Terri Schiavo flier on my door today

[struggle4progress]

from "Liberty Baptist" on Guess in Durham, a "pre-tribulation and pre-millennial" cult: some motocross guy is jumping seven school buses at tomorrow's service, and somebody can win a $200 gift card for Southpointe mall; at next week's service, some lawyer chats about Schiavo and then sells his book; both events are billed as "Vote blah blah"

My guess is that this is organizing for the elections in a rightwing church

[tekisui]

1. Terri who?

[struggle4progress]

2. Long story. Back in 1999, W interrupted his Presidential campaign

in order, as governor Texas, to sign the Advance Directives Act (aka Futile Care Law), which allows hospitals to stop treatment in "hopeless" cases, regardless of family preferences

The law was amended in 2003 to apply to minors also

By early 2005, a number of patients (including sick infants) were being thrown out of Texas hospitals to die. To forestall a crisis with their "pro-life" wing, the Republicans pushed the case of a badly brain-damaged Florida woman (Terri Schiavo) into the national spotlight: at issue was a dispute between her husband and her parents about who had the right in the case to decide whether to continue or withhold treatment, the husband arguing she was vegetative and would not have wanted to continue in that state, the parents claiming that she was alert and responsive and that to remove life support and cease nutrition was equivalent to murder

In March 2005, the case became a national circus: the parents repeatedly lost in court, Florida's governor Jeb Bush attempted state custody and was rebuffed by the courts, Congress returned from Easter recess for a Saturday session to pass special legislation, Bush returned from Crawford to sign it, and so on

The courts finally threw the whole mess out, and Schiavo's husband made the decision he thought she would have wanted, namely, to discontinue her treatment

A few days later, another minority infant in Texas died after the hospitals (against family wishes) refused treatment -- but of course there was essentially no coverage

In short, the whole thing was a dishonest diversionary tactic -- but the Schiavo case may still be red meat for the so-called "pro-lifers"




A Thin View of 'Life'
By E. J. Dionne Jr.
Friday, March 25, 2005; Page A19
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64568-2005Mar24.html

Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 a.m.
As governor, Bush signed right-to-die law
By Knight Ridder Newspapers and Newsday
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002215324_texaslaw22.html

Published on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 by the Los Angeles Times
Texas Law Signed by Bush Enters Debate
The 1999 measure he backed as governor sets rules for end-of-life decisions. Some say it's inconsistent with the Schiavo legislation
by Joel Havemann and Peter Wallsten
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0322-03.htm

Terri Schiavo Ruling
Aired March 23, 2005 - 23:00:00
http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0503/23/i_ins.01.html

Yet Another Family in Texas Scrambles to Fight the Bush Law that Ends their Child's Life Support
posted Apr 30, 2005
http://blog.bioethics.net/2005/04/yet-another-family-in-texas-scrambles-to-fight-the/

[tledford]

3. Do them a favor...

Call the church and helpfully point out that Mrs. Schiavo died.

[MJB24]

4. ... a while ago

But they may not care that she died, and may try to turn it around to their point of view.