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Schiavo `case' a shameful affair
Manchester Union Leader ^ | March 22, 2005 | Editorial

Posted on 03/22/2005 3:58:24 AM PST by billorites

Shameful! There's really no other word to describe what is now both the Terri Schiavo ``case'' and the Terri Schiavo ``law.''

Before there was a ``case'' or a ``law,'' Terri Schiavo was just a 26-year-old woman, wife to Michael Schiavo, daughter of Bob and Mary Schindler. Then in 1990 a heart attack, likely resulting from an eating disorder, cut the oxygen to her brain, putting her in what doctors describe as ``a persistent vegetative state.''

Since then Michael Schiavo and the Schindlers have played dysfunctional family - neither willing to relent on who should have the last word on Terri Schiavo's care. They have fought out their battle over 15 years before 19 different judges in six different courts and the Florida Legislature, which attempted - ultimately unsuccessfully - to intervene. The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to intervene in the case on three separate occasions.

Common sense has long since gone out the window as politicians, first at the state level and now in Congress, have shamelessly used the case to pursue their political agendas - and as the equally shameful relatives of Terri Schiavo have allowed themselves to be so used.

Ah, but there's so very much shame to go around here. The U.S. Senate, of course, passed the Schiavo bill ``unanimously'' on a voice vote with only three members present Sunday because, well, all of those future Democratic presidential contenders like Sens. Hillary Clinton and John Kerry [related, bio] wouldn't want to actually put this to a debate and roll call.

Then, of course, there's the utter shamelessness of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist - Dr. Frist, a heart surgeon, remember - who insisted after watching a video that Terri Schiavo ``has a level of consciousness.''

Most doctors actually examine a patient before rendering a diagnosis, but not when that doctor ends up in Congress.

And then, of course, there was the 203-58 vote in the House, in which a lot of good Republicans who as a matter of philosophy want to keep the federal courts out of people's lives were perfectly willing to make an exception in this case where the political stakes were high.

The only question is whether Terri Schiavo's due process rights were protected. And the answer is more than those of any patient, anytime, anywhere.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2coveracrime; abomination; boycottflorida; didhusbandhurtterri; didmikehurtterri; godhelpus; investigatehusband; investigatemichael; murder; pantload; schiavo; terri; terrischiavo
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To: mewzilla

Have you seen all of Terri's CT scans? Do you know for a fact if there is any question as to how severe the damage is. See, the problem I have is with lay people who are going by what the interested parties are saying and relying on their emotional arguments instead of medical science.


81 posted on 03/22/2005 4:43:47 AM PST by Trust but Verify (Pull up a chair and watch history being made.)
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To: mewzilla

"Since it knows so much, maybe the paper can explain why she's never had a PET scan or an MRI. Or why she never received any rehab? Or why we should kill someone based on hearsay?"

This case assaults the intelligence of any thinking, informed person..By the way..I have a question..I think I heard someone say on "Fox and Friends" that this latest judge has never been to law school?? I know some appointed judges are not lawyers. I am curious about this. Is it true?



82 posted on 03/22/2005 4:44:21 AM PST by jazzlite (esat)
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To: thoughtomator

No, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.


83 posted on 03/22/2005 4:44:43 AM PST by BigSkyFreeper (You have a //cuckoo// God given right //Yeeeahrgh!!// to be an //Hello?// atheist)
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To: billorites

.....The hateful, vicious slug Jonathan Elder on Imus this morning called Terri Shavio a "slobbering idiot" and a "vegetable" as well as taking swipes at the Republicans (even though it was a bipartisan vote) and calling Tom DeLay an idiot. What in God's name is going on in our society when an animal has more rights that a human being? I rebuke Elder and his ilk and command him to eternal....


84 posted on 03/22/2005 4:46:18 AM PST by smiley
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To: BigSkyFreeper
And the point would be what? So that the courts could continue to re-interept exactly what I mean?

And how I'm I to know what I'd want when my circumstances change? As someone pointed out a few days ago, Milly Kondrake pleaded with her husband to NOT put her on a feeding tube, when the time came. But when the time DID come, she changed her mind and lived for 3 more years.

85 posted on 03/22/2005 4:46:18 AM PST by A Citizen Reporter
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To: thoughtomator
I think what we need to come out of this with, regardless of the outcome, is a law that says no one can be put to death or allowed to die under law without a jury trial, even if it is completely voluntary.

My 92 year old FIL and my 86 year old MIL were "allowed to die" per their request in their living wills.

They specified in 1990 when their living wills were drawn up that they did not want artificial means used to prolong their lives.

We honored their wishes.

Did we hasten their death by not allowing them to be placed on ventilators and have feeding tubes inserted?

Let's just put it this way, we did not prolong their suffering, per their wishes.

Terri's case, of course, is different because she didn't have a living will and the testimony of Michael is heresay, IMHO.

But for the government to interfer in the rights of families in end of life issues where wishes have been expressed would be totally uncalled for.

86 posted on 03/22/2005 4:46:27 AM PST by dawn53
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To: BigSkyFreeper
Democrats plan to filibuster every single one.

I purpose the dems are going to get a first hand look at atom splitting!

Say hello to my little friend, Nuclear Option!!

87 posted on 03/22/2005 4:46:39 AM PST by sirchtruth (Words Mean Things...)
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To: billorites

Bon apetite, Michael Schiavo.
My mother, last night playfully told my 72 yr old father over a disfavorable remark, "That's it, I'm pulling the plug." Alluding to a time in the hopefully distant future.
Here there be evil, absolutely do not doubt this.


88 posted on 03/22/2005 4:47:44 AM PST by HankReardon
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To: mtbopfuyn
Um, she does have one. He has done an extensive report.

It's just that most people here don't want to believe it.

89 posted on 03/22/2005 4:47:56 AM PST by lugsoul (Until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin on the mountainside.)
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To: jazzlite

Whittemore? He's a Stetson grad. Never heard of it.


90 posted on 03/22/2005 4:49:03 AM PST by mewzilla (Has CBS retracted the story yet?)
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To: HankReardon
Here there be evil, absolutely do not doubt this.

I agree
91 posted on 03/22/2005 4:49:22 AM PST by firewalk
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To: Peach

"And yet thousands of families a day in hospital across this country make decisions exactly like this without benefit of living wills"


Herein lies a big problem in the Shiavo case, it's not the family deciding. It's the husband only and he's treating Terri's family like dirt.


92 posted on 03/22/2005 4:49:26 AM PST by tuffydoodle
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To: mewzilla

This timeline below names the names of her guardian ad litems. Judge Greer is not among them.

People can disagree about the level of her care, although that Michael became a respiratory therapist and tried even experimental surgery in the early years to cure her speaks of some sort of commitment.

I appreciate your willingness to discuss the issues without resorting to person attacks, btw.

http://www.miami.edu/ethics2/schiavo/timeline.htm


93 posted on 03/22/2005 4:49:49 AM PST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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To: billorites

I had been puzzled why all the MSM outlets, which traditionally have always loved to play up the soft glow, human interest side of family tragedies, have been such enthusiastic, "kill her, kill her now" proponents.
My conclusion is that the media have been stung since the last federal election by all the speculation over how they were losing their influence with the general public. Therefore, they have seized on this issue to frame it as Republicans versus us and, in effect, fight the election all over again. Only this time they are determined to show the Republicans that they have not lost their clout and can still control the agenda and the outcome when they want to.


94 posted on 03/22/2005 4:50:22 AM PST by finnigan2
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To: billorites

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1367796/posts

Please join us in this prayer for Terri Schiavo.
Ops4 God Bless America!


95 posted on 03/22/2005 4:50:48 AM PST by OPS4 (worth repeating)
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To: dawn53

Unfortunately it may be necessary to prevent the legalization of the murder of the helpless. I'm sure an expedited arrangement could be made for those whose wishes are unmistakably clear ahead of time.


96 posted on 03/22/2005 4:51:11 AM PST by thoughtomator (Will Michael Schiavo get away with murdering his wife? Stay tuned to find out!)
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To: Peach
...appreciate your willingness to discuss the issues without resorting to person attacks, btw.

You're welcome.

But I think Greer did act as her guardian early on, before an offical GAL was ever appointed. That's what made the de novo language in the Congressional bill so important, because Whittemore could now take that into consideration. Though he didn't for some strange reason.

The legal niceties are mostly beyond me.

But I do know due process when I see it. And there's a higher standard of evidence required in capital crimes than has been required here.

97 posted on 03/22/2005 4:54:26 AM PST by mewzilla (Has CBS retracted the story yet?)
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To: tuffydoodle

We'll have to disagree that Michael has treated Terri like dirt.

Did you now that court testimony provides that:

Michael became a respiratory therapist in order to better care for Terri.

Nurses testified in the malpractice trial that his care for her was so exemplary that Terri never even had a bed sore, which is highly unusual, and that he was extremely demanding of the hospital staff.

That he even tried experimental surgery for her which is why she has electrodes in her brain to try and stimulate brain activity.

That Terri's parents testified under oath that they were willing to see Terri have multiple amputations in the event she contracted diabetes, a fairly common occurrence for someone who is PVS, I think. And that they also testified under oath that even if they knew she wouldn't want to live this way, they would keep her alive. It was at that point that Michael said, enough.

That in the early 90's the Schindlers brought Terri home only to return her to rehab stating that they found it overwhelming to care for her. I have very little confidence that 15 years later and 15 years older they are in a position to better provide that care.

That Mr. Schindler testified under oath that he told Michael it was time for him to get on with his life. That the Schindlers, up until they objected to not getting any malpractice money, thought that Michael was a wonderful son in law and provided excellent care of Terri.


98 posted on 03/22/2005 4:55:16 AM PST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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To: Peach
Long past the time doctors said there was no hope.

Hope for what, exactly? That she would return to her pre-injury status and be a normal walking, talking person again? If that's the criteria, then there are a lot of injured people who have no hope--who are probably quite satisfied with their lives nonetheless.

99 posted on 03/22/2005 4:55:49 AM PST by exDemMom (Euthanasia, NO WAY. Youth in Asia, OF COURSE.)
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To: mewzilla

I looked at the timeline and didn't see any of that about Greer, but you could be right.


100 posted on 03/22/2005 4:56:02 AM PST by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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