Replies

"As long as this group promotes RALLIES and PROTESTS (not vigils) to support their efforts for justice for Terri, and invites a true COALITION of people and organizations deeply disturbed and concerned by Terri's MURDER, (and NOT just RELIGIOUS people and organizations on the RIGHT), I will honorably and proudly lend my effort to their cause.

This cannot appear to be an effort established by only the religious right. Otherwise our legislators will ignore the efforts and the findings."

====

BUMP to your post. I totally agree. Being murdered by a judiciary should be a concern to everyone, regardless of religion, race, creed, etc.

Disabled people have been supporting Terri -- and healthy people need to understand, that any one of us could be a moment away from joining the ranks of the disabled.

Schiavo Protesters Not All Christian Conservatives

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=7977535

"Eleanor Smith of Decatur, Georgia, sat on Tuesday in a motorized wheelchair in front of the hospice, baking in the sun, with a sign on her lap reading, "This agnostic liberal says 'Feed Terri."'

Her background was a far cry from the evangelical right wing more generally seen as the lobbying force behind the U.S. Congress' scramble over the weekend to draw up a special law to try to prolong Schiavo's life, and President Bush's decision to cut short a Texas vacation to sign it.

Smith, 65, had polio as a child and described herself as a lesbian and a liberal who had demonstrated before in support of the disabled and causes supported by the conservative establishment's archfoe, the American Civil Liberties Union.

"What drew me here is the horror of the idea of starving someone to death who's vulnerable and who has not asked that to happen," Smith said.

She said she thought that people who left written instructions to withhold medical treatment should have those wishes honored but that withholding water and nutrition from Terri Schiavo, who left no such written instructions, was tantamount to murder.

"At this point I would rather have a right-wing Christian decide my fate than an ACLU member," Smith said."

Thanks much FO, I agree with your comments. Yes, it is important to get Groups representing the disabled behind this. ELEANOR SMITH would be an excellent spokesperson. And the effort to get Justice for Terri should have several.

Groups like Feminists for Life, whose spoke's person is Patricia Heaton, ALSO spoke out on Terri's behalf. And there are others.

Thank you for the link.

I am hopeful that the Schindlers understand this as well.

So you will know, this group of agnostics was welcomed into the crowd with very little identification of anyone at all being of a particular group. We were all group. The ones referred to were more raucous, more attention-getting, but were welcomed with charity as well. We had great support from a wiccan as well.

There was no grouping as such except the pitiful few who supported Michael and Greer. I saw no separation of protesters and vigil-doers. It didn't happen. We were in unity.

This is what we were regardless of our own personal reasons. Mine was my faith. To break us down as either RALLIES and PROTESTS or Religious Right people is to not see what actually took place.

That is where the press was and that is where we made our points, all of them, extremely clear, and some even made it past the cutting room floor.

The disabled people I honor on my separate thread today are the ones who unlike the referenced who bared their sores for all to see, were quietly stating by their presence their concern. Their statement was eloquent.