Posted on 03/20/2005 2:53:33 PM PST by Iam1ru1-2
Terri Schiavo and the soul of America
By Lisa Fabrizio © 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
It is often said by abortion supporters that a fetus is not a baby until it can survive independently outside the mother's womb. This is, of course, a specious argument since this "survival" is not possible without the care and nourishment of others, either pre or post birth.
This is true not only of infants and children, but of the sick, disabled and elderly as well. But if certain right-to-death groups get their way this week, you can add Terri Schiavo's name to the growing list of disposables for whom the simple act of feeding would make her life otherwise viable.
We live in a society where multibillion-dollar projects are cancelled or altered in order to protect certain animal habitats, and one that engages in Herculean labors to spare the lives of confessed serial rapists and killers like Michael Ross. Yet a family who wishes nothing more than to take home and care for their daughter – a woman guilty of nothing except maybe her fatal choice of a husband – may yet lose their battle for her life.
For those not familiar with Terri's case, in 1990 Terri Schindler-Schiavo collapsed in her home and suffered a 10-minute loss of oxygen due to causes unknown. Her husband of six years, Michael Schiavo, although he reportedly knew CPR did not perform it and his wife suffered severe brain damage which left her badly handicapped.
Two years later, when Michael won a malpractice suit against Terri's doctors, he claimed he needed the million dollar-plus settlement to care for her for the rest of her life. This caring ended less than five years later when, in 1998, Michael suddenly remembered that Terri had indicated to him shortly after their marriage that she would reject any life support should it someday become necessary.
Even though Terri never signed any living will-type document, the Florida courts believed Michael's story and granted him guardianship of Terri even though he'd been living for three years with a woman with whom he was to have two children.
In 2001, Judge George Greer, a man who has reported conflicts of interest in this case, ordered Terri's feeding tube disconnected. This action prompted the Schindler family to begin their own round of legal proceedings and, in the course of one, they discovered new evidence. A report of a medical exam done shortly after Terri's collapse seemed to suggest she might have been the victim of violence.
No matter what evidence the Schindler family has presented, Michael Schiavo, Judge Greer and noted euthanasia lawyer George Felos are determined that Terri must die for her own good. This despite numerous reports by nurses and others that she is a vital and responsive young woman of 41 who smiles at and recognizes her family; regardless of the fact that her feeding tube is only inserted at mealtimes and she needs no other life support; even though she is a Catholic whose religion forbids euthanasia.
The lengths to which those who wish her slow death by starvation have gone are truly appalling. They have, at various times refused medication for routine infections which could prove fatal if untreated; withheld dental and gynecological tests and treatments for periods of up to seven years; restricted visits from her family and worse, visits by her parish priest, even refusing to allow him to administer the Host during the Last Rites the last time her tube was removed, claiming it would constitute "sustenance."
That this case, if carried to its most ghastly conclusion, will become a legal precedent is as disturbing a tragedy as the execution of Terri herself. Worse than merely representing a culture of death begun by the abortionists, euthanasia, along with cloning and embryonic research, represents a belief that certain humans should control the making and taking of innocent life. This thinking is precisely that of Hitler's Third Reich, an idea that millions paid the ultimate price to eradicate.
There are thousands of people with brain-impairments of varying degrees alive today around the world and I'm willing to bet that the great majority of their loved ones cherish every day they've been allowed to care for them. Some people cannot understand that what would be an unbearable burden to them is a blessing to others.
One wonderful woman who recently passed away devoted most of her life to the home care of her severely impaired 54-year-old son rather than leave him in an institution. Another family lovingly rotated monthly care of their brother until his death at the age of 81.
Such devotion to and belief in the sanctity of all innocent life is at the core of the Terri Schindler-Schiavo case and those who wish her death this week know it. This is a fight that has been coming for some time that will shape the future of our country in as profound a way as we have ever known and one that should be fought as fiercely as was Hitler.
Those who think that man should be an architect of life and an arbiter of death are using a disabled woman's plight to foist their notion of 21st-century morality on the rest of us. The fate of Terri Schiavo will be a measure of their success or failure. It is tragic that freedom is now on the march all over the world, yet here at home the most basic of all human rights may be lost.
You are wrong - there is no proof to what you are saying - just opinion. She had a CT scan, no MRI or PET scan, which is shocking in and of itself. That dear husband of hers has refused any such tests. Nurses have testified that Terri has sucked orange juice out of a washcloth with no problem and actual delight. Her husband forbade them from doing this, however - tube feeding only. Brain Damaged, Yes - Branch in the Wind, No. Husband that should be in jail, Yes - Terri murdered, No.
We're on the road to government-sponsored euthanasia. Hospitals, doctors, and hospices are already practicing it.
Seems to me this is about a lot of things...but the wishes and best interests of Teri Schiavo ain't one of them.
Embracing government run healthcare would be run/administrated by a thousand Michael Schiavo's, who would be compensated based on the Terri Schiavo's of this world never making it past the heart attack.
To me it all seems a very simple solution,since her family wishes to take care of Terry and they find it in her best interest to keep her going,then it is not be such a big thing. Let Terry alone,let her Mom,dad, brother...take care of her, THEY LOVE HER DEEPLY ..boot the husband out,since he wishes nothing to do with her care anymore and let it go as that.Kind of like a bad marriage..only he the husband forgot in the vows he said, IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH!
Hail Mary for you Terry and those who love you. Put a scapular around her and let Mary, the Mother of God protect her!
It doesn't seem like it should take the wisdom of Solomon to figure out that if there are two competing claims for custody, the one that doesn't want to kill you is probably the one that has your best interests in mind. Just a wild guess on my part though.
And we are on the road to a dictatorship of judges.
Do the Democrats use a donkey because it is close to a jackass and they make jackasses of themselves?
Now, on the other hand, let's assume you are INCORRECT: that she knows something about what is happening to her. What is the harm in her death? Best case scenario: she endures a terrible death, knowing what is happening to her but unable to communicate.
To err on the side of life, especially when there are no written instructions from the patient, is the optimal option.
It is the party of the devils for when AIDS was raging the many came out and did not want to change behavior only accused the council.....
The devil does NOT SUPPORT its OWN!!!
In both situations the Democrates & cohorts had renouced the Right Cource To Take...and scorn the Voice in the Wilderness!
Okay, I guess you have a link for that. Because I don't think that's true.
Check my new tagline...
Greetings - First time posting -forgive any protocol errors.
Count me heartsick above the border. I've been lurking on FR for a while and you are all fantastic. This post is superb and thank you for it. I wish it was an op-ed piece in one of our papers.
The Globe and Mail, however, a national paper up here has an online poll asking "do you believe US Republicans are doing the right thing in creating legislation to prolong the life of brain-damaged Terri Shiavo?"
Do you even bother to FREEP Canadian Polls?
Actually, there have been several cases like that. Parents who are Christian Scientists do not have the legal right to refuse medical treatment for their sick child, and Christian Scientist (CS) parents have been prosecuted for child endangerment and even manslaughter. I believe the legal standard right now is that CSs have no right to refuse medical treatment for their children, although any CS over the age of 18 can refuse on their own behalf. I do not know whether this can be classified as a "left vs. right" issue.
For this reason, and others, they should forever be known as Deathocrats!!!!
Endangered tree frogs and sea turtles have more federal recourse to be 'heard' in the system than this disabled woman...where is the wisdom of Solomon?
The Democrats fighting this bill are showing their 'true' selves tonite....
Truly worth reading.
should we waste all stroke patients?
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