Terri's Day challenges the nation to unify

Terri's Day — A Celebration of the Culture of Life honoring Terri Schiavo with a day of remembrance challenges each and every one of us to stop for a moment and ask ourselves a question, do we respect ourselves, our families, our lives?

And if we are faced with the question of the possible certainty of death, does anyone truly know, or even have the faintest clue about, our wishes? That is the greatest good, the greatest legacy that Terri Schiavo's death and an annual "Terri's Day" can bring to our lives and to the celebration of the Culture of Life.

On March 18th, we as a nation will begin to grieve again, to reach into our hearts and feel with our collective national spirit what the Schindler family felt last year at this time as each moment since Terri was disconnected from the feeding lifeline, the moments crept by like hours and hours like days.

All of us have felt in some way that pain — even if it were only in the privacy of our loved one's home, hospital room, hospice or perhaps talking with an attorney and doctor attempting to make sense out of some fleeting comments made in a conversation perhaps voiced ten, twelve or even two decades earlier — not necessarily an expression of her true feeling about an end-of-life decision but merely an incidental musing in a long-forgotten side conversation.

For at least one million Americans, and quite possibly a whole lot more, this is an opportunity to voice an opinion through a pledge supporting a resolution in each state called "Terri's Day — A Celebration of the Culture of Life." Each and every person who cares that your family, your spouse, your mother, your father, your sister or brother understands with clarity what you wish the end of life for you to be, with dignity and certainty should sign the online pledge at www.kevinfobbs.com and take the additional step to sign a Living Will — or as they call it at www.terrisfight.org, the Will to Live.

Some have asked why Americans should care about an annual Terri's Day. It is quite simple, we tend to keep turning the page on the Culture of Life because we feel it does not affect us. We tend to believe that seemingly universal belief that those who are handicapped, those who are not quite living a "perfect" life or by contemporary notion "ideal" then those lives are possibly disposable, marginal, not relevant, and part of the Culture of Death which embraces a "disposable society."

But life and our values for the Culture of Life are not disposable. Think about the young people today who would rather hurt themselves or even take their own lives rather than feel "imperfect" or the elderly person whose family is told by an insensitive health care professional while the stricken person struggles to cling to life, "she would be better off in another place," — just let her die, disconnect her from life, because her quality of life is not up to "contemporary standards. "

Why does celebrating the Culture of Life in Michigan become so essential for all of us in America? It is important for several reasons. Dr. Jack Kervorkian, also known as "Doctor Death" helped launch first in Michigan and then the nation the notion of the death culture. Secondly, and equally as important, at the May 12 event — just two days before Mother's Day — there will also be a "Mary's Moms" celebration of those women and mothers who have met challenges in standing up for some aspect of the Culture of Life.

This past weekend I sat at my cousin's funeral — or going home celebration, which more accurately describes it — thinking about the dearly departed and how she packed so much caring for others into her life even as she struggled with illness and advancing age. She was a wonderful woman who had lived through many, many challenges in her life, but in her 73 years she had met these challenges with dignity and had conveyed to her family when would be the right time to allow her to pass away.

Her daughter, who is a minister, spoke to the packed church about the times when, with all of her pain and then a stroke, the doctors had informed them that perhaps it was better to let her go. Yet that was three years ago that that occurred, and if the family had listened to the doctors and refused to see how she fought back and not only recovered but went back to volunteering at the church to feed and clothe the homeless. The medical professionals didn't care about an elderly lady who was on dialysis, but the family did and they knew better. Patricia lived three more years — years her extensive extended family considered "a gift from God."

So isn't part of the lesson of Terri's legacy and Terri's Day for families and loved ones to have a meaningful conversation with their family and to have the written document on hand as well that conveys the wishes clearly and concisely? You betcha.

As I sat in the church I thought of all of the families across the nation and the world who were sitting at their loved one's bedsides — or even standing outside of a hospital emergency room — overwhelmed with emotion, torn by what may be days of conflicting anguished decisions. I thought again of how out of death we may have the certainty of life. Terri's death reminded the nation that yes a state can and will starve you to death, and your family may be rendered helpless as you watch your loved one's precious life forces drain slowly away.

By signing the online pledge at www.kevinfobbs.com or going to www.terrisfight.org, you can learn about how to encourage your state legislature to establish March 31st as an official Terri's Day. Hold a Culture of Life Home Party or meet-and-greet to sign pledges, share ideas and support The Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation as well as Culture of Life activities and events in your community or around the nation. Between now and March 31st you can make a dramatic difference for yourself, your family and for the nation. Stand up for the Culture of Life because one person, one life, one family can and does make a difference in America. Make the difference and be the difference today. America...The countdown for the Culture of Life has begun.

Kevin Fobbs is President of National Urban Policy Action Council (NuPac), a non-partisan civic and citizen-action organization that focuses on taking the politics out of policy to secure urban America's future one neighborhood, one city, and one person at a time. View NuPac on the web at www.nupac.info. Kevin Fobbs is a regular contributing columnist for the Detroit News. He is also the daily host of The Kevin Fobbs Show on News Talk WDTK - 1400 AM in Detroit. Listen to The Kevin Fobbs Show online at www.wdtkam.com daily 2-3 p.m., and call in toll-free nationwide to make your opinion count at 800-923-WDTK(9385) © Copyright 2006 by Kevin Fobbs http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/fobbs/060313

Baby Daniel's Fight update...

LifeNews has now picked up on the story of Baby Daniel. News has been sketchy but maybe the whole story will emerge.

......................

Dallas, TX (LifeNews.com) -- A Texas mother and her baby are the latest victims in an ongoing battle against a Texas law that allows medical facilities to tell the family of a patient that they have 10 days to find another medical center willing to treat the patient because their doctors think the case is hopeless.

That's what happened to two other families that were the focus of LifeNews.com reports and it's now happened to Dixie Belcher.

Doctors at Children's Medical Center Dallas say Belcher's son Daniel's case is "futile."

Daniel is nearly brain dead, can't breathe without a ventilator and can't eat without a feeding tube. The center's ethics board has ruled that continuing to care for Daniel is inappropriate and they're ready to take his life by removing him from life support.

But, Belcher tells the Dallas Morning News that she's not ready to give up on her 10-month old son.

"Something deep down inside is telling me not to unplug my [baby]," Belcher said. "I know it's going to take him quite a while to pull out of this, but I know he's my little fighter, and he's got to pull through. He's got to pull through."

Doctors say Daniel is showing no response to external stimuli but Belcher said she's asked her son to open his eyes and he opens them as wide as he can.

Belcher said the decision to take Daniel's life doesn't set well with her because she's been in the same situation before.

Texas Mother Fights Hospital's Attempt to Take Her Baby Off Life Support

8mm

(this includes Ohioan from Florida's ping list, update to May 17.)
Terri on the road to recovery before the second stage began.

Stunning...wish I would have been there.

.................

To all interested parties,

I want to share with you an awesome experience I recently had in the
Colorado House of Representatives. It is a humbling experience to look
back and realize that God used me to play a role in His divine
orchestration.

As I was leaving the House chambers for the weekend when our Democrat
Speaker of the House mentioned that the coming Monday would be the final
day of this year's General Assembly. He went on to state that there were
still numerous resolutions on the calendar which we would need to be
addressed prior to the summer adjournment. Interestingly, he specifically
mentioned that one of the resolutions we would be hearing was being
carried by the House Majority Leader Alice Madden, honoring the 90th
anniversary of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.

As a strong pro-life legislator I was disgusted by the idea that we would
pass a resolution honoring this 90 year legacy of genocide. I drove home
that night wondering what I could say that might pierce the darkness
during the debate on this heinous resolution.

On Saturday morning I took my eight-year-old son up to the mountains to
go white water rafting. The trip lasted all day. As we were driving home,
exhausted and hungry, I remembered that I had accepted an invitation to
attend a fundraising dinner that night for a local pro-life organization.
One of my most respected mentors had personally called me several weeks
earlier and asked me to attend, so I knew I'd have to clean up and head
over.

After our meal, the executive director of the organization introduced the
keynote speaker. I looked up and saw walking to the stage a handicapped
young lady being assisted to the microphone by a young man holding a
guitar.

Her name was Gianna Jessen.

Gianna said "Hello," welcomed everyone, and then sang three of the most
beautiful Christian songs that I have ever heard.

She then began to give her testimony. When her biological mother was 17
years old and 7 ½ months pregnant she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic
to have an abortion. As God would have it, the abortion failed and a
beautiful two-pound baby girl was brought into the world. Unfortunately,
she was born with cerebral palsy and the doctors thought that she would
never survive. The doctors were wrong.

Imagine the timing! A survivor of a Planned Parenthood abortion arrived
in town just days before the Colorado House of Representatives was to
celebrate Planned Parenthood's "wonderful" work.
As I listened to Gianna's amazing testimony the Lord inspired me to ask
her if she could stay in Denver until Monday morning so that I could
introduce her on the floor of the House and tell her story. Perhaps she
could even begin the final day's session by singing our country's
national anthem!

To my surprise she said she would seriously consider it. If she were to
agree, she wanted her accompanying guitar player to stay as well. A lady
standing in line behind me waiting to meet Gianna overheard our
conversation and said that she would be willing to pay for the
guitarist's room. Gianna then said that she would think about it.
As I was driving home from the banquet my cell phone rang. It was Gianna
and she immediately said, "I'm in, let's ruin this celebration." Praise
God!

When Monday morning came, I awoke at 6:00 to write my speech before
heading to the Capitol. As I wrote down the words I could sense God's
help and I knew that this was going to be a powerful moment for the
pro-life movement.

Following a committee hearing, I rushed into the House Chambers just as
the opening morning prayer was about to be given. Between the prayer and
the pledge of allegiance I wrote a quick note to the Speaker of the House
explaining that Gianna is an advocate for cerebral palsy. I took the note
to the Speaker and asked if I could have my friend open the last day of
session by singing the national anthem. Without any hesitation the
Speaker took the microphone and said, "Before we begin, Representative
Harvey has made available for us Gianna Jessen to sing the National
Anthem."

Gianna sang the most amazing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner that
you could possibly imagine. Every person in the entire chamber was
completely still, quiet, and in awe of this frail young lady's voice.
Due to her cerebral palsy, Gianna often loses her balance, and shortly
after starting to sing she grabbed my arm to stabilize herself, and I
could tell that she was shaking. Suddenly, midway through the song, she
forgot the words and began to hum and said, "Please forgive me I am so
nervous." She then immediately began singing again and every House member
and every guest throughout the chambers began to sing along with her to
give her encouragement and lift her up.
As I looked around the huge hall I listened to the unbelievable melody of
Gianna's voice being accompanied by a choir of over 100 voices. I had
chills running all over my body and I knew that I had just witnessed an
act of God.

As the song concluded the Speaker of the House explained that Gianna has
cerebral palsy and is an activist to bring awareness to the disease. "Let
us give her a hand not only for her performance today but also for her
advocacy work," he said. The chamber immediately exploded into
applause.she had them all in the palm of her hand.
The Speaker then called the House to order and we proceeded as usual to
allow members to make any announcements or introductions of guests. For
dramatic effect, I waited until I was the last person remaining before I
introduced Gianna.

As I waited for my turn, I nervously paced back and forth praying to God
that he would give me the peace, confidence and the courage necessary to
pull off what I knew would be one of the most dramatic and controversial
moments of my political career.

While I waited, a prominent reporter from one of the major Denver
newspapers walked over to Gianna and told her that her rendition captured
the spirit of the national anthem more powerfully than any she had ever
heard before.

Finally, I was the last person remaining, so I proceeded to the
microphone and began my speech:

"Members, I would like to introduce you to a new friend and hero of
mine-- her name is Gianna Jessen. She is visiting us today from
Nashville, Tennessee where she is an accomplished recording artist.
She has cerebral palsy and was raised in foster homes before being
adopted at the age of four.

She was born prematurely and weighed only two pounds at birth. She
remained in the hospital for almost three months. A doctor once said she
had a great will to live and that she fought for her life. Eventually she
was able to leave the hospital and be placed in foster care.
Because of her cerebral palsy her foster mother was told that it was
doubtful that she would ever crawl or walk. She could not sit up
independently. Through the prayers and dedication of her foster mother,
she eventually learned to sit up, crawl, then stand. Shortly before her
fourth birthday she began to walk with leg braces and a walker.
She continued in physical therapy and after a total of four surgeries,
she was able to walk without assistance.

She still falls sometimes, but she says she has learned how to fall
gracefully after falling for 29 years.
Two years ago she walked into a local health club and said she wanted a
private trainer. At the time her legs could not lift 30 pounds. Today she
can leg press 200 pounds.
She became so physically fit that she began running marathons to raise
money and awareness for cerebral palsy. She just returned last week from
England where she ran in the London Marathon. It took her over 8 ½ hrs to
complete. They were taking down the course by the time she made it to the
finish line. But she made it none the less. With bloody feet and aching
joints she finished the race.

Members would you help me recognize a modern day hero.Gianna Jessen?
At this point the chamber exploded into applause which lasted for 15 to
20 seconds.Gianna had touched their souls.
Ironically, Alice Madden the Majority Leader and sponsor of the Planned
Parenthood Resolution walked over to Gianna and gave her a hug.
As the applause began to die down I raised my hand to be recognized one
more time.

"Mr. Speaker, members, if you would allow me just a few more moments I
would appreciate your time.

My name is Ted Harvey not Paul Harvey but please let me tell you the rest
of the story.

The cause of Gianna's cerebral palsy is not because of some biological
freak of nature, but rather the choice of her mother.
You see when her biological mother was 17 years old and 7 ½ months
pregnant she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to seek a late term
abortion. The abortionist performed a saline abortion on this 17-year-old
girl. This procedure requires the injection of a high concentration of
saline into the mother's womb which the fetus is then bathed in and
swallows which results in the fetus being burned to death, inside and
out. Within 24 hrs the results are normally an induced still-born
abortion.

As Gianna can testify the procedure is not always 100% effective. Gianna
is an aborted late term fetus that was born alive. The high concentration
of saline in the womb for 24 hrs resulted in a lack of oxygen to her
brain and is the cause of her cerebral palsy.
Members, today we are going to recognize the 90th anniversary of Rocky
Mountain Planned Parenthood,"

BANG! The gavel came down.

Just as I was finishing the last sentence of my speech.The climax of the
morning.The Speaker of the House gaveled me down and said,
"Representative Harvey, I will allow you to continue your introduction
but not for the purposes of debating a measure now pending before the
House."

At which point I said,

"Mr. Speaker I understand, I just wanted to put a face to what we are
celebrating today".

Silence.Deafening silence.

I then walked back to my chair shaking like a leaf. The Democrats
wouldn't look at me.they were fuming. It was beautiful. I have been in
the legislature for five tough years and this made it all worthwhile.
The House Majority Leader wouldn't talk to me the rest of the day.
Was it because I introduced an abortion survivor, or was it because we
touched her soul? She could hug an inspirational cerebral palsy victim
and advocate, but was outraged when she discovered that the person she
hugged was also an abortion survivor.

The headline in the Denver Post the next day read Abortion Jab Earns
Rebuke. The Majority Leader is quoted as saying "I think it was amazingly
rude to use a human being as an example of his personal politics,"
Yes Representative Madden, Gianna Jessen is a human being. She was when
she was in her mother's womb and she was when she sang the National
Anthem on the Floor of the Colorado House of Representatives.
The paper went on to quote Gianna Jessen, stating she was glad Harvey
told her story.

"We need to discuss the humanity of it. I'm glad to be able to speak up
for children in the womb," she said. "If abortion is about women's
rights, where were my rights?"

Leslie Hanks, one of the matriarchs of the pro-life movement in Colorado,
was in the House Chamber that morning and told me that it was the single
greatest moment she had witnessed in the State Legislature in the 20
years that she'd been lobbying in the Capitol.

All I can say is, "Glory to God!" He orchestrated it all, every minute of
it, and I was so honored to have been chosen to play a part. May we all
continue to be filled with and to fight for the passion of our Lord Jesus
Christ!

In His service,
Ted Harvey
Assistant Minority Leader
Colorado House of Representatives

Isn't Crist's tv ad spooky? What a self centered ego maniac. Meanwhile, TOM GALLAGHER'S TEACHING COALITION ANNOUNCEMENT (I omitted the long list of names of teachers at the bottom of the announce)

GALLAGHER ANNOUNCES OVER 100 STATEWIDE

“TEACHERS FOR TOM” LEADERS

TALLAHASSEE – Tom Gallagher, Florida Chief Financial Officer and candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor, today announced a statewide coalition of teachers, administrators and home-schoolers who have agreed to serve on his “Teachers for Tom” statewide leadership team.

“Jeb Bush turned Florida’s schools around and delivered historic education reforms because his leadership was based on principles, not public opinion polls or pundits,” said CFO Gallagher. “I fought alongside Governor Bush for better schools, better pay for our teachers, and better results for our students, and I’ll continue fighting to re-invent Florida’s high schools for success as Governor.”

Added Gallagher, “I want to make sure our high schools are preparing our kids for college, for jobs and for life as successful Florida citizens.”

Tom Gallagher is the only candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor who has announced a comprehensive education plan, and the only candidate who has demonstrated a commitment to Governor Bush’s education reforms, including expanding opportunity scholarships, modifying the class-size amendment to give districts greater flexibility, and increasing teacher pay.

Gallagher’s substantive campaign approach has also won him high praise from conservative standard-bearer Governor Jeb Bush. Last week Governor Bush applauded Tom Gallagher’s Reaching Higher education plan, "I read his proposal. I thought it was first rate, the policy paper," Bush said after reading the plan. "I was very impressed."

“Tom Gallagher has shown a long term commitment to create a world class education for Florida’s parents and children, said Representative Jon Stargel. “He is uniquely qualified to maintain Governor Jeb Bush’s education reforms.”

Tom Gallagher has a strong record of advocacy on behalf of Florida’s teachers, students, and parents. As a State Representative, Cabinet member, and Education Commissioner, Gallagher consistently supported teacher-competency testing, merit pay for teachers, and higher standards for student graduation. As Education Commissioner from 1999-2001, Tom Gallagher implemented Governor Bush’s A+ Plan for Education.

Since announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Governor Tom Gallagher has traveled through all 67 counties of Florida, and held 156 “Talk with Tom” town hall-style events to have a two-way conversation with Florida voters. Gallagher has announced five major policy proposals dealing with Family, Public Safety, Tort Reform, Economy and Education. His clear and conservative policy proposals to expand and improve upon the achievements of Jeb Bush have won him the endorsement of Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Congressman Dave Weldon, M.D., former Republican Governor Bob Martinez, the three immediate past-chairs of the Republican Party of Florida Al Cardenas, Tom Slade, and Van Poole, 25 Republican legislators, 436 conservative community leaders, and more than 2250 grassroots volunteer leaders.

FV says: It's no secret that I'm no fan of Jeb Bush but I am supporting Tom Gallagher for Guv of Florida. I am posting this to show the team that Tom Gallagher has assembled, not to promote Jebbie. (by the way, Charlie Crist split with Jeb Bush and that's really serious because Crist's campaign mgr is a Sembler and they are very powerful friends of J. Greer and the Bush family.) I wonder if Jeb is realizing that he should have saved Terri???

For Crist and Jeb to have a split with Crist doing the splitting says that something's up imo. The Semblers are pulling Crist's puppet strings I guess and telling Crist to distance himself from Jeb.

That's rich.

I have some other developments that I can't post because they are too sensational. All I can say is everyone stay tuned to the Terri Dailies Threads because something big is up. FV

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