Father of Potential Euthanasia Victim Lauren Richardson Asks Gov for Help

Life News ^ | 5/7/08 | Steven Ertelt

[wagglebee]

Dover, DE (LifeNews.com) -- The family of Lauren Richardson continues to press her case and is now calling on the governor of Delaware for help to save her life. Richardson has become the next Terri Schiavo as her parents engage in a massive legal and philosophical debate about whether she should live or die.

Richardson is a 23-year-old woman who overdosed on heroin in August 2006 while she was three months pregnant with a baby girl.

Doctors kept Lauren on life support until she delivered her baby in February 2007. Shortly thereafter, her parents began a fight that is reminiscent of the battle over Terri's life and death.

Edith Towers, Lauren's mother, wants to remove her feeding tube and starve and dehydrate her to death in the same manner that Michael Schiavo subjected Terri.

On the other side is Randy Richardson, Lauren's father, who is fighting to save her life and wants to be appointed as her guardian to ensure she receives appropriate medical care and treatment.

Richardson recently said the fight to save Lauren continues and that he is "totally committed to a path that includes rehabilitative treatment and therapy with the hope that Lauren can recover significantly from her disability."

He hope that, one day, Lauren may be able to "participate in the raising of her daughter that she gave birth to while in her current condition."

Randy Richardson says, "Lauren’s mother, after convincing one Delaware judge to declare that she should be Lauren’s guardian, remains resolute in her assertion that Lauren is vegetative and cannot recover."

"Her mother has withheld authorization for any rehabilitative medical treatment and therapy for Lauren, and intends to have Lauren’s feeding tube halted" if his effort sot save her fail.

"We cannot understand her reasoning in refusing a path of hope, healing, and restoration for Lauren, and insisting on causing her death by withholding food and water from her," he added.

"The issue in Lauren’s case is the eternal truth that all people, no matter what their medical condition, bear the image of God and deserve basic care and an opportunity to be restored to health," he said.

Richardson's family is calling on Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner to intervene and save Lauren from an expected court order dictating her euthanasia death.

As in the Terri Schiavo case, physicians have been quick to label Lauren as having a persistent vegetative state -- something Terri's family called dehumanizing and medically inaccurate as patients have recovered from it.

Noted attorney and author has written about Lauren's case and he says he viewed a video Richardson's father released and he says she seems reactive particularly when her father attempts to interact with her.

"Whether she is conscious or not is irrelevant to her equal moral worth as a human being," Smith adds.

"The fight in this case is over whether she lives as a profoundly disabled woman or is made to die slowly over two weeks by dehydration--as Terri Schiavo did," Smith explained. "If we did that to a dog, we would go to jail. Do it to a disabled woman who needs a feeding tube and it is called medical ethics."

ACTION: Contact Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner at governor.minner@state.de.us and ask her to help Randy Richardson save his daughter's life.

Related web sites:
Life for Lauren - http://www.lifeforlauren.org

Dover, DE (LifeNews.com) -- The family of Lauren Richardson continues to press her case and is now calling on the governor of Delaware for help to save her life. Richardson has become the next Terri Schiavo as her parents engage in a massive legal and philosophical debate about whether she should live or die.

Richardson is a 23-year-old woman who overdosed on heroin in August 2006 while she was three months pregnant with a baby girl.

Doctors kept Lauren on life support until she delivered her baby in February 2007. Shortly thereafter, her parents began a fight that is reminiscent of the battle over Terri's life and death.

Edith Towers, Lauren's mother, wants to remove her feeding tube and starve and dehydrate her to death in the same manner that Michael Schiavo subjected Terri.

On the other side is Randy Richardson, Lauren's father, who is fighting to save her life and wants to be appointed as her guardian to ensure she receives appropriate medical care and treatment.

Richardson recently said the fight to save Lauren continues and that he is "totally committed to a path that includes rehabilitative treatment and therapy with the hope that Lauren can recover significantly from her disability."

He hope that, one day, Lauren may be able to "participate in the raising of her daughter that she gave birth to while in her current condition."

Randy Richardson says, "Lauren’s mother, after convincing one Delaware judge to declare that she should be Lauren’s guardian, remains resolute in her assertion that Lauren is vegetative and cannot recover."

"Her mother has withheld authorization for any rehabilitative medical treatment and therapy for Lauren, and intends to have Lauren’s feeding tube halted" if his effort sot save her fail.

"We cannot understand her reasoning in refusing a path of hope, healing, and restoration for Lauren, and insisting on causing her death by withholding food and water from her," he added.

"The issue in Lauren’s case is the eternal truth that all people, no matter what their medical condition, bear the image of God and deserve basic care and an opportunity to be restored to health," he said.

Richardson's family is calling on Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner to intervene and save Lauren from an expected court order dictating her euthanasia death.

As in the Terri Schiavo case, physicians have been quick to label Lauren as having a persistent vegetative state -- something Terri's family called dehumanizing and medically inaccurate as patients have recovered from it.

Noted attorney and author has written about Lauren's case and he says he viewed a video Richardson's father released and he says she seems reactive particularly when her father attempts to interact with her.

"Whether she is conscious or not is irrelevant to her equal moral worth as a human being," Smith adds.

"The fight in this case is over whether she lives as a profoundly disabled woman or is made to die slowly over two weeks by dehydration--as Terri Schiavo did," Smith explained. "If we did that to a dog, we would go to jail. Do it to a disabled woman who needs a feeding tube and it is called medical ethics."

ACTION: Contact Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner at governor.minner@state.de.us and ask her to help Randy Richardson save his daughter's life.

Related web sites:
Life for Lauren - http://www.lifeforlauren.org

[mbj]

Before anyone yells at me, yes, Lauren is /NOT/ in a coma: she is a different case completely anyway.

[Sun]

“It appears lots of people are emailing Governor Minner... I have and am encouraging others to email her. Why should a disabled person surrender their civil rights as if by default? Life isn’t a contest where if you become impaired, you forfeit your life! That means disabled people, injured people and seniors.”

I’m glad they are doing so. I put my city and state, so she will know that the e-mails are from around the country.

[Gondring]

I don’t recall the constitution stating we have the right to death.

Yep....

Just like it doesn't state you have any right to refuse to tell us what your political opinions are (it's just "Right to Free Speech," not to refuse it)

And it doesn't state you can choose not to go to church (it's "Freedom to Worship," not to refuse it...though admittedly, the Delaware Constitution states that it's your duty)

And it doesn't state that you can refuse to be rounded up (it's only "Right Peaceably to Assemble," not to refuse it [but see above])

It doesn't state that you can refuse to petition the government (it's only "Right to petition the government")

And we all know that it's absolutely mandatory to vote, as it says that we have the right to vote but not "the right to abstain" from the political process.

Etc.

But guess what...those are all parts of the Bill of Rights and other amendments, which enumerate rights that we already have--whether stated therein or not--since the Constitution is a limit on the government.

But Nanny-Staters would want us all to forget those who fought hard and shed their blood to protect our rights and not be ruled and owned by the authorities. Sorry, but Miss Richardson has rights, whether she can express them today or not, and the witnesses to her expressing that she "wouldn't want to live like [Mrs. Schiavo] with people caring for her" overrides her father's preference (just as "I'd want to live" would trump a suggestion of letting her go).

The sick thing is that Delaware does not allow a more peaceful exit than just ceasing nutrition and hydration. :-( It just makes it more rough on everyone.

[wagglebee]

At some point it's just time to let go. You have people who believe in God and Christ and the eternal realm, yet they'll fight tooth and nail to keep souls from returning home. I don't understand it.

You are missing a critical point here:
Lauren IS NOT dying, but denying her food and water WILL KILL HER.

To compare Lauren to a person dying of a terminal illness is nonsensical. It is no more legitimate than saying that a newborn infant should be denied milk.

[8mmMauser]

And guess what, as the death folks avoid, it is not just letting go, but is dehydration to death, not something we would allow for the most wicked of criminals, nor for the meanest of dogs and cats. They would murder her by a slow and painful torture taking a couple weeks to complete. Ask Lisa MacPherson how she liked it.

Can anyone reasonable outside those locked into emotional tunnel vision imagine Lauren saying this? "Dad I am fed up with smiling and recovering and would much rather have myself tortured for two weeks until I am dead. Please have the killers come and stop a drop of water from my parched lips over that time so I can fully appreciate shriveling up in euphoria."

Maybe we should propose this as an alternative to lethal injection to the really nasty criminals.

However since those obsessed with controlling death and dying are shielded from the obvious by that leftist characteristic of cognitive dissonance, they can ignore the horrors if actually wrought by their fantasies should they come true.

[wagglebee]

And yet the pathetic deathbot vultures still claim that it’s “euphoric.”

[8mmMauser]

What else can they say? They can’t say the truth. It is not on their side.

[floriduh voter]

The truth is not on their side. They have no sensitivities to Lauren's civil rights including her right to life but don't dare compare them to Herr Hitler. Apparently, they think there is a Hitler-lite designation which gives them a green light. The Courts are taking Hitler's place and how dare anyone do a post advocating taking the life of a disabled person, American or not!

How dare they judge Lauren Marie Richardson who deserves protection under the law, not propaganda and falsehoods?

Why deny Lauren the chance to recover? It appears she is recovering. If "home" is becoming another word hijacked by the deathbots, we'll red flag "home". The deathbots hijacked "wishes" to get rid of TERRI SCHINDLER SCHIAVO. How many pleasant words will the death movement hijack so they can keep on taking lives? 1. wishes - HIJACKED, home - HIJACKED. 3. ??? to be continued...

[Lesforlife]

The fact that this has been done to our fellow humans,
when it could never be done to an animal without the
perpetrator being prosecuted and imprisoned, is
a pathetic statement of how devoid of a moral compass
America has become.

Everyone who thinks this despicable protocol is appropriate,
needs to go see Ben Stein’s EXPELLED!!

[Sun]

Nourishment is ordinary means; not extraordinary means.

There are many children who need feeding tubes as a way of life.

[Sun]

“It appears lots of people are emailing Governor Minner... I have and am encouraging others to email her.”

Let’s encourage everyone we can to e-mail the Governor.

[floriduh voter]

IT TAKES LESS THAN A MINUTE TO EMAIL GOVERNOR MINNER. Let Lauren Live

Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner at: governor.minner@state.de.us and

[Dante3]

BUMP

[floriduh voter]

Gov. Minner shut down her email addy in Jan or Feb due to the flood of emails for Lauren Richardson. The emails aren’t coming back and in an age of homeland security, isn’t it mandatory that they read any and all emails? I hope they’re reading them...

[Lesforlife]

Dear Governor Minner:

The bottom line regarding the preservation of Laurel Richardson’s life
is that she is a living person and guilty of no crime that would
demand her death.

Innocent life is not negotiable.

No lawyer’s brief or report from a team of physicians can change the
radical truth that Laurel Richardson’s Personhood is reason enough to
keep her alive. And not just “enough” but reason to call in the troops
to preserve, defend and protect Laurel’s life from those who would
dare to extinguish her God ordained being, in our world. It is
Personhood that must be protected at every single level in the
continuum of life from birth, through frailty and old age. Personhood
is reason enough to honor the living with life. Personhood is reason
enough to honor the dead. Personhood raises the monuments to our
fallen, our wounded, our heroes. Personhood raises the infirmary and
the missionary and the nursing mother at 4 AM. Personhood is enough to
preserve the yet to be born, the yet to die, the dying and the ill.

Governor Minner, as you consider your options regarding the situations
before you as a governor of the persons living in your state, let
Laurel Richardson’s Personhood recalibrate your mind, heart, spirit
and gumption sir; it is an easy decision to make, because Personhood
cannot be denied.

As the United States accepts the euthanization of its Persons, it
slips further and further down among its corpses, morally debased,
utterly hollow of spirit and conviction.

Be the strong voice against the lie. Stand up. Speak out. Lead:Save
Laurel Richardson’s Personhood.

I will then join my voice to yours.

Most sincerely,

Eve Sanchez Silver
Director
Cinta Latina Research
director@cintalatina.org

[floriduh voter]

Whoa. What a powerful email. We don’t want Lauren to be martyred. It would be a senseless act.