Dear Colleague:
Congress could act this week on a bill to save Terri Schiavo. See the end
of this article for information on how to express your opinion to
congressional leaders.
Steven W. Mosher
President
PRI Weekly Briefing
15 March 2005
Vol. 7 / No. 11
Congress Ponders Terri Schiavo's Fate
By Joseph A. D'Agostino
It's an odd world in which a disabled Florida woman can be killed by a
method outlawed as too cruel for animals, and in which she is not covered
by the habeas corpus protections granted to murderers. When it comes to
federal legal protection, Terri Schiavo ranks below Ted Bundy, and when it
comes to protection from suffering, she ranks below an unwanted pet.
"When is that b---- going to die?" Terri's husband, Michael, once asked,
according to a nurse. He was wrong: Terri is no b----, not only because
she is a human person, but also because a female dog has more rights under
Florida law-rights he will not allow Terri. Dogs in Florida cannot be
legally dehydrated and starved to death, as Terri will be if Congress does
not act. Meanwhile, Michael lives with a woman he calls his fiancé, who
has borne him two children since Terri's collapse (or beating-only Michael
knows) in 1990-but he refuses to divorce Terri. His legal bills in his
fight to murder his wife with state permission have been paid by the $1
million that an insurance company paid to provide Terri with
rehabilitation, therapy that Michael prevented from taking place. He
melted down Terri's wedding and engagement rings to make a ring for
himself. He even had Terri's cats put down, presumably by a method more
humane than the one he intends to use on his better half.
Terri's parents the Schindlers have offered to take care of Terri, but
Michael has refused. They made the same offer about the cats, but that
didn't work, either.
Right now, Republican leaders in the U.S. House and Senate are deciding
whether to allow votes on a bill that could save Terri Schiavo's life.
Pro-life Americans should consider expressing their opinions on saving
Terri to these leaders and to their congressmen and senators.
Terri is scheduled to be executed by dehydration and starvation beginning
March 18, when her feeding tube is to be disconnected. That tube is the
closest thing to life support that Terri is on. She cannot swallow, but
she is not in a vegetative state, can recognize her family, and responds
to stimuli. She tries to talk.
Two federal legislators from Florida, Rep. Dave Weldon (R.) and Sen. Mel
Martinez (R.), have introduced the Incapacitated Persons Legal Protection
Act in the House and Senate, respectively. The proposed law would extend
federal habeas corpus protection to severely disabled people and enable
federal courts to determine if they are being put to death illegally.
Habeas corpus is often used by death row inmates, but does not apply to
innocents such as Terri because they are not under arrest. Thus, federal
courts have refused to determine if Terri's right to life is being
violated by state court Judge George Greer, who has ordered her execution
at the request of Terri's husband.
If Terri is murdered, her case will be another step forward for the
culture of death. Killing a conscious disabled person not on life support
will receive official government sanction.
Kate Adamson experienced an attempt to kill her by the same method, but
fortunately woke up from her coma before it was too late. She told Fox
News' Bill O'Reilly in 2003, "When the feeding tube was turned off for
eight days, I thought I was going insane. I was screaming out in my mind,
'Don't you know I need to eat?' And even up until that point, I had been
having a bagful of Ensure as my nourishment that was going through the
feeding tube. At that point, it sounded pretty good. I just wanted
something. The fact that I had nothing, the hunger pains overrode every
thought I had."
Wesley J. Smith wrote in an article posted on the Weekly Standard's
website Nov. 12, 2003 that the practice is not uncommon. "Beyond the
Terri Schiavo case, it is undisputed that conscious cognitively disabled
patients are dehydrated in nursing homes and hospitals throughout the
country almost as a matter of routine," he wrote. "Dr. [Ronald] Cranford,
for example, openly admitted in his Wendland testimony that he removes
feeding tubes from conscious patients. Thus, many other people may also
have experienced the agony described by Adamson and worse, given that
dehydrating to death goes on for about a week longer than she
experienced."
EXPRESS YOUR OPINION
Politely express your opinion on this matter to House Speaker Dennis
Hastert (R.-Ill.) and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R.-Tenn.). They
will decide if the House and Senate versions of the Incapacitated Persons
Legal Protection Act come to the floor for votes.
You could say something like this after introducing yourself: "Please
allow a floor vote on the Incapacitated Persons Legal Protection Act as
soon as possible, in order to protect the life of Terri Schiavo."
Also, contact your congressman and your two senators and let them know
what you think. Politicians pay especial attention to people who can vote
against them. The bill number of the Incapacitated Persons Legal
Protection Act in the House is HR 1151, and in the Senate it is S 539.
House Speaker Hastert: 202-225-0600,
speaker@mail.house.gov
Senate Majority Leader Frist: 202-224-3344
For contact information for other congressmen and senators, go to
www.house.gov and
www.senate.gov, or call the U.S. Capitol
switchboard at
202-225-3121.
Joseph A. D'Agostino is Vice President for Communications at PRI.
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Email: jad@pop.org
Media Contact: Joseph A. D'Agostino
(540) 622-5240, ext. 204
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