Exposing the Conspiracy To Kill Terri Schiavo is Not Hate

"As Terri's family made clear in their dignified public statement after her death, it would dishonor her memory for her supporters to indulge in hatred. Michael Schiavo, George Felos, and Judge George Greer aren't worth the psychic cost. How much better to honor Terri's memory by enacting a series of legal reforms that rededicate our society to standing for the equal moral worth and unwavering legal protection of the most weak and vulnerable among us." (1)

Mr. Smith did not elaborate on what he meant by the words, "indulge in hatred" but he did say that if Terri's supporters did this they would dishonor her memory. (Note: the Statement of the Schindler family did not include the words, "hate" or "hatred" but it did include the message that the Schindlers abhor violence or any threats of violence.) Smith wrote that "Michael Schiavo, George Felos, and Judge George Greer aren't worth the psychic cost." He went on to direct his readers in the way he thinks will best honor Terri's memory: enacting legal reforms

My comments:

Granted, "indulging in hatred" is never the answer, but constructive action must be taken to expose those who have brazenly manipulated the Clearwater, Florida legal system in order to dehydrate to death a woman who could clearly swallow her own saliva and forthrightly communicated her desire to live.

It is important to take note that the laws of the state of Florida were adequate to protect Terri Schiavo from a starvation/dehydration death—if they were obeyed. This is evident in fact that the Florida statutes do not authorize the "deliberate act of omission to end the life other than to permit the natural process of dying." Terri Schiavo was not dying until she was CAUSED to die by the removal of not only "medical treatment" (her feeding tube) but also her regular food and water. (See: Greer's New Order Deems Terri's Ability to Swallow Irrelevant)

The Florida statutes also would have protected Terri from having her feeding tube removed as well if the law defining PVS was obeyed and if the  Florida legal standard for "clear and convincing evidence" was adhered to. If the guardianship statutes were followed and Michael Schiavo was not allowed to break the law and practice medicine without a license, Terri, who could swallow, would not have been forced to remain on a feeding tube in the first place.

The Florida statutes have always been adequate to protect Terri from being neglected, exploited, and abused at the hands of her court-appointed guardian —if they were obeyed. The fact that Terri Schiavo was not afforded her legal rights of a person determined incapacitated for over a decade paved the way for Judge George Greer to brazenly issue an illegal court order that called for euthanasia—despite the fact that the Florida statutes clearly prohibits this! Greer's court order called for the DEATH of Terri Schindler Schiavo. 

The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast (Hospice House Woodside) in Pinellas Park, Florida "finished the job" by colluding with Greer's illegal court order which called for Terri's death by the removal of (all forms) of nutrition and hydration. 

The conspiracy continues after Terri's death. Pinellas County medical examiners refused to allow an independent expert to observe the autopsy:

The Schindlers' lawyer said their request to have an independent expert observe the autopsy was turned down by medical examiners, the Associated Press reports.

(Terri Schiavo's Body is Cremated)

Michael Schiavo, who publicly stated that "Terri Died 15 Years Ago" chose to mark Terri's grave with Scientology death doctrine.

Legal Reforms That Make Things Worse

Legal reforms are needed as long as they are not passed for the surreptitious purpose of reducing existing protections for the disabled. The bills that are coming up for votes in Florida are dangerously misleading because they falsely concede that denying food and water by mouth is already legal. 

Let us look briefly at HR 1332, which is better known as the "Protection of Incapacitated Persons Act of 2005." This bill was supposedly written to prevent the withholding of regular food and water from Terri Schiavo. It is so telling that the legislators did not call Judge Greer on his illegal court order to deny regular food and water from Terri Schiavo. Instead, they reinforced his illegal shenanigans by writing a bill that concedes that regular food and water may be removed from an incapacitated person!

In the bill, the term incapacitated person means a born individual who is presently incapable of making relevant decisions concerning, the provision, withholding, or withdrawal of food, fluids or medical treatment under applicable law.

(HR1332 Legislative Bulletin)

The summary of this bill states:

According to various news reports, Florida law prohibits the starvation of dogs, though is silent on the starvation of human patients.

(HR1332 Legislative Bulletin)

Holding back food causes starvation which ends in death. HR1332 is deceptive because Florida Law DOES prohibit the starvation of human patients because it does not authorize any deliberate act of omission to end the life:

765.309 Florida Statute: Mercy Killing of Euthanasia Not Authorized; Suicide Distinguished. -- (1) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to condone, authorize, or approve mercy killing or euthanasia, or to permit any affirmative or deliberate act of omission to end the life other than to permit the natural process of dying. (2) The withholding or withdrawal of life-prolonging procedures from a patient in accordance with any provision of this chapter does not, for any purpose, constitute a suicide.

It is true that according to this statute it is legal to withhold "life-prolonging procedures" (sadly, the feeding tube is now legally designated as a "life-prolonging procedure") if the patient made it known in writing beforehand that he desires it.

This is one example of how the Florida legislators have passed bills that make matters worse rather than point out Judge Greer's illegal rulings. Terri's Law is another example of a law passed by the Florida Legislature that helped Greer rather than Terri.

Exposing the Conspiracy to Kill Terri is Not Hate

Exposing the players in the conspiracy to kill Terri Schiavo is not hatred and it does not dishonor her memory. It is an expression of respect for Terri's memory and honors the Schindler family. They deserve to know the truth about why Michael Schiavo and his backers were allowed to break the law with impunity—apparently even to the point of gaining the cooperation of the Florida legislature—in their unrelenting pursuit of Terri's death.

Also see: The Truth About Getting Justice For Terri 

notes:

(1)

/000/000/005/443gtvyx.asp?pg=2

4/03/05

modified 7/12/05