Husband Michael Schiavo to Do Some Image-Polishing - FROM THE FRONT LINES AT VIGIL

THROWN BACK Blog ^ | October 26, 2003 | Fr. Rob Johansen

[NYer]

Husband Michael to Do Some Image-Polishing

Watch out! Terri's husband, Michael Schiavo, is going to be making the rounds of the national press during the next week. The purpose of this is to portray Michael as and reinforce his image as the victim of unfair attacks, and as being solely motivated by his deep care for Terri and his desire to carry out her wishes to be killed.

The first stop of this train will be his appearance on Monday night's "Larry King Live" show. Larry King is slotted to have Michael on for a full hour, unopposed by anyone from the Schindler family. I think that I can safely predict that this will be a virtual love-fest between Michael and Larry. No similar invitation has been extended to the Schindlers, which seems to me to demonstrate where he is coming from regarding Terri. And, as the Most Intellectually Dishonest Media Personality In America Today [TM], he can be counted on to ask only fawning softball questions of Michael.

Michael has claimed to be in hiding due to death threats against him. This claim is almost certainly part of his effort to acquire a more sympathetic image. For a man in hiding, he is acting mighty peculiar: He has been seen in the last 24 hours at a local shopping mall and restaurant.

You can also expect, now that the ACLU and Euthanasia organizations have pledged to enter the fray on Michael's behalf, that the drumbeat portraying him as a victim and noble-minded humanitarian will only increase. They want to cast Terri's case as a "right to die" issue. To do that they will do everything in their power to portray Michael as the heroic figure, challenging us narrow-minded extermists who want to interfere with his "rights".

Michael's attorney, George Felos, has a well known affinity for the pro-Euthanasia movement. This movement's adherents have a fascination, one might almost say a fetish, with Death. They seek to widen the acceptable boundaries within which society will find death acceptable. To forestall that effort, we must be vigilant against their attempts to coopt the language of rights and compassion.

[NYer]

I tried to post this to the News/Activism Forum but was blocked, so it has been posted here.

PL.EASE GET THIS NEWS TO THOSE IN THE OTHER FORUM!

[NYer]

TERRI SCHIAVO PING! – let me know if you want on/off this ping list

Catholic Ping - let me know if you want on/off this list

The guy is trolling for sympathy!! He's found a willing ear and a large audience in Larry King. Spread the news .. please

[windchime]

Bump!

[First_Salute]

1) Doctors do not agree on what is a "vegetative state." Therefore, judges cannot rule on a person's being in such a state;

first, because judges are on record as constantly regarding themselves to not be medical "experts," and therefore, they haven't the standing to decide what is or is not a "vegetative state," and

second, because such a "state" is not defined clearly enough as our Constituion requires the weight of evidence to be, in the face of certain death as a possible outcome of the decision.

2) The Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.

If the government issues an order for a person to be put to death, in this case, "to kill an in-capacitated ward," that death must be swift, and torture cannot be used --- starvation is considered to be torture.

 3) For the government to proceed with a court order to kill Terri Schiavo, Terri would have had to clearly and convincingly stated both:

that she "would not want to live that way" as she is alleged by her husband to have once said, and

that she understood that she might die, not only by having artificial life support denied her, but also by being denied food and water: she may be starved to death on her on volition.

4) Absent Constitutional authority for judges to order the killing of a person by tortuous means, no government within the United States has the power to carry out such an order.

[american colleen]

I don't know why this story is deemed "religious" and not "current news." Even before I had a re-conversion and I lived fully in the secular world, I would have thought this story was appalling and Mr. Schiavo's "works" were immoral and inhumane.

It still amazes me that this story is only a small footnote in the mainstream media outlets. No one I know knows much if anything about this. When I explain the facts to them they kind of look uncomfortable and change the subject. Not too many people like to take strongly held stands on issues anymore and I think that is because the lines between good and evil are very blurred for most of us.

God have mercy on us all.

PS. I'd like Mr. Shiavo to have the guts to appear on the O'Reilly or Hannity and Colmes shows. Larry King is a master at softball stuff. Must be all those wives.

[First_Salute]

Reply 4.

[sweetliberty]

Anybody here get the St. Petersburg Times or have access to the online version? There is an interesting letter from a close friend of Terri's that is a real slam on Michael that was supposedly published there. The link was sent to me by PeyersPatches and we are trying to confirm it before posting the letter here. If anyone can find and confirm, one of us will post the letter. Also, I sent a letter to Terri's friend at the email address that was given where it was posted. Will let y'all know if there's a reply. We cannot let this dirtbag get away with this crap. Controling, manipulative people are usually very good performers.

[PeyersPatches]

I emailed the friend as well - hoping she/he replies quickly!

[windchime]

I don't see anything positive in today's online letters.
Link:
http://www.sptimes.com/Opinion.shtml

I NEVER buy the St. Pete Times, so don't know if the letter to which you refer is in print.

[CindyDawg]

Well the folks who have been sitting on the fence because they didn't know what to believe have direction now. The Aclu has stepped in so maybe they will turn right.

[sweetliberty]

Don't know if it is today's paper, necessarily.

Sending FReepmail.

[dandelion]

Bumpity! Let's get the word out...

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Diva Betsy Ross]

We need to counter this with photos of Terri and storeis of what she was like before her "accident". We should have someone interview people who knew her and pass that to the MEdia who have sympathy for Terri. Perhaps Sean Hannity would have her best friend on T.V. talking about the good old days. Put a human face on this person the left thinks is a vegetable.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

We need to counter this with photos of Terri and storeis of what she was like before her "accident". We should have someone interview people who knew her and pass that to the MEdia who have sympathy for Terri. Perhaps Sean Hannity would have her best friend on T.V. talking about the good old days. Put a human face on this person the left thinks is a vegetable.

[CindyDawg]

Do yall know if the Florida boards for RNs, LVNs, and CNAs have been contacted about interviewing staff who have had or are currently in contact with Terri?

[Canadian Outrage]

I agree with you Libby. Michael Schiavo ought to be FULLY EXPOSED for the murdering, dishonest creep that he is!! So should Judge Greer. He's not fit to be sitting on the bench. Impeachment would be in order for that POS!!!

[diamond6]

Ping

[Canadian Outrage]

We should ALL try to be on the lines calling into LKL and really put Schiavo on the spot with our questions. I want to make his hour an hour in the "Hot seat"!!

[isrul]

I wonder who is orchestrating this PR blitz for Death Inc.

With the ACLU on board the media, of course, will now stand with them.

Only question is; will the people be fooled?