The Ithacan, an opinion piece.
By Kevin O’Neill ’05
Guest writer
April 07, 2005
“The right to die” and “dying with dignity” are catchphrases that were thrown around quite frequently regarding the removal of a feeding tube from Terri Schiavo, a woman who suffered brain damage 15 years ago. I sincerely doubt most of those people had any idea what they were saying.
How dignified do people consider starva-tion? When confronted with commercials ex-posing the terrible food shortage in many third world countries, “dying with dignity” is not a phrase that jumps to most people’s lips. Perhaps ignorance of what physically happens during starvation and dehydration shields some from considering the gravity of this case.
Medical doctor and ethicist David Stevens has described the process thus: the mouth dries out and the tongue becomes swollen and cracked. The lips become parched and cracked as a thick coating begins to cake the mouth and lips. The eyes sink back into the skull while the cheeks hollow and the lining of the nose begins to crack, potentially causing nosebleeds. The skin turns dry and scaly and hangs loose on the bones. Urine decreases, becoming highly concentrated, and eventually stops completely.
Then, the stomach lining dries out, causing vomiting and dry heaves. Brain cells dry out, too, causing convulsions. The respiratory tract dries out and thick secretions develop, a process that may plug the lungs and airways. Eventually, after the body suffers all these effects, all the major organs fail, including the lungs, heart and brain.
This is an extremely warped idea of “dignity.” It is illegal in the state of Florida, where Terri lived, to put a dog down this way, but for an innocent woman this death sentence will suffice. George Greer, the judge hearing this case has displayed shocking determination to see Terri die. On February 25, he stated that he would only hear motions relating to the “death process” and has denied, without hearing arguments or evidence, the Schindlers’ motion to divorce Terri from Michael and denied, without hearing arguments or evidence, the Schindlers’ motion to remove Michael as guardian.
He also heard, but did not rule on, arguments that Terri should be fed by mouth once the feeding tube was removed and many more very relevant points relating to this case.
Judge Greer skirted and ignored the law more times during this whole fiasco than are permissible to relate in polite company.
What happened in Florida last week was nothing short of murder, and to add further insult to injury, the judge denied the Schindlers’ request that Terri be allowed to receive Viaticum (Holy Communion for the dying) by mouth.
Yes, an American judge denied a citizen the opportunity to practice her religion (he also denied her “unalienable right to life,” but the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are not the rules judges play by these days).
The president has said it is always best to err on the side of life, but what happened to Terri Schiavo last week was no mistake. The unjust rulings of Judge Greer were cold, obsessively calculated, lethally relentless and sadly indicative of the attitudes society has adopted toward the weak.
FV SAYS: If you want to, please copy/paste & email the above to your US Senators and House Members and demand an investigation of ALL THE JUDGES in the SCHIAVO CASES and an investigation of the NINE SENATORS IN TALLAHASSEE who voted against Terri. Who lobbied them so they would vote against her?