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.

"The Schindler's attorney, David Gibbs, presented his argument that the court acted improperly because it did not allow Terri Schiavo independent counsel (not a Guardian ad Litem, but independent counsel) and her legal interests, therefore, were never represented or heard by the court.
Mr. Gibbs also argued that Terri's state and federal due process rights were denied by the courts because of their failure to allow her access to the courts, a review of her in person by the court, the ability - through counsel - to have witnesses called or the ability - through her own counsel - to participate in the process that would decide her life or death.

Under Florida Statutes, Terri retains all of these rights. Likewise under many federal laws."

The above are all FINE arguments. Of course we are in Judge Greer's courtroom!

Terri Schiavo's parents again ask judge to let her live - Greer gave Gibbs until February 7 to submit more written legal arguments. He said he would decide a few days later whether the court will proceed with the due-process issue. January 28 2005 By Mitch Stacy, The Associated Press http://www.sun-sentinel.com To submit a Letter to the Editor: letters@sun-sentinel.com, kguy@sun-sentinel.com or http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-letterseditor.customform (website form; 100-200 word limit) Clearwater, Florida - Terri Schiavo should have been represented by her own attorney through all of the legal proceedings over whether she should live or die, a lawyer for her family argued Friday in the latest legal effort to keep the severely brain-damaged woman's feeding tube intact. Meanwhile, outside the courtroom, Terri Schiavo's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, stepped up the public pressure on her husband, Michael, to abandon his yearslong effort to remove the feeding tube to let her die. With the Schindlers' legal options dwindling, their attorney, David Gibbs, asked Circuit Judge George Greer to let him proceed with a motion arguing that Terri Schiavo's due-process rights were violated because she has never had her own attorney. On that basis, Gibbs wants the judge to void the 2000 order giving Michael Schiavo permission to remove the tube. "I urge the court not to rush,'' Gibbs said. "There is not reversibility once Terri Schiavo has been starved and dehydrated to death.'' Michael Schiavo's attorney, George Felos, called the motion "outrageous'' and "an abuse of the legal system.'' He told Greer that the Schindlers are trying to delay the case by repeatedly arguing the same issues, and he urged the judge not to let the motion continue. Greer gave Gibbs until February 7 to submit more written legal arguments. He said he would decide a few days later whether the court will proceed with the due-process issue. A stay imposed by Greer is still in effect pending the outcome of an issue with the 2nd District Court of Appeal, so it remained unclear Friday when Terri Schiavo's feeding tube might be removed if her family is unsuccessful in blocking it. Terri Schiavo was 26 when her heart stopped beating temporarily because of [an alleged] chemical imbalance. She can breathe on her own [PLUS she maintains her own blood pressure and she swallows -- she DOES NOT DROOL] but depends on a feeding tube for water and nourishment. [A few c]ourt-appointed doctors say she is in a persistent vegetative state, which her parents also dispute. The now 41-year-old woman left no written directive and her husband told Greer in the 2000 trial that she had expressed a desire not to be kept alive artificially. Her parents doubt she had any such end-of-life wishes and believe her condition could improve with therapy, which they say her husband has withheld. The Schindlers on Friday again pleaded publicly with Michael Schiavo to give up the battle and allow them to care for Terri. They offered to allow him to collect any proceeds from her estate and any book or movie deals that may come out of the case. "He can go his way, and we'll go our way,'' Bob Schindler said. "The case will be over.'' Felos said that won't happen. "He has been in this case from the beginning because he made a promise to his wife'' that he wouldn't keep her alive artificially, Felos said. The Schindlers had already been a dealt a loss this week when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider a legal challenge to "Terri's Law,'' the measure pushed by Governor Jeb Bush in October 2003 to keep Terri Schiavo alive after the courts had cleared the way for her death. Besides Friday's action, the family has another motion before Greer to remove Michael Schiavo as Terri's legal guardian. Copyright 2005, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-0128schiavo,0,6573390.story?coll=sfla-news-florida

FLORIDUH VOTERS SAYS: If someone wants to make this article a separate thread, feel free. Just make sure nobody else has already done it. I'm too pooped. Thanks, FV

Exploiting tragedy

Since 1990, Terri Schiavo has lived in a Florida nursing home in what doctors describe as "a persistent vegetative state." Her name has become famous, thanks to the seven-year legal battle over whether she should be allowed to die.

Her husband long ago persuaded the Florida courts she wouldn't have wanted to exist this way. Her parents, however, appealed. They are devout, right-to-life Catholics who believe that, with the appropriate therapy, she will recover.

So they and political activists, many allied with anti-abortion causes, got Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida legislators to intervene. Lawmakers and Mr. Bush concocted a special law to override the legal decision that Ms. Schiavo's husband had made -- a law that was clearly unconstitutional, since it applied only to Ms. Schiavo.

Sure enough, the Florida Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional, and this week the U.S. Supreme Court let that decision stand.

But the case isn't over. Ms. Schiavo's parents are appealing on other grounds. Their hopes for their daughter's recovery may be unrealistic, but they, at least, are motivated by love.

The motivations of the others who have glommed onto this case, however, are questionable. Religious zealots and conservative politicians have milked this family's suffering and disagreement to further their own causes.

"May God have mercy on all of us," one Florida lawmaker said in 2003 after the legislature intervened. Meanwhile, they have portrayed Ms. Schiavo's husband as a villain, first for seeking peace for his wife and later for developing a relationship with another woman.

But wanting peace for a spouse who is in a persistent vegetative state isn't villainous. Neither is wanting to move on in life. The villains in this case are the demagogues who have taken advantage of this family's agony for their own political purposes.

For 15 years, Terri Schiavo and her family have suffered. When those opportunists barged in, they made the situation worse.

The courts have rightly ruled that the politicians must butt out. So should everyone else.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050128/OPINION01/501280398

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