Current Events: October 2003 Archives

Mark Shea highlights some of the current articles who state is was "unconstitutional" for the Governor, or anyone to intervene in allowing Terri to starve to death. OK, no matter what you think about the immoral "Right to Die" stance, in my opinion, it is stupid that anyone should starve to death in American today. It is despicable to force someone to starve to death. Even if it were Terri's last wish (yeah right) like her husband claimed to "die with dignity", the law has a right to jump in and say "well, tough cookies, people are not put to death from starvation on this country."

What kind of society are we coming to where this can be justified?

OK, I have to find something lighthearted and meaningless to blog about. I am disgusted about the attitude I am reading and am even reading Catholics who support this. My gag reflex needs to calm down.

Maybe he could resign as guardian, Terri's parents take up the guardianship, they get Terri into rehab, and then sue him for the rehab money that got spent on lawyers. How delicious!

With a spoon!

I got this in the from of an email from a list I am on, and I cannot speak for the veracity of a forwarded email, I am sure extra prayers never hurt.

Lord have mercy...
Please protect Terri.
St. Michael the Archangel protect us in battle...

While many have heard that Terri Schiavo's feeding tube has been re-inserted, her life is in eminent danger. Michael Schiavo is still her legal guardian. The would-be murderer is responsible for guarding his own victim! In addition when Terri was moved from hospice, he immediately blocked visitation rights at the hospital for her parents, siblings and family priest - the only source of Terri's comfort, love and joy. An emergency motion ordered visitation restored for the family but it was not received in the attorney's offices until 5:15PM today. By the time the family was able to get down to the hospital, her husband had removed her from the hospital and taken to an "undisclosed location" - we are told perhaps back to hospice.

In any case, the family has not been informed - they do not know her medical condition or whether the feeding tube has been reinstated or not. An IV was inserted at approximately 9:30 last night. This is a woman starved for 7 days with no food or water yet Michael has the audacity to remove her from the hospital care!

It is an outrage that Michael Schiavo and his attorney feel they can spit in the face of the governor, the Fl House and Senate - and trample Terri's rights with absolutely no regard for her health, happines or wishes.

Complaints have been filed through the Department of Health and Human Services yet nothing is being done to protect Terri from physical harm or to assure her rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Please take a moment and file your complaint with the Office of Civil Rights. Click here for the form: Discrimination Complaint Form or go to: http://hhs.gov/ocr/discrimhowtofile.html
You can also file your complaint by email at OCRcomplaint@hhs.gov or call the District Office in Atlanta: Roosevelt Freeman, 404 562-7886. Tell them to immediately act and remove her care/custody from Michael.

In addition, please contact your US Congressman and ask him to investigate why the Department of Justice is not protecting Terri's civil rights as a disabled American and further request that the Department of Health and Human Services Civil Rights Office act at once to protect her.

Go to our website to read the formal letters of complaint filed by Children of God for Life, the family and medical personnel through Delegate Robert Marshall with Attorney General Ashcroft, the House Judiciary Committee and President Bush, asking for immediate federal intervention. You should read the facts to help explain the problem to your Congressmen. www.cogforlife.org/schiavo.htm

We will keep the site updated daily with new developments until Terri is safe and her rights guaranteed by the US Constitution and the State of Florida are upheld!
God bless,
Debi Vinnedge, Executive Director
Children of God for LIfe

Pete Vere has better details.... This seriously just keeps getting weirder and weirder.

... between the ages of 18 and 62 who is not legally disabled will have to meet the new regulations. People enrolled in college or job-training programs would be exempt...

Jacqueline Gonzalez, who lives in Troy's Griswold Heights apartments, said she won't leave her 8-month-old to perform community service. The mother of three said she won't leave a child with a baby sitter until he or she is old enough to tell her if anything bad happens in her absence.

"If I had a baby sitter, I'd be out there working," she said. "My whole family is in New York City. ... I am not going unless they are ready to provide child care for my kids."...

[more...]

So what does Pansy Moss think?

It is dumb to make residents put children in daycare or with a sitter to do things for example, volunteer at a hospital. I mean, if the idea is to "pay" for public housing, well, much public housing is substandard to begin with. Volunteer/community service should be done in the neighborhood and the complex. Perhaps repairs, gardens, something that will directly benefit the residents and not leave mothers looking for baby sitters. This will do more to help "pay" for the cost of living in their residence, in my opinion.

One of the things I cannot stand about the ghetto is what makes the ghetto a ghetto is not the economic level of the people, but the lack of pride in themselves and their surroundings. One does not have to be economically upper class to have class (nor does having money automatically mean someone carries themselves with class either). While economics is clearly a factor, there are many people who earn small incomes who sweep their walkways, clean up there areas, bathe their children and recycle their cans. I often wish people realised they are worth more regardless of where they live or how much they make.

One thing I also have no understanding about when it comes to issues such as these is many of these public housing residents are single Moms and their children. To those of us enlightened pro-lifers, it is no secret that Planned Parenthood targets lower income minority communities, yet the results of contraception and abortion campaigns are usually single parent homes. On the, average, single parent families earn a lot less income than traditional families making it necessary to use social services. After many programs such a PP encourage single families, these families are punished for trying to survive. This makes no sense to me, but what do I know?

Details here, at Thrown Back.

PRESS RELEASE

Special Session Called in State Legislature
Speaker of the House, Johnnie Byrd to introduce “Terri’s Bill”

Clearwater, FL October 19, 2003: The Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, has called a special session of the Florida Legislature for Monday, October 20, 2003. At that time, Florida’s Speaker of the House will introduce “Terri’s Bill”. By Florida law, two thirds majority vote are required to have a topic entered.

Volunteers with the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation have learned that Senate President, Jim King is against this bill.

The Bill would put an immediate moratorium on all dehydration and starvation deaths currently pending in Florida.

We have come to a time when the merchants of death have created a constitutional crisis and a justice gridlock, while the rightful life of Florida’s disabled and vulnerable citizens tragically hang on Terri Schindler-Schiavo’s court ordered dehydration and starvation death.

Thanks to Amy's Journal for the head's up.

Five different lawyers and legal entities have submitted suggestions to Governor Jeb Bush on actions he can take to save Terri Schiavo.

Read more here.

May I add a few more? such as impeaching Judge Greer? calling out the National Guard? How about charging Michael Schiavo with contempt of court for spending the rehab money on lawyers? Investigating the hospice for fraud?

Thanks to the Mighty Barrister and JS Kern, commenting at Apologia, for the links.

I was up feeling ill last night thinking about how horrible it must be for poor Terri right now. It takes 7-10 days to starve to death. I was up anyway giving Gorbulas nebulizer treatments because he has a cold and is quite wheezy. But this was on the forefront my mind. I still do not understand any of this. Where is the feminist movement to back up a woman being mistreated by her husband and our current institutions?

When I went to sleep, I dreamt that I met up with Peony, and we did this covert operation thing and rescued Terri. (Peony was wearing a long black trench coat in my dream.) I hope our prayer efforts are more effective.

From the Terri's Fight mailing list:

Terri Schindler-Schiavo, age 39, will have her feeding tube removed at 2PM on Wednesday, October 15, unless Governor Jeb Bush is persuaded to intervene.

On Monday, October 13, at 12 noon, Terri’s family and friends will begin a 24-hour-a-day vigil outside the Woodside Hospice where Terri lives. Hospice Woodside is located at 6774 102nd Avenue N. (near 66th Street N and 102nd Avenue N) in Pinellas Park, Florida. The vigil will continue until Terri is rescued by Governor Bush, or killed.

Terri’s family asks that you please come to the vigil as we call on Governor Jeb Bush to save her life. Your presence is welcome for any length of time, day or night.

-------------------------------------------

October 13, 2003 Statement from the parents of Terri Schindler-Schiavo--Bob & Mary Schindler:

We love our daughter very much and we want her home. Over the last 13 years, Terri has laughed with us, cried with us, talked with us, and even tried to get out of her chair. The accusations that Terri is in a coma or is a "vegetable" are a lie.

We beg Michael Schiavo, and those working with him to end our daughter’s life, to let her come home to her family. We will sign any agreement you want, giving you all monies related to Terri’s collapse and any insurance money that may be forthcoming. You take the money. We just want our daughter.

-------------------------------------------

The family especially invites you to be at the vigil in front of the Woodside Hospice for press conferences scheduled for:

Monday, October 13, at noon
Tuesday, October 14, at noon, and
Wednesday, October 15, at 2PM

**For those who live in the Tallahassee area; if you could attend a vigil in front of the Governor’s Mansion please contact us immediately.

Albany -- Board delays raising the passing grade on required exams for two years, will modify controversial math test; education chief says moves aimed at helping students succeed

Why do they bother having education standards at all if what happens is the rich kids cannot make the grade, complain and the standards are reduced? Everytime I start to consider sending my children to school, something happens to remind me why that is less and less of an option.

Gerard Serafin posts a picture of the Holy Father at Pompeii.

A blessed feast of Our Lady of the Rosary to all.

My daughter, husband and I were flipping through the channels last night. We stopped at a woman performing a song and playing the guitar. At first we could not figure if it was a man or a woman, but she sounded like a woman. Then I pointed out to my husband "no, it's a woman; she is a lesbian..." and I whispered the word "lesbian". My daughter, to my surprise, said "oh, she is?" and my husband said "Yes because she is wearing a rainbow shirt."

I do not know what it means that my homeschooled ten year old is not unfamiliar with the idea of homosexuals being on television, or in life in general. She knows our philosophy on the practice of homosexuality (it is wrong), yet it is something that is not surprising to her, and may even become "common."She does not understand the entire practice, by the way, except for a man choosing a boyfriend or a girl choosing a girlfriend. Truthfully, the concern is not so much for my children, but just for our society as a whole when any type of deviant behaviour becomes common. At what level to we stop lowering our standards for right behaviour or wrong behaviour?

'Madison' splashes into baby-name scene

Eric Johnson and Bryan Baldwin, of Catholic Light, seems to think so. And I agree.

There are many professions that require higher education, but as Eric points out in his comments box, it seems like students are required to jump through unnecessary hoops to get that preparation. If those hoops were part of a solid, liberal arts education that would be great (wouldn't it be great if lawyers, doctors, and nurses had some solid background in philosophy, ethics, history, theology, and literature?) But not many colleges and universities pay more than lip service to the liberal arts any more.