The Terri Schiavo Story

For complete information on the Terri Schaivo case, visit
http://www.terrisfight.org/

President Bush signed a bill into law in the wee hours of the morning today enabling the federal courts to review the case of Terri Schiavo. She had her feeding tube -- her only means of nutrition and hydration -- removed under court order three days ago through the efforts of her husband, who says he is only trying to honor her wishes not to be kept alive in such a condition.

There has been great debate over the survival of Terri Schiavo. Twice before she has had her sustenance withheld, only to be reinserted under orders from the Florida courts and Florida Governor Jeb Bush (the President's brother). This time the Florida courts have refused to hear the case further, thrusting it into the highest offices in the land.

Both Houses of Congress have interrupted a two week Easter break and returned to Washington to consider special legislation. President Bush returned from his ranch in Crawford, Texas, to be on hand to immediately sign into law any legislation that might make it through the House and the Senate.

The case of Terri Schiavo raises many questions:

• Should a person in a "persistent vegetative state" be kept alive by artificial means when there is little to no hope of recovery?
• Should a person have the right (and responsibility) to decide when to remove such "artificial" support and allow his/her spouse to die?
• Should the courts become involved and assume responsibility by ordering the removal of such support?
• Should Doctors stand up to their sworn Hippocratic oath to "first, do no harm" and fight for the survival of their patient?
• When all else fails -- as is the case with Terri Schiavo -- should Congress and the President take action to allow the federal courts to become involved?
• And how, now, should the federal courts respond?
  

There are as many answers to those questions as there are American citizens. Some, including our President, argue that we should defend life at all costs. Others argue that Terri Schiavocruel and inhumane. Still others argue that this is a highly personal situation and the Legislative and Executive branches should not be involved.

Life is precious and should not be quickly written off. Who among us is truly qualified to say that Terri Schiavo will never recover? Who can know if she's suffering pain or has an opinion on the matter? Who can confirm if her husband's claims of her wishes are truly correct? On all counts: no one.

But I think every one of us can reasonably make the judgment that starving to death would be extremely painful and that death is irreversible. If we're willing to fight for democracy in foreign lands, should we not first fight for the basic right to life here at home? If there is any chance of making the wrong decision, wouldn't it be best to err on the side of caution? Once Terri Schiavo is gone, she's gone forever. That doesn't sound very cautious to me.

And what of the involvement of Congress and the President? Our government was designed with a system of checks and balances for the purpose of preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful. When a small group of judges starts dictating who should live and who should die, I believe it is the constitutional duty of our Congress and our President to work together in the name of decency. That's democracy in action!<> should not be made to suffer any longer. Some argue that allowing her to starve to death is
I say, "Bravo!" to the President and those members of Congress who stood together in defense of reason; in defense of life; in defense of one woman who currently cannot defend herself.

Drop me a note.

Joe

UPDATE:

Since writing this, it has come to my attention that Terri Schiavo has been in her current condition for 15 years. During that time, her husband has been living with another woman for 10 years, fathered two children with this other woman, denied Terri the right to even the most basic dental care resulting in the required extraction of five teeth, refused to allow Terri to leave her hospice room or for others to visit her, and even insisted that the blinds on the windows to her room remain shut at all times!

Does this sound like someone who is just trying to respect his wife's wishes? I think it sounds like someone who is trying to eliminate his wife so he can be free to marry his lover.

What do you think?

Drop me a note.

Joe

UPDATE:

The Federal Judge in Tampa, Florida, has stated that he will not make an immediate ruling in the Terri Schiavo case in response to the bill President Bush signed into law today. Terri Schiavo, for now, remains on a starvation diet. The Judge did not indicate when he would rule. I guess he thinks the President's opinion is meaningless.

What do you think?

Drop me a note.

Joe

UPDATE:
03.22.2005

The Federal Judge in Tampa, Florida, has refused to rule that Terri Schiavo's feeding tube be reinserted, stating that her parents had failed to establish a "substantial likelihood of success." The family is expected to appeal the case to the Federal Appeals Court in Atlanta, Georgia. Meanwhile, Terri Schiavo remains on a starvation diet.

What do you think?

Drop me a note.

Joe

UPDATE:
03.23.2005

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has refused to rule to reinstate Terri Schiavo's feeding tube, stating that lawyers for her parents failed to prove that the case had been mishandled in the lower courts. The next step for those fighting to keep Terri alive is to appeal to the United States Supreme Court, should they even choose to hear the case. There is understandable concern that the Supreme Court will not be able to act quickly enough to save Terri's life.

Why are the courts so quick to side with Terri's unfaithful husband in condemning her to death when everyone else -- from Terri's parents to Florida Governor Jeb Bush; from a majority of the Senate and House of Representatives to the President of the United States -- so strongly feel that Terri should be allowed to live? Some have said that our elected officials have only one motivation for their involvement: politics. Whether motivated by politics or conscience, what harm can that really cause if it saves the life of an American? And what motivation can Michael Schiavo really have for seeing his wife die? What is he to gain? Certainly among his gain would be the freedom to finally marry the woman he's been living with for 10 years. I wouldn't be surprised if that's his strongest -- if not only -- motivation. I say, give him what he wants: emancipate him from his wife and from any responsibility for her. And give Terri's parents what they want: let their daughter live until God takes her.

What do you think?

Drop me a note.

Joe

UPDATE:

The Florida Senate today voted against a bill that would ban patients like Terri Schiavo from being denied food and water if they hadn't specifically requested such in writing (i.e. Living Will). The passing of such a bill into law would have made it illegal to continue withholding food and water from Terri Schiavo. Is everyone out to get her? Why don't they just call in Doctor Kevorkian?

Florida Governor Jeb Bush announced today that a neurologist reviewing Terri Schiavo in response to allegations of abuse and neglect has determined that she may have been misdiagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state and is actually in a "minimally conscious state." Governor Bush has asked a state court to allow him to put Terri Schiavo into protective custody. Terri's parents plan to continue pursuit of their appeal to the United States Supreme Court.

What are your thoughts?

Drop me a note.

Joe

UPDATE:
03.24.2005

The United States Supreme Court turned down the motion by Terri Schiavo's parents Thursday to reinsert her feeding tube. In addition, Florida Governor Jeb Bush's request to place Terri in protective custody was denied by a Florida state court.

Joe

UPDATE:
03.26.2005

The parents of Terri Schiavo have now lost nearly 30 legal opinions in both federal and state courts. After their last legal defeat, the family's spiritual adviser has said that they want supporters outside their daughter's hospice to go home. They no longer plan to grant any interviews to the media. Doctors do not expect Terri Schiavo to live beyond next Friday.

Joe

UPDATE:
03.30.2005

Once again, only fifteen hours after announcing that they would allow the parents of Terri Schiavo to file for a new hearing to consider reinserting Terri 's feeding tube, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has refused to rehear the case with the full panel of twelve members. This on the tail of Jesse Jackson meeting with the Schindlers and urging (unsuccessfully) Florida legislators to open a new vote on a bill that would make it illegal to deprive a patient in Terri's condition of food and water.

Terri Schiavo has been without food and water for twelve days, and according to medical professionals will probably die any day. What would possess the courts to pour more salt on the wound by allowing the Schindlers to apply for a new hearing only to quickly dismiss it out of hand? Have they no compassion for the pain and suffering they feel watching their daughter slowly die?

Enough is enough! As wrong as it is for the courts to order Terri's death by starvation, to continually raise the hopes of the family only to dash them against the rocks is utterly inexcusable!

Joe

CBS News reports that Terri Schiavo has started to have rapid breathing, a sign of deterioration. She is near kidney failure. Some experts say that if Terri's feeding tube were reinserted now, it would do more harm than good because her body would not be able to absorb the nutrients. Reinserting the tube at this point is just as likely to hasten Terri's death as it is to prolong her life by hours or days (at most).

Please keep Terri Schiavo and her family in your thoughts and prayers.