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March 25, 2005

American Family Raped by Judicial Corruption
By Cheryl Ford RN

These last several evenings, I have been sitting in a small thrift store located directly across from Woodside Hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida. A few weeks back, the local owner decided to temporarily close her thrift store business to the public. Her kindness and compassion for Terri's tragic situation led her to create a small makeshift gathering area inside her little store. This little space is where the Schindlers and close friends now find solace from the crowds and media while Terri lies dying from starvation and dehydration.

During these past two years, I have been watching the Schindlers' anguish as they ventured down every legal avenue to save their daughters life. I have witnessed a family whose expressions resembled the faces depicted in old photos of parents who stood petrified and helpless, as their children were torn from their arms in Nazi, Germany. I've watched the Schindlers' cry, plead and beg the Government to look into the inhumane execution of their daughters life. Once again, with a race against time, and for the second time in two years, I feel helpless as a nurse and their friend. I see the pain in their eyes when they look at me with desperation asking silently how much time their daughter has remaining without food and water.

Two nights ago, Terri's mother Mary, worn and extremely tired, looked at me with tears in her eyes and asked, "What am I going to do Cheryl, I am watching them kill my daughter and I am not allowed to help her?" We both cried. Her words barely audible as she desperately described Terri laying in her bed inside the death camp across the narrow street, "I love my daughter, she wasn't dying last Thursday, but she is dying now." Mary tired and numb continued...... "She responds to me, she smiles at me, we love each other, but her eyes are sinking in now and her face is beginning to show signs she is starving and is thirsty." Mary cried out......"Please, this is America, who can we get to help stop my daughters inhumane death?"

Bobby, Terri's brother emotionally and physically drained after numerous sleepless nights from traveling to meet with Senators in Washington DC, pleading for his sisters life, held his head in his hands. He exclaimed... "What am I going to do, I cannot believe this is happening to my sister; how can this be happening in America?" Bobby paced the floor while vocalizing how his worst fears had become a reality......"She looks like a holocaust victim, how can we as a civilized society allow this to happen to any human being?"

The shock of knowing that no more than 300 yards from me laid a young, healthy woman who was dying from starvation only because of the actions inflicted upon her by her estranged spouse due to his mission to see her dead, was almost more than I could bare. Yes, Terri would die because of the initial decisions that had been made by one local probate judge many years back when Michael Schiavo entered as hearsay evidence to his court, Terri had wanted to die. The very notion that this could be happening in a country that delivers a message of freedom, liberty and justice, is unfathomable. What was I missing here? Had I been disillusioned into thinking I was actually standing on American soil, as I stood watching a 10 year old little boy arrested, handcuffed, and then placed into the back of a paddy wagon for attempting to bring water into a woman who he knew was being starved and dehydrated?

Today, Terri is on her 7th day without food and water. Her family is again forced to sit and watch the life sucked out of her. They know very basic nutrition and water could refuel her life. However, they are watched by police and forbidden to give her even a drop of water as her lips dry and crack and she looks to her mother; a loving mother who provided her with nourishment from the time of conception.

After witnessing Terri's tragic situation with my own eyes and ears over these last two years, I have come away knowing America will never be the same for me. As we rallied on the streets for Terri in order to gain attention to her story, telling of the judicial tyranny here in Florida, we have been called names by people who have not a clue what is happening to Terri, let alone how her death will someday soon effect this nation. Sadly, many will never question the truth about what really happened to Terri Schiavo until they someday find themselves in her situation. When she dies it will not be a matter of "if" this will happen to many others, it will be a matter of "when" it will happen.

For any government official to not become involved in this judicial corruption and homicide, but instead choose to hide behind the notion they cannot become involved because of this being a family dispute, only shows the ignorance behind the leaders in our country. Terri's death is not about "conservatives" "radicals" "religious zealots" "Democrats" "Republican's" "family disputes" or gains for political advancements. It is about local, judicial corruption, a woman whose wishes were never in writing, and a man who has used his authority as her so-called spouse (despite his engagement to another woman) to see her dead! He has used the legal system and its corruption to his criminal advantage. When will people awaken to the real issues at hand here?

Our Governor now says he cannot go beyond the scope of his power. But, he always had the power to act, under Florida's laws. Is this a message to us all that one corrupt judge and one estranged spouse who potentially placed Terri in this situation, controls our Government?

In addition, we must remember that from the time of our conception we have needed a source of nutrition in order to survive. When we allow judges to intentionally remove our basic nutritional elements from healthy human beings so to terminate life, we soon will face our own extinction.

For many years, I had wondered to myself, how did they get away with marching all those innocent people into the gas chambers; why did no one stand up and try to stop them? I now have a clearer understanding how it was accomplished!

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About the Author: Cheryl Ford is a licensed Registered Nurse in the state of Washington. She is the founder and CEO of her own company which assists in the financial, social and clinical assessment and placement of patients requiring a wide range of skilled medical treatment to over 450 licensed Adult Family Homes. The licensed Adult Family homes are owned and operated by physicians and nurses. While also maintaining another residence and an additional business in the state of Florida, her involvement as an activist in the Terri Schiavo case has arisen as a concerned citizen, as well as from the many years of knowledge she possesses as a Clinical Case Manager, licensed Registered Nurse and former firefighter/paramedic.