Posted on 03/21/2005 8:54:40 AM PST by annalex
POSTED: 10:34 am EST March 21, 2005
UPDATED: 11:13 am EST March 21, 2005
WASHINGTON -- President George W. Bush signed emergency legislation early Monday morning that gives Terri Schiavo's parents a chance to plea for their daughter's life in federal court.
The House majority leader said Congress is giving her a chance to live, but some lawmakers said the law goes too far.
Passage of the law came following hours of emotional debate.
"This woman needs help -- not a death sentence," Rep. Joseph Pitts, R-Pa., said.
Democrats protested the decision.
"The majority wishes to undermine over 200 years of jurisprudence," Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., said.
The House voted 203-58 for a bill that gives Terri Schiavo's parents the right to file suit in federal court. That could trigger the reinsertion of feeding tubes needed to keep the brain-damaged woman alive.
"I told her we were going to take her for a little trip, and take her outside, and get her some breakfast, and I got a big smile out of her face, so help me God," Schiavo's father Bob Schindler said.
Almost immediately after the bill passed early Monday morning, Bush signed it into law, vowing to stand on the side of those defending life for all Americans.
The law allows Schiavo's parents to ask a federal judge to prolong Schiavo's life by reinserting her feeding tube that was removed Friday. U.S. District Judge James Whittemore set a hearing for 3 p.m. on the request for a temporary restraining order.
A lawyer for the brain-damaged woman's parents filed a civil-rights lawsuit in federal court in Tampa as allowed under the new law. The lawsuit alleges a series of rights violations. Those violations include that Terri Schiavo's religious beliefs are being infringed upon, that the removal of the feeding tube violated her rights and that she was not provided an independent attorney to represent her interests.
"We are hopeful that the federal courts will follow the will of Congress and save my sister's life," Schiavo's sister Suzanne Vitadamo said.
Schiavo's brother-in-law doesn't believe the bill is about family. He thinks lawmakers have gone too far.
"It's politics. Nothing else. People like the Bushes [and] that knucklehead Tom Delay. I have no idea what he's about. He is an absolute buffoon," Brian Schiavo said.
Schiavo's husband, Michael, said she told him that she would not want to be kept alive in a vegetative state. Her feeding tube was removed Friday under a state court's orders.
Her parents and many lawmakers say she needs treatment and another opportunity for life. Schiavo's feeding tube was removed twice before. Doctors say she probably will die in about two weeks if the feeding tube is not reinserted.
It was hyserically funny to watch Civil Rights biggie Lewis (black rep from GA) rant on and on about how states rights were being trampled/violated. This moron does not realize that he is a FREE BLACK MAN because the feds don't allow states to determine civil rights.
March 21 (Bloomberg) -- A federal judge declined for now to order a feeding tube reinserted in Terri Schiavo, the brain- damaged Florida woman who has been in a vegetative state for 15 years.
U.S. District Judge James Whittemore, after hearing arguments for about two hours in Tampa, gave no indication of how soon he may act on a request by Schiavo's parents to order the tube inserted.
``I will not tell you when, how or how long it will take,'' Whittemore said.
Today's hearing was prompted by an extraordinary post- midnight session of Congress aimed at authorizing the federal courts to intercede. President George W. Bush signed the measure early today.
Delay, delay, delay. Terri is dying.
saved
The left wants the right to kill badly. The GOP probably would not mind something new to beat the Dems over the head with.
Time to face the new reality folks.
The Left is indeed pro-death.
This is consistent with other internet polls I've seen. Very depressing.
Were you able to vote yourself? There was some indication that perhaps the survey was not registering votes.
I thought I did. NOt sure if it registered or was the last tally.
Well, someone, who chose to write privately, had the impression that it did not let him vote, so I assume it did not respond with a tally for him. You cannot see the tally unless you vote first.
What promise? I never heard him say he PROMISED HER.
So, apparently she asked him-
Hump the nurses at the Hospice.
Throw away any notes the nurses make on my condition.
Keep my room cold so I catch Pneumonia.
When the nurses have to deal with my reproductive concerns, make jokes about it on national TV.
Live with another woman and have my kids, but stay married so you have my money and control over my rights.
KILL MY CATS
Destroy all My personal effects
Keep me in bare room, with the blinds drawn.
Melt down my wedding ring.
Spend all my rehab money on a lawyer to have me executed by slow and painful dehydration.
Don't let my parents see me.
Cremate me so no one can find out if I suffered any abuse.
The JUDGE approved MICHAEL taking Terri's REHAB money and spending it on FELOS to have TERRI KILLED.
Then the JUDGE heard the evidence, and made his judgement.
Oh, wait, I guess he made his judgement the moment he allowed MICHAEL to have the money, before he heard the evidence.
If I could not eat or drink on my own, and was confined to a bed, and could not speak. Then NO, I would not want to be kept alive. Absolutely not. But that is my wish, not necessarily Terri's
Your hypothetical is a different case. But, in this real case, the husband gave absolutely no initial indication that was her wish. Quite the contrary -- he spoke of using the award money and studying nursing to be able to continue caring for her. He is not to be trusted, as you've noted.
So, if the case can't be made, do you err on the side of life, or death?
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