religious issues which the Schindlers and their attorneys believe render Michael Schiavo's decisions to not be in Terri's best interest.

A decision from Florida’s Second District Court of Appeals is expected as early as Jan. 25, according to an assistant in Gibbs Law Firm, which is representing the Schindlers. The motion to void is expected to go before Greer Jan. 28.

Pending any dissolution of a current stay put in place by Greer in October when he denied the religious liberty argument and refused to re-open the case, it appears any ongoing appeal will prevent Terri’s starvation and dehydration.

Connor said the Schindlers' motions and request for relief raise “serious issues -- not the least of which are fundamental due process and protection issues rising out of a failure to afford Terri Schiavo independent counsel when these decisions were being made.”

“In reality, in Florida, convicted capital felons receive more due process protection than Terri Schiavo,” Connor said. “This is a matter which warrants the closest scrutiny by everybody.”

Connor said anyone in a position similar to Terri Schiavo, “whom someone is seeking to starve to death or dehydrate to death, receives a low level of protection that is not consonant with the great interests that are at stake....

“Based on the Florida Supreme Court’s ruling, effectively they have put their imprimatur on a procedure that effectively deprives a vulnerable adult of the right to an independent guardian ad litem and an independent counsel,” Connor said.

Connor claimed that the American Civil Liberties Union, which has filed briefs in support of Michael Schiavo’s decisions, would call such treatment a violation of the Eighth Amendment.

“Terri Schiavo is a person innocent utterly of any wrongdoing,” Connor said. “The governor’s position all along has been that the courts do not have a monopoly in protecting” the rights of the citizenry, and that it is the proper place of the legislature and the governor to ensure every person due process.

Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, which has represented Schindlers, said he is discouraged by the court’s action.

"It is very disappointing that the Supreme Court has refused to enter into a critically important case involving the life and death struggle of Terri Schiavo," Sekulow said in a statement. "With the Supreme Court refusing to take the case, there are now fewer options available to protecting the life of Terri Schiavo and that's a real tragedy. By declaring 'Terri's Law' unconstitutional, the Florida courts have handed down a death sentence for her.

“We believe the Florida Governor and legislature acted constitutionally and appropriately in passing 'Terri's Law' -- a life-saving legislation that is at the center of the legal dispute,” Sekulow added. “While there are still legal options available in Florida, the Supreme Court's refusal to take the case makes it more difficult for those legal options to prevail."
--30--
Joni B. Hannigan is managing editor of the Florida Baptist Witness, available online at www.FloridaBaptistWitness.com

Miss Popularity, Laci Peterson, & Terri Schiavo

It’s with tremendous anxiety that many await the outcome of the battle to keep Terri Schindler Schiavo fed. There is not nearly the public outcry that one would expect to hear given the fact that if her “husband” wins the remaining court battles she will die a slow painful death as hunger and thirst consume her flesh. Flesh which is living, breathing, laughing, watching, responding, and interacting with her family and those who are allowed to visit her. She contrasts with many people only because of the fact she receives her food and water via a feeding tube, and because she is disabled.

Why is it that Americans have become so hardened to the plight of those whose life and death will be determined by a black robed sycophant who couldn’t even file the necessary paperwork as required by law in order to run in an election? Why is it that he’s allowed to continue passing judgements in cases when he himself isn’t chastised for neglecting to comply with law that he’s supposed to stand in judgement of over other people? Why does he refuse to recuse himself when he’s been asked to do so four times? Why does he allow the “husband” to defy compliance with Florida Statutes pertaining to the responsibilities of guardians and other court orders such as informing Terri’s parents of her medical condition? What did Michael Schiavo mean when he said in reference to the battle end Terri’s life, This is bigger than Terri and I?

The public may never know some of the answers. However, it would appear that Judge George Greer is the Miss Popularity of the legal network in Florida. His peers know his accolades and he seems to be well liked even though his opponent in the last election gathered a sizable amount of votes. The GOP of Pinellas County made it clear that Greer had won the swimsuit competition in their opinion by the blessed endorsement they gave Greer. Do Judge Greer and the Pinellas GOP think that the rest of Florida and the USA do not pay attention to the goings on in the quaint community where this terrible sentence to starve a woman to death is being executed? If they think no one is watching they are sorely mistaken.

Many people are watching very closely. So closely that they know Judge Greer has deemed himself beyond the long arm of judicial inquisition. What other reason could there be for the blatant and continued blessing upon Michael Schiavo’s quest to kill his wife. You think those are harsh words? The following definitions are directly from the site euthanasia.com:

Euthanasia: the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit. (The key word here is "intentional". If death is not intended, it is not an act of euthanasia)
Non-voluntary: When the person who is killed made no request and gave no consent.
Involuntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed made an expressed wish to the contrary.
Euthanasia By Omission: Intentionally causing death by not providing necessary and ordinary (usual and customary) care or food and water.

Contrary to the media spin in Terri’s case, this is not about the right to die, it’s about the court ordering you to die. This is euthanasia. It can’t get much plainer than that. We’re not talking about what the definition of “is” is. If you take food and water away from your dog you’ll go to jail. Miss Popularity will give carte blanche to Michael Schiavo to kill Terri by taking away her food and water. Laci Peterson’s convicted killer was her husband. He will at the least get life in prison for her murder. Terri Schiavo’s killer, if her parents lose their court battles to keep her alive, will live life as usual. Who knows whether he has a book in the works, tv movie deal, a hefty life insurance policy just waiting to be collected when she dies? We may never know.

It appears that Miss Popularity is more accepted by society than Terri Schiavo. It appears this way due to the lack of outcry against his rulings in the Schiavo case. Miss Popularity, Judge Greer, is a shame to the courts, which have a duty to uphold the law and make sure those who have responsibilities, governed by that law adhere to them. No one, but no one, should ever be starved to death even in the last moments of a fight with cancer. Most certainly no healthy person free of disease should ever be starved to death. The Florida End of Life statutes, Sen Jim King’s legacy, were intended to apply to those who were truly already dying. Misapplying them to someone who is healthy is a crime in and of itself but if you’re trying to win a popularity contest being judged by your peers what harm is there in ignoring a few laws here and there?

written by tutstar

Living and dying by the court
Cal Thomas
January 25, 2005

On Monday, the same day that thousands marched in Washington in opposition to the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision, which opened the floodgates to abortion on demand, that same court refused to reinstate a Florida law designed to keep alive a severely brain-damaged woman.

How ghoulishly ironic.

The Florida law, pushed through the legislature by Gov. Jeb Bush, sought to keep Terri Schiavo alive by preventing the removal of a feeding tube. Her parents say Terri responds to their voices and they want the feeding tube to remain. Terri's husband, Michael, says she would not want to live this way. He has asked the courts to allow the tube to be removed.

Terri left no written directive and Michael has presented no evidence she would want to die in this condition. It is worth noting that Michael Schiavo has indicated he plans to marry another woman, with whom he has two children. Terri Schiavo's parents say their son-in-law wants his wife to die so he can inherit her estate and remarry.

The Supreme Court has declared the unborn have no right to live, but it has also suggested that the already born have a right to die.

This is a legal curiosity as our founding documents speak of an endowed, unalienable right to life, but nowhere mention a right to die. We know where the first right comes from. It comes from our Creator. We must conclude that the second "right" comes from the courts, which have replaced the Creator with themselves as the sole source and arbiter of truth and grantor of rights.

Normally, in the absence of a living will or other directive that informs medical personnel and legal authorities of the wishes of a person who is unable to communicate her wishes, that right would fall to the husband. But this case is different in several ways.

Not only are Terri Schiavo's wishes not known, the state is faced with conflicting interests leading to different ends. Schiavo's parents want her to live and have pledged to care for her. Michael Schiavo wants her to die.

By refusing to step in and take the case, the Supreme Court has affirmed the decision by the Florida Supreme Court that Terri has a "right" to die, though there is little legal or (shudder) theological precedent for any such "right." The court may clarify its position when it rules on Oregon's "right-to-die" law, probably next month.

It is a truism that difficult cases often make bad law. The supposed rape of a young woman and her pregnancy ("Jane Roe" was impregnated by her boyfriend, but claimed she was raped, hoping to improve her chances for a legal abortion) resulted in Roe vs. Wade. An extreme and flawed case led to abortion for any reason and in any "season" of pregnancy.

If the Terri Schiavo case becomes the new standard for people who are unable to communicate their wishes, it will be increasingly difficult to maintain any standard for life's value beyond what the courts say it is.

The courts' new "standard" can be opinion polls, resolutions passed by the American Medical Association or a whim. Some might think eliminating the elderly would fix the Social Security funding problem without increasing taxes or reducing benefits. Call it "selective reduction." That's what they call aborting one or more babies when more than one occupy a womb. By what standard would that be considered wrong?

If there is no right to live, which comes from a source outside of human will and human whim, why should there be any impediment to a "right" to die? Doesn't society have the "right" to be free of the burdens imposed on taxpayers from people who have "lived long enough" or would have "wanted to die"?

Let's get over these religious restraints and do what's "best" for the most people. Abort "unwanted" babies. Euthanize the unwanted elderly and those in a "persistent vegetative state." Counselors will be available to erase whatever qualms might remain from ages past.

This unraveling of life's threads is leading to a place many people may not wish to go. Having not stopped the unraveling when they could, there is no way they will be able to stop it when they wish. Life is connected. Declare one category unfit to live and all categories are at risk.

Like Terri Schiavo's life.

©2005 Tribune Media Services

Jan 25, 5:29 PM

Contradiction in care

Gov. Bush slashes programs for poor and disabled while backing Schiavo case

Gov. Jeb Bush has positioned himself as someone who cares deeply about the fate of Terri Schiavo, the 41-year-old woman who has been in a persistent vegetative state since suffering brain damage in 1990.

That's why he and state lawmakers in 2003 jammed through a law -- quickly shot down as unconstitutional in state courts -- to keep her husband, who is her legal next-of-kin, from letting her die with dignity.

The case finally reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which Monday correctly refused to reinstate the horribly flawed law.

No one's going to gloat over that victory because there are no happy outcomes for Schiavo, whose parents still want to keep her alive even though doctors say she has absolutely no hope of improvement.

But it does raise a huge moral irony:

The very same governor who is Schiavo's first advocate has simultaneously proposed large budget cuts this year in aid for the poor, elderly, and -- yes -- the disabled, while also requesting new tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy.

Bush's ultimate goal is this:

To radically transform the state's Medicaid system, turning it into an HMO-like program with spending caps and needy clients left to scrounge on the free market for insurers and medical networks willing to offer care for whatever premiums the state agrees to pay.

Under the proposed shift away from state to private responsibility for Medicaid beneficiaries, those with severe ailments could supposedly qualify for catastrophic coverage plans.

But it's unclear whether any level of care would be guaranteed.

Will any compassionate insurer step up to cover the thousands of individuals like Schiavo with broad ranges of medical disabilities, regardless of the expense involved, or will the bottom line rule?

You don't have to be a cynic, just a realist, to suspect the latter will prevail.

That's why we take different views on the Schiavo case than politicians who see in it an opportunity to grandstand on the sanctity-of-life platform.

Here are the true lessons to be found in the sad chronicle of her life:

All Floridians, no matter how young and free of health problems, should sign a living will that specifies their end-of-life wishes, something Schiavo had not done.
That can spare family members needless agony and help keep meddling politicians out of private medical decisions.

Lawmakers shouldn't breach the separation of the judicial and executive branches, or play God while using the disabled as pawns in political games.
State laws about who has the right to make end-of-life decisions for the incapacitated, if they need revision, should only be changed after lengthy debate and following proper legislative procedure.

Finally, Bush should channel his concern for the disabled, ill and other unfortunate among us into legitimate paths.

That means working to protect their health care safety net, instead of telling legislators to cut it away.

http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/opedstory0126WEDIT1.htm

Headline
SPECIAL REPORT: Choosing Life or Death?

/26/2005 - 5:20 AM PST

A Special Report from the March for Life in Washington, D.C.

By: Deacon Keith A. Fournier
© Third Millennium, LLC

Along with over 200,000 other people I “braved” the bitter cold on Monday, January 24, 2005, to stand in solidarity with our first neighbors, children in the womb, who have no voice but our own. It was a stirring, prophetic day that has enormous significance for all who are dedicated to the fundamental human rights issue of our age, restoring the right to life and the freedom to be born to children in the womb and stopping the advance of the culture of death to include the handicapped, the ill and the elderly.

My morning began, as it has for at least the last eleven years, by attending the 11th Annual National memorial for the Pre-born and their Mothers and Fathers. Though I have been attending the March for more years than that, this event has become one of the most significant events of the entire experience. This year, the ecumenical service was held in the Senate Russell Building. As always it was sponsored by the National Clergy Council, a growing Alliance of Christian leaders founded by Rev. Rob and Dr Paul Schenck, longtime heroes of the pro-life movement. It was co-sponsored by the National pro-Life Religious Council.

Christians from across the entire spectrum of Christianity gathered, led by clergy of each of their respective churches and communities. The ornate beautiful Senate room was filled. The front seats were occupied by Catholic priests and deacons, Orthodox clerics, evangelical, messianic Jewish, mainline Protestant, and “non-denominational” Clergy vested in their distinctive symbols of service and office.

Years ago I mentioned what I called a “silver lining in dark cloud in the culture of death” at this event. By that phrase I conveyed the fact that we had found one another as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ in our common response to defend those whom Mother Teresa called the “poorest of the poor”, children in the womb. Our relationships of brotherly and sisterly affection have only grown over the years as we have stood together, confronting the culture of death, building a culture of life and serving the common good. This year, the intercession, worship, repentance, grieving and resolve to bring an end to the evil unleashed by Roe v. Wade resulted in a profound service that deeply moved the participants.

In a reverent liturgical format, passages from the Sacred Scripture, intercessory prayers and petition of repentance and requests for God’s intervention were led by various representatives of the clergy gathered. We heard from Fr Frank Pavone, an extraordinary priest and leader of “Priests for Life” and its companion “Deacons for Life”, which I have the privilege of serving. He spoke of the growing response of authentic Christian unity occasioned by the pro-life movement as a great source of grace.We heard a message on the triumph of the truth from Rev. Kirk van der Swaagh of the National Pro-Life Religious Council.

I sat next to the niece of Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Alveda King, one of the most profound pro-life advocates of our age, who graced us with her presence. Seated to my left were one of several Presbyterian leaders and two Orthodox clerics. Together we all prayed for all the victims of abortion; the children and their mothers and fathers. We prayed for the Justices of the Supreme Court, the President and all elected officials. We prayed for the overturning of Roe v Wade and an end to the horror that is its result, unimpeded abortion and the denial of the personhood and humanity of children in the womb.

We solemnly remembered the infamous “anniversary” of that dark day, the 22nd day of January, 1973, when unelected Justices of the United States Supreme Court consigned an entire class of persons to the status of property to be used, abused and disposed of. This horrendous decision, based on faulty legal reasoning, errant history and absolutely faulty and feigned claims to “science”, created a fictitious “right” to take the lives of innocent human life. The majority said they found it in the “penumbra” (a legal fiction, a “shadow”) of the U.S. Constitution. That so called “right” to do what is always and everywhere wrong, has protected abortionists who continue to reach into the first home of the whole human race, a mothers’ womb, and through chemical weapons or surgical instruments, kill innocent children by the millions.

After the service I joined the growing, gathering crowd to hear from the President of the United States and other elected officials who support the efforts to restore legal protection to our youngest neighbors. Over a phone line, we all heard President Bush assure us that the government is "working to promote a culture of life, to promote compassion for women and their unborn babies." It was refreshingly different from times, years ago, when we heard nothing from the White House. He continued "We know that in a culture that does not protect the most dependent, the handicapped, the elderly, the unloved or (those who are) simply inconvenient become increasingly vulnerable."

He called our attention to progress such as the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, the implementation of which has been delayed by three federal district courts. The President stated that under this law "infants who are born despite an attempted abortion are now protected by law…So are nurses and doctors who refused to be any part of an abortion." He mentioned the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, telling the assembly that "prosecutors can now charge those who harm or kill a pregnant woman with harming or killing her unborn child….We're also moving ahead in terms of medicine and research to make sure that the gifts of science are consistent with our highest values of freedom, equality, family and human dignity. We will not sanction the creation of life only to destroy it." Finally he sought to inspire us with these words "The America of our dreams, where every child is welcomed in law (and) in life, and protected in law may still be some ways away, but even from the far side of the river ... we can see its glimmerings."

This year the stage was filled with the other victims of the lie of the abortion industry, women who had had abortions, believing they would find some kind of “relief” only to find their lives deeply affected by the loss of their child, many still trying to recover from the deep wounds of their wrong decision. They held stark black signs that read “I Regret My Abortion”. They were associated with the “Silent No More” Awareness Campaign.

Then, in the midst of a growing sense of hope in the crowd, we received the horrific news that the United States Supreme Court had, that very day, refused to hear the Appeal of Governor Jeb Bush, to save the life of Terri Schindler Schiavo, the brain-injured Florida woman whose case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court refused to reinstate a Florida law that permitted her feeding tube to remain in place over her husband's objections. The action (or inaction) of the U.S. Supreme Court has apparently cleared the way for the intentional starvation of Terri, an act of active euthanasia.

Brother Paul O'Donnell of the Franciscan Brothers for Peace, spoke on behalf of the thousands gathered when he proclaimed "Terri Schiavo has a right to life," Terris’ father Bob Schindler added, "What they've done here today is incredible. It's judicial homicide." The evil irony was immediately apparent to everyone present. On the day that we had gathered to expose the insidious action of the United States Supreme Court in Roe v Wade, their inaction underscored how the deep roots of the culture of death have sunk in this land we love. It also underscored the importance of the appointment of new Justices.

I then joined my dear friend, Archbishop Randolph Sly, of the Charismatic Episcopal Church (C.E.C.) who had invited me to march with their contingent because, later in the day, I would be a speaker, along with Father Frank Pavone, at their ecumenical “Liturgy at the Time of Death for the Pre-born”, a service they regularly hold for the daily victims of death by abortion. This year, this stirring service was to be held before the United States Supreme Court. The International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church is one of the fastest growing Christian communities in the world. The good Bishop Sly also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Common Good, an open movement of Christians committed to building a culture of life, family, freedom and solidarity. I founded Common Good in a further response to my own sense of mission to respond, as a deeply committed and faithful Catholic, to the call of Pope John Paul II to the new evangelization of culture.

As we moved toward the Supreme Court, the streets and sidewalks of Washington, D.C. were filled with people of every race; men and women, young and old. The authentic diversity was also evidenced by their signs of identification. The authentic ecumenism, one of the fruits of this great human rights crusade, was apparent everywhere. As someone who has worked for Christian unity my entire life, I was deeply moved. However, as a Catholic clergyman, I want to make a couple of personal observations.

I was rightly proud yesterday to be both a Catholic and a Deacon of the Catholic Church. The strong presence and vital role of the Catholic Church in this human rights struggle was everywhere to be seen. From the myriad of Catholic Bishops who addressed the Rally before the march to the overwhelming number of Catholic clergy, religious and lay faithful who filled the Streets of Washington D.C. The leadership of Pope John Paul II on this fundamental human rights issue of our age was also evident everywhere, in the signs - and the slogans that filled them - taken from his wonderful letters and messages to the faithful! Thank God for this Pope of life and family!

I was also encouraged by something else of real significance, the median age of the crowd. At fifty, I have been involved in the pro-life movement for over three decades. This issue motivated my choice to obtain a law degree. It has occupied much of my legal career, including four trips to the U.S. Supreme Court as co-counsel. But as I surveyed the crowd, I saw a sea of young people; High School age, College age and in their early twenties. They are carrying forward the mission of building a new culture of life and civilization of love. Thank God! It will take years. Their presence and passion filled me with great hope! They also made me realize my age. One young novice from a new religious community thanked me for my early work, many years ago, in helping Father Michael Scanlan in his extraordinary mission of rebuilding a Catholic College, Franciscan University of Steubenville. It seemed like ancient history to me. I quickly learned it really is. I mentioned to this young Sister that I had received my undergraduate degree from Steubenville in 1977. “I was one years old, deacon” she said, smiling widely with the twinkle of God’s presence in her eyes.

When the March was over, I joined Bishop Sly and the clergy and lay faithful of the CEC in front of the United States Supreme Court. While the fresh snow fell and blanketed the ground I thought of the promise of the Lord recorded by the Messianic Prophet Isaiah:

“Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil;learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan's plea, defend the widow. Come now, let us set things right, says the LORD: Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; Though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool.If you are willing, and obey, you shall eat the good things of the land; But if you refuse and resist, the sword shall consume you: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken! (Isaiah 1:15-21)

I thought of the role of this Institution in unleashing the horror of the millions of innocent children who had been killed. Earlier in the day, while marching, I noticed that many young people had signs and clothing that had “1/3” written on them. As I looked more closely I discovered the meaning of the numerical fraction. One third of their generation had been taken through the evil of abortion. I remembered my own experience, years ago, being involved in early cases protecting the rights of pro-life people to speak in the public square. I thought of the progress that has been made…but most of all I mourned for Terri Schiavo who represents one more example of the spread of a culture that has accepted evil and called it a “right”. This Court had once again failed to hear the cry of the poor. How a society treats their most vulnerable speaks to the very heart of the nature of that Nation. Where is justice?

As the snow continued to fall, we prayed and we interceded, for the children, their parents and the Nation that refused to embrace them. We prayed for Terri and her family. We once again heard a stirring call from Father Frank Pavone, to keep on in our efforts and an update from Rev. Rob Schenck on how we can help Terri and her parents. He then led us in prayer for both.

When the time came for me to speak, I reminded the gathered assembly of Pope John Paul’s prophetic warnings from his encyclical letter “The Gospel of Life” where he warned of a “counterfeit notion of freedom” as a raw power over those who are weaker. In that letter he also warned that this could lead to the “death of true freedom” and the rise of a “tyrant State.” I encouraged all present to take back the word “Freedom” from those who have stolen it. We simply are not “free” to do evil. It can never lead to true freedom but always leads to slavery. Freedom must be exercised within a moral constitution; it must be exercised in conformity to what is true. We are called to exercise our capacity to choose for the good.

The Thirty Second “Anniversary” of Roe v Wade soon ended as the day turned to dusk. The Streets slowly emptied. As I drove back to Chesapeake, Virginia I spent three and a half hours in the car, praying and reflecting on this prophetic day and the events in which I had participated. They represent only a small portion of all that had occurred that day. The myriad of groups present at the March held meetings not only that day but during the days immediately preceding and following the March.

The day had changed me. It filled me with a strange mixture of hope and deep sadness. I remembered the many scriptures that were present on the signs carried by participants. One of the more prominent was “I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live”. Deuteronomy 30:19. That is the question for America.

It is not all that complicated.

It is about Choosing Life or Death.

http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=1726

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