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Feb. 5, 2005 I have written a series of articles here on the plight of Ms Terri Schiavo who is suffering from brain damage and in a hospice in Florida. You may recall that Ms Schiavo was the subject of a controversial law, enacted especially for her, giving the Governor authority to prevent her being starved to death by a few "doctors" and her husband, Michael Schiavo, over the vehement objections of her parents. That law was overturned on appeal. Ms Schiavo is 41 years old now and has been in this condition since her injury over 10 years ago. At first, her husband permitted some physical therapy and seemed to share the hope of her parents that she might recover. Then, he met and moved in with another woman where he's been living ever since, producing two children with her. He embarked on a program to have Terri euthanized, claiming that "she wouldn't want to live like that." Terri didn't make her wishes clear in writing, mind you, and all we have is Michael's word and some testimony from a couple of his friends that THEY'D heard Terri say she wouldn't want to "live as a vegetable." The Florida courts got involved because Terri's parents did NOT want their daughter either killed or "allowed to die" by withholding food, water and other care. The court ruled that only her husband had standing to decide for Terri's welfare and he, of course, has expressed his desire for her to die. Initially, this incomprehensible attitude seemed as if it could be explained by Mr. Schiavo wanting to (1) move on with his life with his new girlfriend and (2) he wanted to inherit Terri's estate, which, at one time, was considerable due to a substantial lawsuit settlement. Michael has, by now, spent a substantial part of that settlement on Terri's care, but also has squandered part of it in attorney's fees trying to have her killed. Terri's parents have asked that he simply divorce her and turn over responsibility for her care to them whereby they've vowed to resume the long-postponed physical therapy some say would benefit her enormously. So far, he's refused to do so. Why he so desperately wants her dead one can only speculate. Perhaps it's because, for some reason, he doesn't WANT her completely conscious and lucid. Maybe it's because there's some residue to her estate and he wants to inherit it. Maybe its simply because he thinks that giving in now would point out his prior venality--especially since the Schindlers have offered him the entirety of her estate if he'll just divorce her and move on. Whatever the reason, his recalcitrance is most puzzling. It CAN'T be out of love for Terri or some sense of duty to his marriage vows. He broke those vows when he took up with another woman and started playing house with her while his legal wife lay injured in the hospital--and that's some years back. The courts, Michael Schiavo and even some "doctors" have said that the "best" thing to do is allow her to die from dehydration and/or starvation by just stopping her feeding. One can only speculate as to how such a painful demise is in ANYONE'S "best interests." Florida law makes it a FELONY to starve one's dog, cat, horse or other pet to death on purpose or by neglect. One would THINK that a living, breathing human woman would enjoy AT LEAST the same protections as some kid's collie. This "culture of death" that's becoming pervasive in our society is frightening in the extreme--not that we should necessarily be afraid of dying since we all WILL someday, and that's as it should be. No, it's frightening to think that the courts have decided to place life and death decisions in someone else's hands-- often someone who stands to benefit from that death, but not life. Just as in most abortions, a human life ends in euthanasia--quite often because that life is merely "inconvenient." I'm sorry, but "inconvenience" isn't even remotely an adequate reason to kill someone, born or unborn. I strongly urge Florida residents to get in contact with their respective legislators and DEMAND that a law be immediately passed making it illegal to take another's life either out of "inconvenience" or AT LEAST by the methods contemplated to be employed in doing away with Ms Schiavo. She is alive and breathing on her own and starving her to death is inhumane AND morally indefensible. ------------ About the author: David A. Jared is a news junkie, semi-retired and an avid golfer who's been writing his first book, "4000 years of chopsticks" for the last 20 years. Email: Pappadave@sbcglobal.net ------------- All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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