Posted on 03/30/2005 6:01:21 AM PST by Born Conservative
Dr. Dow Pursley, Ed.D, returned home from teaching an ethics class Monday night at Baptist Bible College and Seminary and told his wife Joanne he was flying to Florida to protest against Terri Schiavo's impending death.
The family counseling professor booked the first flight out of town -- a 4 a.m. red-eye Tuesday -- and the couple of 37 years then spent the balance of the night praying.
Advertisement Click Here! Later Tuesday morning Dr. Pursley, 56, was shocked with a Taser stun gun and arrested by Pinellas Park (Fla.) police on charges of attempted burglary and resisting arrest without violence after he tried to bring two bottles of water to Mrs. Schiavo's hospice room.
Dr. Pursley, of the city's Hill Section, never reached Woodside Hospice's doors, police said.
"He said he needed to be there, and I said 'I understand,' " Mrs. Pursley said of the couple's conversation late Monday night.
They never talked of any specific actions, and she figured he was going to protest with prayer, she said.
"It was very late," she said. "We just prayed."
She did not know of her husband's arrest until a Times-Tribune reporter called her Tuesday afternoon seeking comment.
Still, she said the arrest hardly surprised her. She described her husband as a "passionate" man of "conviction" and "action" and said he was "overwhelmed" Monday night about Mrs. Schiavo's impending death.
"He is driven by his conviction about the sanctity of life," she said.
Of his decision to bring Mrs. Schiavo water, she added, "He was compelled to do what he did. That was between him and God."
Dr. Pursley is the 47th protester to be arrested, and the first to be shocked with a Taser stun gun since Ms. Schiavo's feeding tube was removed 13 days ago. Efforts to reach Pinellas Park Police spokesman Sanfield Forseth about the use of force were unsuccessful.
Mrs. Pursley said she spoke with her husband Monday afternoon from Pinellas County Jail, where he was remanded in lieu of $20,500 bail. Police said a hearing on his case is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today.
A supporter in Florida has since posted Dr. Pursley's bond, and he will be released later today, Mrs. Pursley said.
The father of three and grandfather of six has received full support from his family, Mrs. Pursley said, as well as numerous calls and prayers from faculty and staff at the Clarks Summit college where he has been a full-time professor in its graduate school of Counseling Ministries for the past five years.
Mark Robbins, spokesman for the college, said Dr. Pursley's actions did not reflect the college's position on the Terri Schiavo case.
"He was not representing the school at all," Mr. Robbins said. "He was acting on his own behalf."
Mr. Robbins said Baptist Bible College and Seminary has no official position on the right-to-die case.
"It's a complicated issue," he said. "We certainly pray for and have sympathy for the Schindler and Schiavo families."
Asked if Dr. Pursley could be reprimanded for his arrest, Mr. Robbins said it was too soon to tell.
"It's hard to speak to what may be discussed a week or a month from now," he said. "We encourage our faculty to be involved in the community. Obviously each person takes that to a matter of degree. Dr. Pursley is a man of action and conviction."
Mr. Robbins added the college's administration has yet to contact Dr. Pursley.
Dr. Pursley is the clinical director of counseling programs at Baptist Bible College and Seminary. He received his master's degree in psychology from the University of Central Arkansas and his doctorate in education from the University of Arkansas.
And No, it is not fun getting arrested...
..and wondering if & when you will be bailed out...
..and what a prison cell experience will be...
..But this man, and many others, have reached deep inside themselves ....to their deepest convictions...
..and cannot walk away from their conscience.
Maybe you don't understand this....hopefully someday you will.
5 minutes of fame.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Mohammed Farah Aideed: employed starvation to achieve his political ends. Ironically, in early August 1996, Aideed was shot twice, one of the bullets passing through his stomach. Aideed lingered for several days, and although accounts of his death vary, it is believed he would have been unable to eat.
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I would really like to answer this question.
" What do these people hope to accomplish by rushing the hospice? They can't seriously believe they'll get to Terri's bedside.
Is it that much fun to get arrested and pay a fine? It certainly isn't helping Terri."
Those people gathering at the hospice, go there to show the rest of us that they really care. I need that, maybe you do not, but I can not be there, and I really need to know that someone cares, and that all people do not support murder.
Without these caring people, I would feel alone. No, these people do not expect to get to Terri's bedside, and the water is symbolic of what Terri needs. Some nourishment with it would be good too.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
That would be simple B&E. Burglary is the act of B&E with the intent of committing a felony. They would have to prove he was going to commit a felony, and trying to give water to a dying woman doesn't qualify.
No jury would convict, so this is a case of what passes for the law down in Pinellas County pi**ing in the wind. They will have much to answer for, and "I was only following orders" won't cut it.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Then call God a liar all you want, but stay away from me, thanks.
Romans 13
1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing
Ummm....those aren't my words, either.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
they should all do it collectively. individually acting, even a bunch of them, will only succeed in getting them arrested, but by acting en masse will force Jeb's hand, like the storming of the Bastille.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Hey I just had a thought. You can't give her water. Well, I was wondering if we could charge the bad guys in this action for murder. Stay with me as I try to explain.
While the order is to not give water or food, right. Well what about rain. I don't know what the ranifal is there. By keeping her unexposed to the elements they are killing her. They are preventing her from having the chance of getting God's help. Put her outside and see how fast it rains.
I mean if she could curvive on her own they would let her right? If for some reason she lived without water and food being provided by humans they wouldn't shoot her would they? Well, my arguement is by sheltering her via artificial means they are violating the courts wishes, right? Provide no artificial sustanence. The weather is not artificial. The humidity itself could help.
Point 2. IF she is in an airconditioned room they are killing her. Hear me out. I believe the first step in airconditioning is to dehumidify the air. If it is not a step of the process it is one effect. If they are killing her by providing her with shelter agianst God's Rain(Reign) and then aritficially dehidrating her via Air conditioning they need to stop now.
On top of this They should immediately rehydrate her until she can take food again(a reset the clock type thing) Move her outside into the weather. The medical facilty and ALL associated persons(Judge Greer and his buddies) should be charge with attempted murder.
This is the same thing as giving her the chair. Except horribly slower.
the bottom line is..
If she would be able to survive on her own they would have to let her, right? Well they need to give her the chance to survive OWN HER OWN. With out intervention. No A/C no roof to block the rain and natural humidity.
Look she would have given up long ago if she didn't want to live.
Any ideas on this?
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Even in this fight for Terri, I am shocked at how insensitive you are to everyone else affected by this. It terrible that in the rush to save Terri, you don't care how many people get trampled and hurt. You selfishly don't care about anything but your cause. You don't care about the other people in the Hospice, you don't care about schools being shut down, and you don't care about the threats of violence us locals have faced. By making such a foolish reference to Nazi Germany, you have lost all credibility.
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.
Are you a MD? Could you surgically install a feeding tube? Could you perform a IV set-up for fluids? Know the safe rate of feed?
If you instead opt for a drink of water, you will drown her.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
They do it because it's the Christian thing to do.Jesus didn't ask permission from Herod or any court,to heal the blind,make the lame to walk,raise someone from the dead,prevent a woman from being stoned to death.He acted on love for one another and asked us to do the same.
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