Results of Last Poll:
81.6% of people voting supported Terri's right to live
Posted on 03/25/2005 4:33:23 AM PST by ex-Texan
Jeb Bush may take Terri Schiavo into state care
The war over the fate of Terri Schiavo was entering its final stages today as her parents clung to two slim hopes of preventing their severely brain-damaged daughter from being allowed to die.
The 41-year-old has been without food or water for almost seven days, after her feeding tube was removed last Friday on the orders of a Florida state judge.
Friends and lawyers say she is showing signs of dehydration - flaky skin, dry tongue and lips, and sunken eyes. Doctors have said she would probably die within a week or two of the tube being removed.
"It's very frustrating. Every minute that goes by is a minute that Terri is being starved and dehydrated to death," said her brother, Bobby Schindler, who said seeing her was like looking at "pictures of prisoners in concentration camps".
But Brian Schiavo, the brother of Mrs Schiavo's husband Michael who has argued for her to be allowed to die with dignity, strongly disagreed, telling CNN that Terri Schiavo "does look a little withdrawn" but insisting she was not in pain. He added that starvation is simply "part of the death process".
One of the final hopes of Mrs Schiavo's parents lies in the federal courts. Last night Bob and Mary Schindler went back before a federal judge in Tampa, filing another emergency request that the feeding tube be reattached while they pursue claims that their daughter's rights are being violated.
District Judge James Whittemore previously rejected an almost identical request on Tuesday. He promised to work through the night to issue his new ruling.
The second and more dramatic hope lies in the hands of Jeb Bush, the Governor of Florida, who was last night considering the politically explosive step of ordering state officials to force their way into the hospice where Mrs Schiavo lies motionless and take her into state custody, in defiance of the US courts.
A Florida judge yesterday rejected a request by Governor Bush to allow the state to take custody of her, but the governor's aides afterwards refused to rule out further action.
The possibility emerged on Wednesday night, when Governor Bush declared that Mrs Schiavo - who court-appointed doctors say has been in persistent vegetative state for 15 years - had been misdiagnosed. He based his assertion on "new information" provided by William Cheshire, a Florida neurologist, who says that she may only be in a "minimally conscious" state.
Although Dr Cheshire, a leading member of the Christian right-to-life movement, did not examine Mrs Schiavo, he observed her for an hour on March 1. Governor Bush maintained that his testimony was compelling enough for the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) to take her into protective custody.
On Wednesday night, amid reports that Florida state officials were "mobilising" outside Mrs Schiavo's hospice, Florida Circuit Judge George Greer issued an emergency restraining order prohibiting DCF agents from seizing her.
Judge Greer then formally rejected Governor Bush's custody request yesterday. Last night he refused to hold a new hearing to assess Dr Cheshire's claims.
He also ordered the local sheriff's department not to allow state officials into Mrs Schiavo's hospice - but, under Florida law, the governor has the power, without court clearance, of taking a citizen into custody for a 24-hour appraisal if it is suspected they are in jeopardy.
Very long article . . Click Here to Read More
It sure is. FOX is covering it 24/7. I'm sad for her. I'm praying God will keep her alive supernaturally, if he has to, to get this resolved. Our nation is on a very slippery slope and we could be introducing a spirit of death across the entire nation. We really need to pray diligently for her.
Well what is he waiting for? I am very disappointed in Jeb.
Starvation is part of the process of dying? I think both of the Schiavo brothers came out of the shallow end of the gene pool.
It seems we are not the angry ones, I just read this,a blog by one of the protestors Becky Snow ,who has also not eaten since last Friday.
'Hunger Strike - THE BLOG: And So We Are Betrayed
Nothing more. The rain is coming down outside now, and the lightning flashes. Today at hospice we were visited by nurses from Hospice and by friends of Michael Schiavo. They descended upon us on one little corner, twenty or so of them just before news time. To one protestor a man shouted "We have you surrounded, and we are going to pound you." She retreated quickly, believing this to be a threat. They rushed past the beautiful Heather Demian in her wheelchair, and one protestor screamed at her until tremors seized her arms.
Weeping, she told him that this was a civil rights issue, that this was a women's right issue, but - having succeeded at making a terminally ill young woman weep and become ill - the man now turned his back on her as if she were nothing more than a tree stump. His noble work was done.
Another Michael Schiavo supporter cried "F*** Terri" and yet another "this is Michael's choice". Their enlightened cries filled the area, disturbing the dying who lay in their rooms, filling the area with profanity and shrieks of loathing for Terri Schiavo, and indeed for any living being that does not please them. I turned back to Heather, whose arms were still jerking willy-nilly, and stroked her back to try to calm her. Then I hid my face in the white cotton sleeve of my blouse and wept to think that these people were crying out for their Barabbas, when Christ had been offered to them. I wept, but the tears were few, because of my thirst. I wept, and non could comfort me.
We are betrayed. The day has come. It is Good Friday, and the world has gone dark.
posted by Becki at 2:17 AM'
www.becki-snow.blogspot.com
I won't judge Jeb Bush on this. He's the one who must decide whether or not this is the hill for him to die on, so to speak.
I do know that Abe Lincoln violated court rulings a couple of times during his tenure (during the Civil War, of course). He was never arrested (indeed, Bush would not be arrested but, rather, subject to civil penalty or impeachment) and we don't condemn him for that today.
"If I were in Florida I would vote for Gov. Bush. He has done all he absolutely can. Why are people advocating he takes this further?"
I hope you are aware of the facts before posting. This is a rogue court that has disregarded a Congressional order - sometimes morals/values are more important than supposed laws (Greer - is overstepping his authority) and actions must be taken even if laws are broken to do whats right. We would not be a nation if we would have followed Brittish laws or we would still have slavery if we had not opposed the Supreme Courts decision of the meaning of blacks.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
thank you for enlightening us, Ms Reno
"If law means nothing, then let's do away with all laws."
If a law is to kill an innocent person then yes lets do away with it. What is more important an unconstitutional law or the value of life. I am sure you would agree that the DreadScott decision shouldn't of been followed? Or am I wrong that you think that blacks should still be slaves? That was a law and most of America did not want to go to war but we are all glad today that we did, courageous leaders do what right not exactly what a court (of unelected judges) beleive is right.
Today is Good Friday. The day everyone but a few turned their backs on Jesus. Friends, followers, respected Religious Leaders, Country stayed in their homes and concluded one life wasn't worth the fight. This is a test for this nation and we have failed.
Today, I no longer will say I am a Republican. I won't be affiliated with this group who by their actions have turned their backs on what Jesus name, "If you do this to the least of me, you have done it unto Me." I know that the Democrats must be thrilled but for me now I clearly understand that we can not put our hope in anything but Christ. Republican leaders have exposed their true selves, they are more concerned about the polls than human life.
...or worse they will revive and replenish her depleted system only to be forced at a later date by judicial decree to do it all over again. Surely double cruel and unusual.
My other observation is that things in Iraq have been pretty quiet now that the world is focusing on Terri. Praise to God that I am not reading about troops dying on a daily basis. My bf was joking that the media is not killing our soldiers anymore.
Results of Last Poll:
81.6% of people voting supported Terri's right to live
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
You've got to fight fire with fire!
or worse they will revive and replenish her depleted system only to be forced at a later date by judicial decree to do it all over again. Surely double cruel and unusual.
And just another opportunity to blame Bush!
Please state exactly what law you are talking about, which I truly doubt you can.
What is upsetting to you is your own sense of Moral Outrage, your sense of "Justice". I agree with that whole-heartedly. My sense of justice and moral outrage are equally aroused and angered.
But moral outrage is not the same thing as law.
As for the unelected judges, Judge Greer was elected. He can be ousted from office in the next election, unless the laws governing circuit court judges in Florida is different than here in Indiana.
And it's the Dred Scot decision, which is still applied as such to determine whether an individual is of a certain race. According to Dred Scot, I am an African-American.
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