Posted on 03/31/2005 2:27:31 PM PST by goldstategop
RUSH: Having now gotten their wish in having Terri Schiavo put to death by court order, the American left is now free to turn their attention to saving Scott Peterson (news) from the same fate, which will no doubt happen. Again greetings: 800-282-2882 is the number. Terri Schiavo passed away, 9:03 this morning at the hospice down in Pinellas Park, Florida. We're going to talk about that. We'll talk about the court decision, this majority opinion written from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeal yesterday. This was incredible. It's arrogant. This judge, Mr. Birch, a Bush appointee, Bush 41 appointee, wrote an opinion yesterday. It's unbelievable. The judiciary is fighting back. This opinion lashed out at the president, lashed out at Congress, lashed out at the public, and basically ordered all other judges to stay away from this case. I have the ruling. We'll get to that in due course. (Limbaugh Legal Division: Judiciary Fights Back) Also, a great piece today from Judi McLeod, who's the editor of a newspaper in Toronto, the conflicts of interest that involve the Schiavo legal team and the sheriff and so forth and this hospice down in Pinellas Park. It's interesting because the mainstream press was all trying to find conflicts of interest on all the other sides of this issue, but when it comes to the Felos-Schiavo side of this they didn't seem to look very hard. Somebody has, and we'll pass that on to you as well. But first let's go to the audio sound bites. The president today, about 11:30, had this to say about the passing of Terri Schiavo.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Today millions of Americans are saddened by the death of Terri Schiavo. Laura and I extend or condolences to Terri Schiavo's families. I appreciate the example of grace and dignity they have displayed at a difficult time. I urge all those who honor Terri Schiavo to continue to work to build a culture of life where all Americans are welcomed and valued and protected, especially those who live at the mercy of others. The essence of civilization is that the strong have a duty to protect the weak. In cases where there are serious doubts and questions, the presumption should be in favor of life.
RUSH: Now, this is interesting. In addition to the substance of what the president said -- if you just bear with me until we get there -- the president in this statement takes a mild swipe back at this judge and the whole 11th Circuit, and I think the judiciary as well. It's very mild. You have to have read that opinion and heard some of the primary points that judge made in his opinion to understand this. The president's next sentence, by the way, talked about the president's most important responsibility is to protect the lives of the American people, and he went then into a discussion of this intelligence report, which we'll also discuss as the program unfolds today. Let's move on to more audio sound bites. Jeb Bush spoke to the press. We have two sound bites.
FLORIDA GOVERNOR JEB BUSH: It's heartbreaking, to be honest with you. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family, to all the people that wanted her to live, and to everybody. This was a very, very emotional couple of weeks. And I would hope that from this, that all of us can grow as people in terms of our appreciation for end of life issues.
RUSH: An unidentified reporter asked, "Governor Bush, do you feel like the debate and the time that's up here as taken emphasis away from this?"
GOVERNOR BUSH: This issue transcends politics and policy, and so, yes, it's taken -- deservedly so -- has taken attention away from other matters, but having said that, we've got time to deal with the policy initiatives of the leaders and the legislature and our agenda. So we'll continue to do our work.
REPORTER: Is this the toughest thing you've ever had to deal with, governor?
GOVERNOR BUSH: As governor? I had challenges in my personal life that have created the same emotional challenge, but as governor this has been the toughest.
RUSH: We move on now to one of the family priests that ministered to the Schindler family. This is the national director of Priests for Life, Father Frank Pavone, speaking to the press after the passing of Terri Schiavo.
PAVONE: Unfortunately just ten or so minutes before she died we were told that we had to leave the room because there would be an assessment of her condition and then a visitation by Michael. Bobby Schindler, her brother, said, "We want to be in the room when she dies." Michael Schiavo said, "No, you cannot," and so his heartless cruelty continues until this very last moment. At the same time, once she did pass away, we were called back into the room and at that point only the immediate family was able to go in to give her their final embraces. I stood at the doorway and offered the prayers of the church for those who have just died.
RUSH: Father Pavone wanted to add one more thing.
PAVONE: Let me just say one more thing, that this is not only a death with all the sadness that brings; this is a killing -- and for that we not only grieve that Terri has passed, but we grieve that our nation has allowed such an atrocity as this, and we pray that it will never happen again.
RUSH: Last night Scarborough Country, MSNBC. This gets hot and heavy. The guests included Catherine Crier of Court TV, Pat Buchanan and Peter Beinart, the editor of The New Republic. Buchanan says to Peter Beinart, "You know how she's dying? The way they died at Dachau, the way they died at Andersonville."
BEINART: That is an outrageous, outrageous statement.
BUCHANAN: It is not. They were starved to death and denied water.
BEINART: You know, it is outrageous for you to say --
BUCHANAN: Why do you want her dead so bad, Peter?
BEINART: She cannot feel the pain that we would feel in starvation, and compared to the Nazis, when this woman, when the court said this woman wanted to die, it's just outrageous. Outrageous.
CRIER: And Pat? How dare you, Pat? How dare you ask us how much we want this woman to die, because there is no one on the other side of this that wants her to die. If I could will her to get up, to --
BUCHANAN Well, why don't you give her some food and water?
RUSH: If you want her to live, why don't you get up and give her some food and water? You know, Buchanan is onto something here that I picked up on in the early stages of this two weeks ago. There did seem to be this unbridled enthusiasm for this woman to die. We know that there was. Catherine Crier is wrong about this. We know that there was an enthusiasm for this woman to die -- and we know why. There are several reasons. Among them, the left in this country is just frightened to death of the Christian right, and they blame the Christian right for all their electoral losses since 1994 and they want to stick it to the Christian right. Anything the Christian right can lose on, the left will be happy about, even if it takes the death of Terri Schiavo to upset the Christian right and cause the Christian right to experience a so-called loss on an issue. We also had a number of people protesting down there that were in fact anti-Bush, members of the Communist Youth League or some such thing, and they're out there eagerly hoping that Bush loses this because he was on the side of Terri Schiavo living.
So it may be a thin line. There may not have been that many people eager for her to die, but there were that many people that were eager for the Christian right and Bush to lose. Of course, the outcome is the same: Terri Schiavo dies. They're asking to suspend quite a lot of reality by saying, "We didn't have any enthusiasm for her to die," but that was the end result of these rulings. That was the end result of what these courts decided. All of these courts decided, "This woman's gotta die and nobody can give her any sustenance whatsoever," and there were people that supported that, and they did so under the guise of supporting the rule of law or supporting federalism or not supporting federalism or what have you. But it is plain as day what happened here: The United States government ordered the starvation of an innocent citizen who was not dying.
There was really no controversy from medical authorities about the reality of this situation it simply is not that unusual. And doctors do not make their decisions about such matters using their "biases" but such ridiculous beliefs is all that is left for the Schindler side.
No it is a simple recognition that we do not have infinite resources and those resources are better used elsewhere. Admitting that is hard but no more inhuman than many decisions which must be made.
Terri died fifteen years ago but her body was re-animated to a slight degree. She was dead.
She was neither hungry nor thirsty having gone far beyond any such desires or feelings. God never intended for Terri to have her death dragged out for fifteen years.
She was as far as one can get from being "otherwise healthy" having a few autonomous functions operative is hardly "otherwise healthy" but such thinking verifies what I maintained to the letter wrt lack of brain activity being insufficient reason to pull the cord.
Terri was not in her state by "God's will" but by the will of men who refused to let her death stand and brought her back to the state she has subsisted in for the last fifteen years.
When my Arlene was brought home it was obvious that she had no chance but we probably could have extended her life by returning her to the hospital and feeding her as Terri was. But where was the sense in that? Where was the mercy or Love? But her family did not dig in their heels and send out character assassins against me as has been done here. While she was conscious we tried every kind of theraphy known to man to no avail. When she found an experimental treatment not covered by our insurance I made sure she got it though the 25 grand it cost was hard to come by. But I loved her beyond anything on earth and was willing to try anything she wanted. It is particularly galling to be called a heartless brute or without a conscience or only concerned about money by people who just don't know.
And I have been persistently and personally attacked for my opinions about this matter and been called every vile name one can imagine for them even on this thread here. Now I never call the moderator about such stuff but many would have and have the offending posts pulled. It is such intolerance and hatred which started me to think there was something wrong in this case. Combined with the conspiracy theories which became wilder and more extensive by the day cinched that suspicion.
I appreciate that you have not engaged in that manner of debate and if I have mistreated you in it I apologize. There is no joy in giving my opinion and no joy in having Terri finally go to God
Yes I am saying that and I believe that spirit left TErri when she died that horrid day so long ago when her heart stopped and her brain was destroyed. What was left was not Terri anymore.
If someone would have sneaked into Terri's room at noon on 3/18/2005 and shot her to death, they would be charged with murder now!!!!
But, one hour later, Michael Schiavo, Judge George Greer, and lawyer Felos pulled the trigger of another gun that caused Terri's death 13 days later and are not being charged with murder?
Money, money, money, money, money,money, it's always about the Money!!!Follow the Money! sheeeshhh.
No it isn't always about money sometimes it is about something much more important. In this case it is about the retention of FR as an important political force.
O- kaaayy, then if it is about mercy and letting go, wouldn't it have been kinder to just give her a lethal injection like convicted child killers get (on occasion)? Or one of my dying animals? Cheaper too, in the long run.
That would be against the law. Some people still care about the law particularly when the entire world is watching. It would not surprise me if this happens on occasion when the entire world is not watching.
I want to apologize for that post. I was very angry yesterday because of Terri's death. I had no right to take it out on you.
The majority of people polled yesterday, agreed that it was murder to starve Terry Shiavo to death. That was the poll question.
Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol excerpts.
``Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,'' returned the gentleman, ``a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?''
``Nothing!'' Scrooge replied.
``You wish to be anonymous?''
``I wish to be left alone,'' said Scrooge. ``Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there.''
``Many can't go there; and many would rather die.''
``If they would rather die,'' said Scrooge, ``they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Besides -- excuse me -- I don't know that.''
``But you might know it,'' observed the gentleman.
``It's not my business,'' Scrooge returned. ``It's enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people's. Mine occupies me constantly. Good afternoon, gentlemen!''
Seeing clearly that it would be useless to pursue their point, the gentlemen withdrew. Scrooge resumed his labours with an improved opinion of himself, and in a more facetious temper than was usual with him.
Later.....
``A Merry Christmas to us all, my dears. God bless us!''
Which all the family re-echoed.
``God bless us every one!'' said Tiny Tim, the last of all.
He sat very close to his father's side upon his little stool. Bob held his withered little hand in his, as if he loved the child, and wished to keep him by his side, and dreaded that he might be taken from him.
``Spirit,'' said Scrooge, with an interest he had never felt before, ``tell me if Tiny Tim will live.''
``I see a vacant seat,'' replied the Ghost, ``in the poor chimney-corner, and a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die.''
``No, no,'' said Scrooge. ``Oh, no, kind Spirit! say he will be spared.''
``If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, none other of my race,'' returned the Ghost, ``will find him here. What then? If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.''
Scrooge hung his head to hear his wn words quoted by the Spirit, and was overcome with penitence and grief.
``Man,'' said the Ghost, ``if man you be in heart, not adamant, forbear that wicked cant until you have discovered What the surplus is, and Where it is. Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die? It may be, that in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this poor man's child. Oh God! to hear the Insect on the leaf pronouncing on the too much life among his hungry brothers in the dust!''
Scrooge bent before the Ghost's rebuke, and trembling cast his eyes upon the ground.
Apology accepted.
One can never go wrong with Dickens one of my favorite authors and of whom I have never finished a book, save the Pickwick Papers, without copious tears.
However, it is most effective to have the quotation be appropriate which this one isn't as I have never suggested that Terri was "suplus" or deserved to die. Terri HAD died and while dead her brain was destroyed to the point that she had no life left and was little more than a physiological process after being brought back from total death. The appropriate question here is how many Tiny Tims could have been saved with the enormous resources spent because of the Schindlers in trying to deny reality?
When sentiment begins to trump reason on a massive scale society is in grievous danger. When resources are thrown away in obviously hopeless causes no insanity can be ruled out.
Unfortunately she wasn't "starved" to death. The chemical inputs to the physiological processes which characterized her existence after she died fifteen years ago were stopped.
OH I think this quote is right on target.
You missed the lesson of the citation. Scrooge was not rebuked for misjudging which man lives and which dies, He was rebuked for taking that authority upon himself. "Will you decide what men shall live, what men shall die?
Terri HAD died and while dead her brain was destroyed to the point that she had no life left and was little more than a physiological process after being brought back from total death.
No. She didn't die till Thursday. Legally, reasonably or factually. The judge didn't declare her dead. Her brain was still functioning. You admit yourself she was more (if only little) than a physiological process (which can be said about anyone)
She just wasn't functioning at the level that the eugenics crowd believes is worth keeping around. If she had been pregnant when her brain was traumatized and the baby was carried to term, that child would not have been brought into the world by a dead woman.
The appropriate question here is how many Tiny Tims could have been saved with the enormous resources spent because of the Schindlers in trying to deny reality?
Oh God! to hear the Insect on the leaf pronouncing on the too much life among his hungry brothers in the dust!''
Tiny Tims are hopeless causes, didn't you know that? You are too sentimental over troublesome cripples. They are not worth saving. They really don't have real lives when you think about it reasonably. How many good harding working people could've had better lives and healthier children if not for wasting the enormous resources on denying the reality of Tiny Tims and their hopeless causes?
I know! Why not keep her alive as an incubator for her organs? We could've harvested her piece by piece if she was truly dead. What a waste of material. Maybe we could have long halls of encephalics maintained for the sole purpose of organ donation. Sound good to you?
When sentiment begins to trump reason on a massive scale society is in grievous danger.
Correct, but in this case the sentiment is the misguided attitude that the disabled are not alive and that the brain and the body is the be all and end all of life. And that those people do not have a stabilizing factor in society by engendering charity and compassion. All of which is being attacked by those transfixed by the dogma of death. It is a religion, don't be fooled by the rhetoric. Talk about wasted resources, when society goes further and further down the drain and lawlessness becomes more overt, boy the cost of that is gonna be high!
When resources are thrown away in obviously hopeless causes no insanity can be ruled out.
Thank you George Washington. Glad he didn't have that attitude. What's the next hopeless cause? The aged, the infirm, the retarded, the unwanted children? The Jews? The Muslims? The Christians?
Wonderful post. Dickens puts the "surplus population" concept into its proper place, with derision and scorn. To what depths we have now fallen....
I meant to say political motivations that transcend reason.
Perhaps. But I don't think we should starve someone to death just because we 'believe' their spirit may have already left their body. (Obviously, there are those who think that is not the case.)
My only "political motivation" in this is that FR not be discredited and rendered powerless by the ascension of mass hysteria over a non-event. An event similiar in basic nature that thousands occuring every day but without a propaganda campaign spreading falsehoods and disinformation.
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