T'wit, FReeper extraordinaire, has died.

self | August 5, 2007 | 8mmMauser

[8mmMauser]

A great FReeper and close friend passed. T’wit, also known as Timothy Wheeler passed on. In tribute, I would like to make this the August thread of Terri Dailies, the topic foremost in T’wit thoughts.

Tim was a man of great faith, a faith that grew stronger especially in recent months. As I type this, I still am not yet coherent, as I try to awaken and sip a good coffee brought to me recently by Tim. In his usual fashion, he probably figured I would appreciate a little care package and would appreciate the better quality than the usual fare we would fix.

But I do not want this thread to be maudlin, nor a reminiscing on anecdotes, rather a stab at what Tim would want.

T’wit was passionate about the beauty of nature, of good books, good music, and intellectual challenge, but mostly he was passionate about his love for our America, for Jim Robinson’s FreeRepublic, and for our fight for those in the plight of Terri Schiavo. For the latter, he sought justice and fervently hoped and prayed we on Terri’s List would carry on this battle against the evils of those who would control who lived and died.

In our many talks, he would sound like a poster boy for all the stated position of Jim Robinson.

His wife told me last evening the final thoughts he had. As can be expected, it was for us to continue our fight as we have done already. She hoped that rather than flowers or donations sent, that donations be directed at causes like that supporting Terri’s Legacy, the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation. In this way, we remember him and further his wishes. T’wit and I talked a lot about faith and I can reassure all, his faith in Our Lord was strong and growing stronger, a comfort to me that he carried it to the end.

My words come out with difficulty this morning, but should flow better later, although without the word play and banter we would sometimes engage, at least for now. T’wit would be upset if I quit the puns for long, though.

We will continue our prayers for T'wit and his wife and family.

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Liberal fantasies...I'm not quite sure I want to know.

I am not sure I would even want to know the PG-13 fantasies of the left, not even a cozy night with Dr. Kervorkian or the cuddly side of O.J. but this fantasy rerun hits me in the face regularly. They love to dream of us "social conservatives" or whatever, us who believe in good and God as failed. It would top the hottest dreams of a wild weekend romp with Paris Hilton and Cindy Sheehan.

So to keep this thought like a trophy of a serial killer, they cherish the thought that America loved the killing an innocent like Terri and the concept that anyone might try to save that life is, well, "evil".

I would post even more, but will have another cup of coffee instead. Here is a part of that fantasy:

Republicans have also whipped up a storm of opposition among middle-of-the-road voters on social issues. The religious right's opposition to abortion has always been an electoral liability: only 30% of voters favour overturning Roe v Wade. But in the past few years social conservatives tested people's patience still further over a federal marriage amendment and Terri Schiavo. Fully 72% of Republican voters opposed the Republicans' attempt to use the might of the federal government to keep the severely brain-damaged woman alive. The voters got their revenge in the 2006 mid-term elections—“bloody Tuesday” in the words of Troy Newman, the president of Operation Rescue, an anti-abortion group. Rick Santorum, once the religious right's most prominent champion in the Senate, barely scraped 41% of the vote in Pennsylvania. Ken Blackwell, social conservatism's most prominent black champion, went down to a humiliating defeat in the race for the Ohio governorship. Social conservatives lost ballot initiatives on everything from abortion to gay marriage.

The American right... Under the weather

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See what I mean with my post above? The Economist has a matching article, same pub, same issue, repeating their fantasy.

To be stuck in their fevered brains so deeply, Terri's Legacy must be one potent fright!

Yet this President Bush is not a good scapegoat. Rather than betraying the right, he has given it virtually everything it craved, from humongous tax cuts to conservative judges. Many of the worst errors were championed by conservative constituencies. Some of the arrogance in foreign policy stems from the armchair warriors of neoconservatism; the ill-fated attempt to “save” the life of the severely brain-damaged Terri Schiavo was driven by the Christian right. Even Mr Bush's apparently oxymoronic trust in “big-government conservatism” is shared in practice by most Republicans in Congress.

Is America turning left?

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[8mmMauser]

No brickbats with this one, but I didn't see the HBO. Anyone?

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

BRICK — The little things impress Tom Segars' loved ones the most.

Last weekend, he got up and made a pot of coffee.

"I know it sounds like something so small, but it's huge," said Lynda DeLorenzo, the woman Segars proposed to two months before he fell off the second-floor balcony of his Point Pleasant apartment.

Segars remained in a coma for five weeks, suffering with a traumatic brain injury.

For two years, since he awoke, Segars, now 34, has been working to rehabilitate himself, with De-Lorenzo, now 29, sticking faithfully by his side.

"She is the reason he has come back as far and as quickly as he has," said Segars' mother, Veronica Segars, 55, of Brick. "If there was ever a love story, this is it."

Their story, and the rest of Segars' first year of rehabilitation was captured in the HBO documentary called "Coma." The 101-minute program, directed by Academy Award-nominated Liz Garbus, follows four brain injury survivors during their critical first year of treatment at John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison.

Sheila Nevins, president of documentaries at HBO, asked Garbus to look into the phenomenon of coma, the director wrote in an e-mail to the Asbury Park Press.

"In the wake of the Terri Schiavo case, there was so much misinformation about the various disorders of consciousness, that we wanted to probe deeper into that world and show what it is really like," Garbus said.

Garbus said she thinks her documentary shows "the phenomenal commitment of family members to those with brain injury" and "the extraordinarily painstaking process by which these patients are rehabilitated . . . and how that can work well."

"We should only hope all brain injury patients in America were afforded such care," she added.

HBO'S "COMA" IS LIFE-AFFIRMING

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Here is the show schedule. (Wide Awake????? Nawww, couldn't be them.)

COMA

[8mmMauser]

Senator Brownback has a campaign event in Des Moines, Iowa this Saturday. Bobby Schindler is on the program.

* 12:15 pm - Pro-Life, Whole-Life program with Lou Engle (national evangelical leader), Bobby Schindler (brother of the late Terri Schiavo), Norma McCorvey (the "Roe" of Roe v. Wade), Luana Stoltenberg (Iowa pro-life activist) and Eduaro Verostegui (star of the hit movie Bella).

Sam Brownback: Brownback Straw Poll Schedule

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[8mmMauser]

Wagglebee has a thread on Dr. Death coming to FU.

Gainesville, FL (LifeNews.com) -- Assisted suicide crusader Jack Kevorkian is headed to the University of Florida for an October 11 speaking engagement -- which will have the college pay him $50,000. But the event isn't going over well with students there, who are upset that state taxpayer dollars will be used to pay the convicted murderer.

Ashley Emans, a junior at the university, wrote more about the speaking engagement in an editorial on Town Hall.

She said that the student-run speaker's bureau called ACCENT sent Kevorkian the speaking offer shortly after his released from prison, where he served eight years of a 10-25 year prison sentence for the murder of a disabled patient.

"Kevorkian's UF stop will probably be his first paid public speaking engagement since his June 1 release from prison," Emans says and "his $50,000 honorarium is subsidized by taxpayer dollars."

Jack Kevorkian Visit to University of Florida Upsetting to Students There

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[Sun]

No more Bushes in politics, please. They just aren’t strong enough fighters of the good fight, I’m sad to say.

[Sun]

Duncan Hunter and one of his sons (son’s FReeper name is “Duncan Hunter Ambassador”) are going to visit us for awhile on Monday, around lunchtime, Pacific time. Info here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1878883/posts

This is a good time for me to repost that Duncan Hunter was on Terri’s side, as was Sam Brownback, but Rudy McRomney were not (from the 1st debate):

“MR. MATTHEWS: Okay.

Let me ask you a question which has grabbed a lot of Americans personally, the Terri Schaivo case. Again, it was a question of whether the United States — the U.S. Congress should have intervened and passed a law to advise the appellate court whether to act or not in this case, the district court it was. Terri Schaivo, should Congress have acted or let the family make the decision, the husband?

MR. ROMNEY: I think we should generally let the family make a decision of this nature. In the case —

MR. MATTHEWS: The husband should have decided?

MR. ROMNEY: Generally we should make that decision.
In the case here, the courts decided that — what they thought was the right thing to do, and then I think Jeb Bush and the Florida legislature did the right thing by saying we’ve got a concern. They looked over the shoulder of the court. But I think the decision of Congress to get involved was a mistake.

MR. MATTHEWS: Okay.

MR. ROMNEY: I think that Congress’s job is to make sure that laws are respecting the sanctity of life. But to actually adjudicate a case like this, better done at the state level by the governor, the legislature and the court.
MR. MATTHEWS: Senator Brownback, should Congress have gotten involved in that personal case?

SEN. BROWNBACK: Yes, it should have, and it gave her the right and the family the right to take that appeal to the court. That’s what the Congress did.

And her life is sacred. Even if it’s in that difficult moment that she’s in at that point in time, that life is sacred. And we should stand for life in all its circumstances.

MR. MATTHEWS: Senator McCain, was Congress right in intervening in that case?

SEN. MCCAIN: It was a very, very difficult issue. All of us were deeply moved by the pictures and the depiction of this terrible, tragic case. In retrospect, we should have taken some more time, looked at it more carefully, and probably reacted to hastily.

MR. MATTHEWS: Mayor Giuliani, was that a good thing for Congress to do, to get involved that weekend?

MR. GIULIANI: The family was in dispute. That’s what we have courts for. And the better place to decide that in a much more — I think in a much fairer and even in a deeper way is in front of a court.

snip

“MR. MATTHEWS: Okay. Congressman, Bill Clinton back home.

REP. HUNTER: You know, Bill Clinton cut the U.S. Army by almost 50 percent. In this war against terror, he’s the wrong guy to have in there.
==>And incidentally, on the Schiavo case, you know Ronald Reagan said on the question of life, when there’s a question, error on the side of life. I think Congress did the right thing.”

http://www.iht.com/bin/print.php?id=5562636

You know, Duncan Hunter could have just ignored the question about Terri, because he wasn’t asked about it, but he proudly showed the country that he supported Congress decision to help Terri, even though he had to add it while answering an entirely different question.

Now THAT I like, because not all people supported Terri, either because of ignorance, or they are downright antilife, but Hunter didn’t care.”

[wagglebee]

Thanks for the link, I lit another one.

http://theresa-schindler.memory-of.com/Candles.aspx?c=1#NewCandleForm

[LilAngel]

Felos is deranged. Criminally insane. His delusional rantings about telepathic communication and crashing planes with his mind are creepy.

[Dante3]

Terri’s case was so horrific that it attracted support form select liberals - I do not know how many, but certainly a number of them. Yet Jeb Bush only wrong his hands, claiming falsely that there was nothing he could do.

[bjs1779]

Yet Jeb Bush only wrong his hands, claiming falsely that there was nothing he could do.

That episode almost reminds me of how brave the republicans were during the Clinton years, until they were informed of the information on them in the FBI files the Clinton's had. Jeb was brave just one day before saying that he was going to save her if you recall.

[Dante3]

IMHO, he never had any intention of saving her, had little interest in the case. At the time I kept wondering why he wasn’t acting quicker.

[bjs1779]

Felos is deranged. Criminally insane. His delusional rantings about telepathic communication and crashing planes with his mind are creepy.

I don't remember the Main Stream Media mentioning any of that. His insanity was published in his own book after all. Just goes to show you where the Main Steam Media priorities lie.

[bjs1779]

IMHO, he never had any intention of saving her, had little interest in the case. At the time I kept wondering why he wasn’t acting quicker.

I understand how you feel. Remember he sent in Dr. Cheshire to observe her on March 23rd I think. The next day Jeb held a news conference saying that there "was new evidence" in the case and that he was going to act, based on Cheshire's report. Something happened. That is what I want to know.

[8mmMauser]

What is going on???

Hailey and Haleigh, a new case!

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

A New Brighton mother, Marlene Medina, is charged with beating her 20-month-old daughter into a near-death state -- yet she still has the right to make life-or-death decisions about her daughter's medical care.

"Only a parent or guardian can consent to a 'do not resuscitate' order," said Sheila Stainback, a spokeswoman for the city Administration for Children's Services. "These parents' rights have not been suspended."

Hailey Gonzalez, the toddler whose lung collapsed and brain swelled after she was beaten on Tuesday, is not expected to survive her injuries. She's in critical condition in Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton.

~Snip~

It may seem inherently wrong for parents to hold sway over their children's lives after they have routinely imperiled them. But officials often struggle to strike a balance between honoring the bonds of family and ensuring a child's protection.

It would take a court decision for the city to assume ultimate authority over Hailey's medical care -- a scenario that's not without precedent.

A strikingly similar case in Massachusetts involved a ruling in that state's highest court last year that gave the Department of Social Services the authority to take a badly beaten 11-year-old victim off life support.

In that highly publicized case, Haleigh Poutre's doctors said the girl would never regain consciousness. Her adoptive mother, charged in the beating, died two weeks later in an apparent murder-suicide; the girl's stepfather, who also was charged, unsuccessfully fought the court's decision to end Haleigh's life.

Lawyers in the Poutre case raised the question of whether the state was acting to hasten the girl's death because of the high cost of life support, while opposing attorneys stressed that the stepfather had a vested interest in the ruling because he could face murder charges in the event of Haleigh's death. The DSS commissioner was fired after he was criticized for his handling of the case: Just after the court ruled for Haleigh's "right to die," her health suddenly improved. The girl, who did not fully recover, is now 13.

The Gonzalez case could give rise to a similar battle, one in which the guardians of the child, albeit responsible for her injuries, could need to fight for their right to keep her alive. The Administration for Children's Services and its commissioner, John B. Mattingly, also have come under fire since the city's Department of Investigation reported Thursday that 10 children had died as a result of bungled investigations since the end of 2005.

While citywide media reported yesterday that doctors were considering whether the decision to end Hailey's life support should fall to the ACS, law experts said that only a judge would make that determination.

Mom charged in beating of her tot retains life-and-death power

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I wish you could give us your insight...

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Coming up on the Straw Poll tomorrow...

The eight GOP presidential hopefuls in attendance will each have 15 minutes to deliver their straw poll addresses. At the conclusion of their 15-minute speech, the microphone will go dead.

The RPI announced the speaking order for the event in July. The order is Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, John Cox, Ron Paul, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, Tommy Thompson and Sam Brownback.

SATURDAY'S CAMPAIGN SCHEDULES

Read below for what each candidate has planned:

Sam Brownback: Famous Dave's will be catering for Brownback's tent, which will be air-conditioned and seat up to 600 people. The Kansas senator will also serve snow cones, cotton candy and popcorn. There will also be an intern dunk tank. Some dignitaries on site include: Chris "Zip" Rzeppa and Drew Mariani of Relevant Radio, national evangelical leader Lou Engle, Norma McCorvey ("Roe" in Roe v. Wade); Bobby Schindler the brother of Terri Schiavo, and Eduaro Verostegui of the movie "Bella."

~Snip~

Duncan Hunter: Elvis will be in the building, or at least in Hunter's tent. The California congressman is bringing in Ace Trie, who placed third in an international Elvis impersonation contest. Other entertainment includes a couple Iowa young ladies who will be playing fiddle. The Hunter camp is also serving corn on the cob, and will have a homemade ice wagon on hand to help cool off those who want to beat Saturday's heat. The congressman, who is a strong supporter of the right to bear arms, will hold a raffle to give away a Ruger shotgun.

Politically speaking

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From the, uhhhh, Washington Post...

Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback did not visit the fair Friday, going instead to the famed "Field of Dreams" before a scheduled rally at his headquarters in the evening. His campaign, which is counting on support from conservatives, did offer interviews with Bobby Schindler, the brother of the late Terri Schiavo, whose husband fought an extended battle to take her off life support.

A Fair Day for Politicking

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And from the Denver Post...

But it looks like U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback may have the most elaborate plans. His tent - fully air conditioned - holds up to 600 people and includes an intern dunk tank. Famous Dave's BBQ, snow cones, cotton candy and popcorn will be served. And at an event that turns out many religious conservatives, Brownback has snagged the Po-Life all-star team for his backers: evangelical leader Lou Engle, Bobby Schindler, the brother of the late Terri Schiavo, and Norma McCorvey, better known as "Roe" of Roe v. Wade.

Dispatches from the Iowa Straw Poll

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Another case...

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The cases differ in a crucial way: unlike Schiavo, Devlin signed a health care proxy during his health crisis. Nevertheless, debate persists about who should carry out his wishes, and how.

In his July 2004 proxy, Devlin, who was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, gave control of his medical treatment to his brother, Dan Devlin.

Ten months later, Al Devlin suffered severe brain damage during surgery to remove cancerous tissue. Soon after, his wife successfully sued for control of her husband's treatment.

Earlier this week, state Appellate Justice Salvatore Martoche denied Dan Devlin's appeal of that ruling. Devlin said he may next take his case to the state's highest court, the Court of Appeals, or to a federal court.

"If a judge is able to get away with this, a (proxy) is useless," he said.

:My bold:

Dan Devlin, 60, believes that a treatment might be found to help his 55-year-old brother regain consciousness. He is so adamant that he has vowed to pursue murder charges if life support is discontinued before every option is explored.

Life support decision divides Buffalo family

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