Are Some Now Understanding What Happened to Terri Schiavo Was Wrong?

Life News ^ | 10/16/07 | Wesley J. Smith

[wagglebee]

Wesley J. Smith is a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute and an attorney for the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. His latest book is Consumer's Guide to a Brave New World.

I think Bobby Schindler is right.

There have been a lot of stories of late about how supposedly vegetative patients could understand, or of "miraculous" awakenings by people who doctors were sure would never react consciously again.

Bobby, Terri Schiavo's brother, has noticed that whatever the condition of the patient whose story is being told, the reports all have a common sub theme--the awakening, comprehension, etc. has nothing to do with Terri, meaning it was right to dehydrate her to death.

It is as these reports, to quote Shakespeare, "doth protest too much," as if there is a subliminal realization that a terrible injustice was done to her.

The latest almost unbelievable example is in an otherwise interesting and important (and long) piece in the New Yorker, byline Jerome Groopman. After describing how supposedly unconscious people have been misdiagnosed, the author quotes an unnamed neuroscientist about Terri.

From the story:

A neuroscientist showed me a video on the Internet of Terri Schiavo, the Florida woman who spent fifteen years in what most doctors agree was a vegetative state--tests revealed almost no activity in her cortex--and whose death, in 2005, provoked fierce debate over the rights of severely brain-damaged patients. (Schiavo died after the Supreme Court rejected her parents' appeal of a judge's decision approving her husband's request that her feeding tube be removed. An autopsy showed extensive brain damage.) In the video, a man's voice can be heard praising Schiavo for opening her eyes in response to his instructions, and the neuroscientist told me that he was impressed until he muted the sound. "With the sound off, it is clear that her movements are random," the neuroscientist said. "But, with the voice-over, it is easy to make a misdiagnosis. (My emphasis.)

The above stills are from the video in question. It deeply touched my heart and it is seared forever in my memory. In that video, Terri is asked by the examiner to open her eyes. At first, nothing. Then, within ten or so seconds, her eyes flicker, she opens them, and then opens them so wide her forehead wrinkles. It is clearly an intentional response to the question.

But if you turn the sound off, there is no question to hear--and voila, her opening her eyes with clear intention can now be dismissed as merely "random movement."

But a random movement under those circumstances would be to move her head from side to side or lick or lips. But when she opened her eyes, and so intently, precisely as requested, you have to work hard to make it "random." So, to make sure we don't see the terrible wrong that was done to her, we just turn off the sound.

As I said, unbelievable. But do read the larger piece. It is well worth the time.

[xzins]

Look at all that has happened to the Bush Admin since March of 2005.

[vetsvette]

“Are Some Now Understanding What Happened to Terri Schiavo Was Wrong?”

It doesn’t take much of a conscience to conclude that denying someone food or water until they die is wrong. But, then, it doesn’t take much of a conscience to understand that dismembering a baby is wrong either.

Leftists are simply without conscience. No different from Islamic terrorists when you think about it.

[jackibutterfly]

If he thought that that video was something, you all should check out THIS one:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1381701/posts?page=181

It's Post #174 - PLEASE check it out - this, to me, proves that Terri was NOT a vegetable! She was laughing along with her father; she was remembering an incident he was describing. Tell me that a vegetable or a person in a coma could do that.

[wagglebee]

Matthew 7:15-20 and 25:31-46 come to mind.

[nmh]

It’s still hard to believe that in the U.S. THIS happened!

You’d think a court and a judge would side for LIFE.

It’s a shameful crime.

[wagglebee]

I’ve seen the videos and the saddest part is that had Michael used Terri’s court-awarded money for her rehabilitation (as it was intended) and not spent it murdering her, she would have been doing even better.

[True Republican Patriot]

Terri was Brutally Beaten by her husband that fateful night and he didn’t even call the police or EMT! Then he finished off her murder thru the courts to dehydrate her to death, a torture we never allow at all, even in animals. The Left knows no depths of depravity!

[True Republican Patriot]

Four scumbag Murderers that hopefully will enjoy the rest of Eternity in HELL!

[wagglebee]

Here are a couple of great websites:

http://www.michaelschiavo.org/index.htm
http://judgegeorgegreer.com/

[RightWhale]

It was nothing but a display of the power of the state. All these grinding logical exercises of medical opinion are pointless in the face of the power of the state. This process is repeated ten thousand times a day.

[jackibutterfly]

"I’ve seen the videos and the saddest part is that had Michael used Terri’s court-awarded money for her rehabilitation (as it was intended) and not spent it murdering her, she would have been doing even better."

I definitely agree - this is one of the most horrendous things of which I've EVER heard (and experienced), and I CAN NEVER FORGET! I'll NEVER be able to let it go. Just the thought that a State IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA could do that to a citizen, a person, let alone doing it! No, I'll never let it go.

[wagglebee]

Many of the death culters would prefer we just forget all about it, but what’s most scary is that Terri’s murder wasn’t an isolated incident, it was a TEST CASE to see what they could get away with. Unfortunately, it will become even more common if the culture of death gets its way.

[nmh]

Michael Schiavo and Greer and EVIL, HEARTLESS people.

I think hell is too good for them.

[bjs1779]

Even with the sound off you can tell she is there. Try it.

http://hometown.aol.com/GordonWWatts/myhomepage/ConversationWithTerri.wmv

[nmh]

As I said to another gentleman, hell is too good for that doctor, judge and Mishael.

[Halls]

I’ll never forget about the murder of Terri. It has left me afraid of what has happened to our country. I loved Terri even though I never knew her. I WIll meet her in Heaven. I pray that Michael Schiavo comes to know the Lord as I believe in my heart he is headed for one place and that isn’t Heaven.

[True Republican Patriot]

AMEN! a trillion times over!!!!!!!!

[penowa]

Impeachment is WAY too good for Judge Greer. Justice for him will come in the next life.

Like you, I could not believe what our judicial system allowed to happen to a poor, innocent, disabled woman. It changed completely how I look at politics and the gov't of this country. I guess you could say I lost my innocence, and I will never again expect the right thing to automatically be done.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

This thread is good for 10,000 replies.

[wagglebee]

The Darwinists probably already have a thread up mocking it.