Posted on 04/01/2005 8:05:46 PM PST by FairOpinion
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Polls leading up to the death of Terri Schiavo made it appear Americans had formed a consensus in favor of ending her life. However, a new Zogby poll with fairer questions shows the nation clearly supporting Terri and her parents and wanting to protect the lives of other disabled patients.
The Zogby poll found that, if a person becomes incapacitated and has not expressed their preference for medical treatment, as in Terri's case, 43 percent say "the law presume that the person wants to live, even if the person is receiving food and water through a tube" while just 30 percent disagree.
Another Zogby question his directly on Terri's circumstances.
"If a disabled person is not terminally ill, not in a coma, and not being kept alive on life support, and they have no written directive, should or should they not be denied food and water," the poll asked.
A whopping 79 percent said the patient should not have food and water taken away while just 9 percent said yes.
"From the very start of this debate, Americans have sat on one of two sides," Concerned Women for America's Lanier Swann said in response to the poll. One side "believes Terri's life has worth and purpose, and the side who saw Michael Schiavo's actions as merciful, and appropriate."
More than three-fourths of Americans agreed, Swann said, "because a person is disabled, that patient should never be denied food and water."
The poll also lent support to members of Congress to who passed legislation seeking to prevent Terri's starvation death and help her parents take their lawsuit to federal courts.
"When there is conflicting evidence on whether or not a patient would want to be on a feeding tube, should elected officials order that a feeding tube be removed or should they order that it remain in place," respondents were asked.
Some 18 percent said the feeding tube should be removed and 42 percent said it should remain in place.
Swann said her group would encourage Congress to adopt legislation that would federal courts to review cases when the medical treatment desire of individuals is not known and the patient's family has a dispute over the care.
"According to these poll results, many Americans do in fact agree with what we're trying to accomplish," she said.
The poll found that 49 percent of Americans believe there should be exceptions to the right of a spouse to act as a guardian for an incapacitated spouse. Only 39 percent disagreed.
When asked directly about Terri's case and told the her estranged husband Michael "has had a girlfriend for 10 years and has two children with her" 56 percent of Americans believed guardianship should have been turned over to Terri's parents while 37 percent disagreed.
I'm not overlooking Greer's corruption one bit. IMHO this guy has twisted facts to a point any Nazi would be proud. All I'm saying is this guy had the ability to make this all totally legal. By Florida law PVS's can't swallow, therefore don't get any thing by mouth. He was able to get a non-PVS women declared PVS therefore that is the reason all these rulings went against Terri.
Legal is not synonyms with morale in todays courts.
All you've told me here is that a living will is not worth the paper it's written on, if someone wants you dead. That's scary.
Is Estelle Browning the woman previously "represented" by George Felos? The one that he "heard" in his head begging to die, although she was, in fact, silent? If so, I hate to think that the evidence of her "oral decision" overriding her earlier living will was, in fact, the auditory hallucination of George Felos.
You don't know the details of the case but you're opining on it?
I am aware that Michael's sister-in-law claimed to be Terri's best friend. I am unaware of any evidence, other than her own-say-so, that she actually was. Do you know of any evidence to that effect?
well, this is Zogby...I'll still take it with a grain of salt.
Still, most Americans believe Terri was on extraordinary life support based on the false media portrayal of her condition. Had they known the facts opinions would likely have been different.
There was some dispute about that -- she may have been minimally conscious. But the PET scan which could show what whatever was left of her brain was doing in response to external stimuli, was systematically denied by Michael.
She got done to death with the connivance of the law. No ifs, ands, and buts about it.
2. If I am ever forced to make such a decision for a loved one and do so under suspect conditions, you have every right as a law abiding citizen to question any decision I make that would end a life. If you are wrong, you can apologize later. If you are not, you can't bring someone back from the grave.
3. The letter of the law you say? Male bovine fecal matter. The law in Florida regarding guardianship is very clear. There were several laws that were not followed by Michael Schiavo and several that were ignored by Judge Greer.
You keep bringing up "the letter of the law". I would point out to you that many people have done wrong things using the bad law as their justification and defense.
4. Yes, you will ultimately answer to God, as will I, for anything and everything that we have done in our lives. If we contemplate upon that we may have reason to be concerned about our meeting Him, especially when we have regarded the laws set forth by men as superior to those set forth by Him.
Try the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and Article One, Section Two of the Florida constitition.
They ARE the law of the land, and they explicitly prohibit taking the life of any person who hasn't been convicted of a capital crime.
The Florida constitition also explicitly includes the disabled.
Or are you in agreement with these judges and politicians who are now pretending the Bill of Rights doesn't exist?
Yup, Mr. Demon Channeler hisself.
Are you aware of any testimony saying that she wasn't?
"Can you point to me where the judge forbade "natural means"?"
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CAN SOMEONE PLEASE POST THE LINK TO GREER's RULING TO STARVE AND DEHYDRATE TERRY TO DEATH?
I had the link to the ruling, and it said that he was ordering that no nutrition or hydration to be given to Terri. Period.
He could have phrased it, to order the removal of the tube and ordered no feeding through the tube, but he specifically ordered no nutrition or hydration.
October 21, 2003… Michael brings suit against the Governor, asking to enjoin the Governor's stay on grounds "Terri's Law" is unconstitutional; Judge Baird rejects Michael's request for an immediate injunction, allowing the tube to be restored, and requests briefs on the constitutional arguments involving the new law
November 7, 2003… Judge Baird rejects Governor's motion to dismiss Michael's suit and have case litigated in Tallahassee
November 20, 2003… Judge Baird rejects Governor's request for the judge to recuse himself
December 1, 2003… Guardian ad litem appointed under "Terri's Law" to advise Governor submits report to Governor [READ]
December 10, 2003… Second District rejects Governor's effort to have Judge Baird disqualified
April 2004… Second District affirms Judge Baird's decision denying Governor's motion to dismiss and have case litigated in Tallahassee [READ]
May 2004… Judge Baird declares "Terri's Law" unconstitutional on numerous grounds [READ]
June 2004… Second District certifies "Terri's Law" case directly to the Florida Supreme Court
September 2004… Florida Supreme Court affirms Judge Baird's ruling that "Terri's Law" is unconstitutional
I just gave you a new Judge to hate.
Please give us contact information so we can warn YOUR spouse to name someone besides you to be his/her medical advocate because should he/she become ill and inconvenient to you that you will starve him/her to death.
Michael had abandoned his wife for another woman - he had been living with her for years before filing to have the court order her death. Those are the facts - the only person being hysterical is you.
To Greer. Not to me. I would have ruled differently, based on what I know. I don't think what some 25 year old says after watching a movie has much gravitas, as related by her husband, particularly this husband. But it was Greer's call, not mine.
Ah, but a death deprivation doesn't count?
Suppose they sealed her in a chamber and evacuated it of air? That wouldn't be a death blow, by your sophistry.
That's a load of crap. I have no such "right".
The problem here is people making up "rights" and lawyering without a working knowledge of the law.
Because it is a commonly repeated mantra makes it right!
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