The inconvenient truth about Terri Schiavo and euthanasia
Many comments to my post yesterday, “Death Angel vs. Terri Schiavo,” perpetuated false information, which Terri’s brother Bobby dispels in a column today
The most obvious thread between abortion support and euthanasia support is promotion of death. The underlying thread is selfishness, i.e., promotion of convenience.
Over 90% of abortions are for convenience, either as primary or secondary birth control.
Likewise, every euthanasia supporter I read on this blog supports it for convenience. Oh, you attempt to appear altruistic, using yourself as an example. “I wouldn’t want to be a burden,” you say, actually forced to make this argument to remain consistent with your support of abortion. But you are actually telling your family and friends how you would consider them in similar a situation: inconvenient.
Here is an excerpt from Bobby’s column today, which brilliantly describes your hypocrisy. It can be read in its entirety at WND.com….
Much of the problem that exists stems from a blind acceptance of misinformation that has moved us from a firm belief in the sanctity of life to a “quality of life” mindset, which says that some lives are not worth living….
The sad fact is we have become a nation that spends billions trying to find the perfect body, while ignoring the condition of our collective soul; where altruism seems to be a thing of the past, and moral relativism has become a bona fide religion….
My sister’s case is a perfect example. Look how the popular media presented Terri’s story, abandoning any attempt at objective or ethical reporting in their rush to justify her death. In an effort to dehumanize Terri, they repeatedly reported she was in a coma, brain dead, a “vegetable” and that the autopsy proved she was in a persistent vegetative state, all of which are patently false.
All one has to do is watch the videos of Terri to see how alive she was. If that’s not enough, more than 40 medical affidavits stated Terri wasn’t in PVS and/or could have been helped with new medical technology.
The media chose to ignore all of this, instead reporting what Terri wasn’t able to do and referencing a doctor who took pride in the moniker, “Dr. Humane Death.”
They painted a story of a husband’s unconditional love as he carried out his wife’s “wish” to die, completely ignoring the fact that there was no evidence of this and that Michael essentially abandoned Terri as soon as he began living with his new wife-to-be.
They framed this as a strictly pro-life issue, ignoring the 30 disability groups publicly supporting Terri’s life….
Completely unaware of their own hypocrisy, they commended Christopher Reeve’s wife, Dana, and rightly so, for her dedication in caring for her husband, while vilifying my parents for wanting to do the same thing for their daughter.
In the same vein, they repeatedly questioned the intent of our legal team while glossing over the fact that Schiavo’s attorney, George Felos, admitted in his book to having violent images of bludgeoning his wife to death.
They chastised former Gov. Jeb Bush for doing his job by trying to stop the two-week dehydration death of an innocent disabled woman, but praised him when he placed a moratorium on death row executions after a lethal injection went 15 minutes too long.
They justify the destruction of embryos to produce stem cells (ignoring both the success of adult stem cells and that embryonic cells have produced no cures), reporting that their use will improve the lives of the disabled, and at the same time they work to convince the public that it is OK to kill the very same people they say this research could cure.
And, finally, they paid more respect to and had more compassion for a racehorse than they did my sister.
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
This is why, in the years since Terri’s death, we have worked, through the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation to protect the lives of the vulnerable. We are developing a nationwide network of attorneys and physicians to help families in desperate situations, whose loved ones are in danger of being killed
That second paragraph was part of Bobby’s speech. I forgot to italicize it.
If the medical personnel had not implemented a feeding tube to keep Terri alive, her family would have had fifteen less years with her. Most of the press I saw was actually pro-Terri’s parents.
So they helped her eat, and that’s a great thing, Samantha.
If you had a problem swallowing food I’m sure you would want people to help you eat also.
I understand that the family had a difficult time with the decision her husband made, and that this was not condoned in their church. However, Terri chose to make Michael her partner, her guardian, the person she would spend the rest of her life with. In the absense of a living will, he was the person who had the capacity to make the decision he did. Perhaps her placing him in this position speaks for her wishes.
However, Terri chose to make Michael her partner, her guardian, the person she would spend the rest of her life with.
We all make mistakes, Samantha.
Perhaps her placing him in this position speaks for her wishes.
“Perhaps” is not a good enough reason for me to starve a person to death.
Bethany, it wasnt your choice. It was Michael’s choice, and he made it. The courts upheld it despite numerous attempts to the contrary. Just because your opinion is that people should be kept alive via whatever means possible for as long as possible does not make it right.
Samantha, it’s hard to reason with people who believe that some guy was born of a virgin mother, who was impregnated by god, and this god/man flew to heaven on a winged horse three days after he died.
Bethany, it wasnt your choice. It was Michael’s choice, and he made it. The courts upheld it despite numerous attempts to the contrary. Just because your opinion is that people should be kept alive via whatever means possible for as long as possible does not make it right.
He killed her, Samantha. If you stopped eating for 14 days you would die too.
oops, include “drinking” to that.
Like it isn’t selfish to keep someone who has no chance of ever waking up “alive” on feeding tubes because YOU want them to be “alive”? Come on.
No, it’s not selfish to feed someone and give them water, and to make sure they have a nice bed to lie on, Mary.
Samantha, 11:56a, said: “Terri chose to make Michael her partner, her guardian, the person she would spend the rest of her life with. In the absense of a living will, he was the person who had the capacity to make the decision he did. Perhaps her placing him in this position speaks for her wishes.”
Yes, but Michael reneged, Samantha. As Bobby Schindler, Terri’s brother, stated in a recent op ed, “Finally, it is still grossly underreported that Michael began a new ‘family’ by living with another woman for a decade, admittedly asking her to marry him in 1994 and fathering two children with her while still married to and making life and death decisions for Terri.”
There was a huge conflict of interest here.
Bethany, just because her organs functioned does not mean she was alive. Keeping her on tubes because you want to see her face is very selfish. Why not let her rest in peace?
Bethany, just because her organs functioned does not mean she was alive.
Alive:
having life; living; existing; not dead or lifeless.
Bethany, just because her organs functioned does not mean she was alive. Keeping her on tubes because you want to see her face is very selfish. Why not let her rest in peace?
Oh yes, I’m sure it was very comforting for her, feeling the pain of hunger and the cracking dryness of dehydration for 14 long miserable days.
Feeding and giving her water is not being selfish. It’s doing what you’re supposed to do for other human beings. I wouldn’t even treat an animal the way that people treated Terri. I doubt you would either.
Her parents and family were free to give her food and drink. If food and drink were all she needed, then they could have provided it for her. They could have poured water down her throat or fed her soup/baby food. However, she was not able to eat in any natural way or take in anything naturally. She was incapable of eating or drinking if food or drink were placed in her mouth. The only way she could take in nourishment was if it was placed directly into her stomach. You act as if they were holding water bottles and soup away from her, but that is not the case. A feeding tube is very artificial, no matter what you want to call it.
Bethany, do you run crying that you committed murder every time you scratch your arm? Because your skin cells are living. Scratching your arm kills skin cells.
I am very, very pro-life but most of you lack logical thought. It really distresses me that the people who share the same title I share refuse to think for themselves.
Her parents and family were free to give her food and drink. If food and drink were all she needed, then they could have provided it for her. They could have poured water down her throat or fed her soup/baby food. However, she was not able to eat in any natural way or take in anything naturally. She was incapable of eating or drinking if food or drink were placed in her mouth. The only way she could take in nourishment was if it was placed directly into her stomach. You act as if they were holding water bottles and soup away from her, but that is not the case. A feeding tube is very artificial, no matter what you want to call it.
Actually, if I remember correctly (correct me if you find something that proves I’m wrong), Terri’s parents weren’t even allowed in her hospital room after they took out the tube.
I’ll have to look it up and see if I’m remembering right..it’s been two years but I could swear that was the case.
When your brain ceases to function, you cannot feel. I highly doubt Terri was in any pain, although you all are too ignorant to accept that. Please start thinking for yourselves. You are all a blight on the pro-life name.
“They are free to visit her right now. I want to be absolutely clear about that,” Felos said. “There is no effort whatsoever to restrict their visitation. They can go and visit her now. They can stay as long as they want.”
http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/18/schiavo.brain-damaged/
This is about after the feeding tube removal. I read a few articles which also said that she was unable to eat normally. I will search for those.
I highly doubt Terri was in any pain,
Not knowing for sure is not good enough for me. Sorry. Besides, it doesn’t take away the fact that she was M-U-R-D-E-R-E-D.
Thanks Lynn.
Bethany, do you run crying that you committed murder every time you scratch your arm? Because your skin cells are living. Scratching your arm kills skin cells.
I am very, very pro-life but most of you lack logical thought. It really distresses me that the people who share the same title I share refuse to think for themselves.
OH my goodness, I almost missed this post! Are you actually comparing a living, breathing human being to SKIN CELLS?
There goes your credibility.
This is from an interview with Terri’s father. He says that she is fed with the tube twice a day. I read a few articles last night that explicitly stated that she could not eat or drink without the tube, but I’m having difficulty finding those. However, the gist of this article suggests that canceling the tube feedings would be the only legal action, and that there wouldn’t be any legal action to stop them from trying to feed her normally. However, other articles said she had failed swallow tests to see if she could swallow food on her own.
“Terri spends her day in a wheelchair and she’s fed two times a day through a feeding tube. ”
R. Schindler
http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0105/03/bp.00.html
I think this was a terrible family conflict that should not have been drug through the courts. I feel very badly for Terri’s family, and I think that this is why everyone, no matter how old they are, should have a living will. The bitter fighting between her family and her husband over who knows what she would have wanted more was really sad to watch and I wish that the families pain had not been paraded in front of the whole country and through Congress. Something intensely personal became extremely public.
Bethany, you make most pro-lifers ashamed to be pro-life.
Sorry, sweetie, murder is an illegal, malicious, and premediated act that kills another human being. Removing someone from a feeding tube is not malicious or illegal. Cry a river, build a bridge, get over it.
Please try to use your brain. I know, it’s very hard for you when you have been spoon-fed mindless propaganda for most of your life, but you would do yourself good to start thinking outside the box.
This goes for you, too, Jill Stanek.
Explain to me how I lost credibility. You tell me that being alive is “having life; living; existing; not dead or lifeless.” Your skin has life, it is living, existing, it is not dead or lifeless. When you scratch your arm, you kill your skin cells. You are a murderer and guilty of committing genocide. I hope you are proud of yourself.
I still wonder why her case was special. There are thousands of people in similar situations.
And, just for the record: In my opinion, it was cruel to keep her “alive”, if you can call it “live”, for such a long time. It must not only have been horrible for her, it was cruel towards her family as well. Hoping every day and never be sure if anything will change… why not just let her go in peace? That’s what I’d want.
Explain to me how I lost credibility. You tell me that being alive is “having life; living; existing; not dead or lifeless.” Your skin has life, it is living, existing, it is not dead or lifeless. When you scratch your arm, you kill your skin cells. You are a murderer and guilty of committing genocide. I hope you are proud of yourself.
Wow, you sound SO pro-life, Mary!
Mary,
Quite honestly, your attitude doesn’t deserve a response.
Bethany and I have spent hours on this blog. We are happy to do so. Because we believe that conversation is best way to come to a place where we can coexist. We listen to every one who comes on here. We are of the belief that people who come on this site do so because they are looking for the same thing.
If I had a dime for everyone who came on this site with guns blazing and swords drawn looking for a fight, I’d be rich. (Okay, maybe I’d be able to buy a cheeseburger)but I think you get my point.
Does nobody know how to introduce themselves? Does nobody know how to ask a question that doesn’t come with poison darts? BANG, BANG, BANG…HAMMER, HAMMER, HAMMER!!!!
Honestly, chill out…
pro-life and anti-stupid indeed.
mk
Mary, Jill did answer the question about Muslims. You just weren’t there in time to see it. I already responded to your post on the Passionate pro-life blog on which you claimed she did not answer on whether she would advocate aborting a muslim.
http://lesforlife.blogspot.com/2007/02/body-of-evidence-on-friday-morning.html
However you’re wrong. She did answer. She said it was a totally ridiculous question because NO pro-lifer supports abortions of ANYONE. Every life is precious.
If you are really pro-life, you should already know this..and a more honest way for you to have handled this situation would have been for you to email Jill privately and ask her why she did not respond to the question. I’m sure she would have been more than happy to show you the answer she did give.
It’s extremely rude to go to other people’s blogs to try to talk down about someone else, without coming to them about it first, just because you misinterpreted something and jumped to conclusions. Try being kind enough to give a benefit of a doubt, why don’t you?
Ingrid,
Hi babe, we missed ya. Drinkin’ and carousin’? or studyin’ and workin’?
I still wonder why her case was special. There are thousands of people in similar situations.
This case was special because it was the first of it’s kind to be brought to National attention and the outcome was going to effect how things would be done in the future. Our future. It set a precedent.
Terri was not sick. She was not near death. She was not attached to a machine. The man that was her husband was living with another woman. He wouldn’t allow Terris family to see her. He stood to gain a lot of money from her death. And he didn’t simply allow her to die, which is a noble thing, but he caused her to die.
So many things that were firsts. Like why did he get precedence over her mother and father? Why did she have to die if someone was willing to love and value her? How did she get brain damaged to begin with? (Never got a straight story on that)…
This case strikes at the very core of our society. Who has the right to determine if a person should live or die? Especially when the person can’t speak for themselves?
Which is really what the abortion argument is at it’s core.
To us, first it was slavery. Then abortion. Now Euthanasia, with chimeras, cloning and embryonic experimentation right on it’s heels.
These are serious, serious issues. And we just felt that Terri did not fit the criteria of someone who should die.
Sort of like that ectopic pregnancy? That is a clear case of no chance at a live birth. And the mother might die. So there is no moral dilemma.
But with Terri, there was no such clear cut evidence. Nobody knew what she was capable of because no one was allowed to test her. And when in doubt…
Anyway,
prob more than you wanted, but mostly, from a world point of view, it was important because it set a precedent.
From our point of view, it was important, because now adults were being killed as well as babies.
Does that help?
MK
Gary,
Be very, very, very, careful. My hope is that you speak out of ignorance and not out of total depravity.
Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit to his virgin mother, Mary. His birth was prophesied for thousands of years prior to it happening.
His life was testified to by many witnesses. That life consisted of many miracles, including raising people from the dead.
He took twelve simple, uneducated, ordinary and cowardly men. Some thieves, some murderers, all nobodys who then changed the world and were willing to die for what they discovered and believed about that Man-God. You would be wise to learn a few things about Him.
He was crucified and then raised and then appeard to over 500 people.
So, what WE people, believe, has more solid evidence than what it would take to send you to jail forever if you committed a murder, let’s say an abortion, if it weren’t legal in our perverted world.
So, while you offend US deeply when you talk about our Savior that way, it’s no surprise.
God loves you Gary and perhaps He will choose to reveal Himself to you before it’s too late. However, He won’t force His way in, that wouldn’t be love. You are lost Gary as evidenced by the confession of your mouth. We are committed to what we confess Gary, and I’m not toally sure you are aware of the implications of your confession. You would be wise to beg God to have mercy on you and open your heart to Him.
Mary,
You said: “Please try to use your brain. I know, it’s very hard for you when you have been spoon-fed mindless propaganda for most of your life, but you would do yourself good to start thinking outside the box.” You and SamanthaT must be friends.
You chide Jill and Bethany to think outside the box. Which box is that?
So to you, thinking outside the box means making a life or death decision because somehow you have the ability to possess and process all necessary information to make that decision? Have you ever heard of the command, “Thou shalt not murder”? Seems to me that would imply we were being commanded not to end the life of another without justification since there is a difference between murdering and killing. Jut how was murdering Terry Schiavo justifiable? Did you know for sure that Terry Schiavo would never recover? Did you know what she was thinking? Did you know what she was feeling? Did you know what God thought of her situation? If you do, please write a book, because the world wants to know and you would be a zillionaire.
Excuse me, were we made in your image? As God questioned Job in Chapter 38:
“1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:
2 “Who is this that darkens my counsel
with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone-
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels [a] shouted for joy?
8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
9 when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt’?
12 “Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place,
13 that it might take the earth by the edges
and shake the wicked out of it?”
By the way Mary, did you create the Sun? OK, make the wind blow, the seasons change, a rose bloom, Ms. almighty. Hell, you don’t know if you’re gonna wake up tomorrow, do you, for sure? Feel that beating in your chest? Every thump is a gift and you don’t even realize it.
No, you’re box is a dead box full of arrogance, pride, selfishness, self-deception, and hate, all clothed in false wisdom and psudeo-knowledge.
Good Morning HisMan,
Missed you yesterday…it was a full one as you can see. Do you want to begin with a prayer?
Our Father Who Art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil. Amen.
I’ll be back around noon…
mk
Bethany, you make most pro-lifers ashamed to be pro-life.
That’s funny you say that, because all the pro-life people I have met are happy to be in the same group as I am. You must have me mistaken with your pro-euthanasia friends.
His Man, I fear not god, but I do fear you. You are frightening me to my core. You would be very much at home in the 14th Century perhaps, but in this day and age, I’m not so sure.
Just finished Sam Harris’ new book. I recommend it to you.