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Home Front: Culture Wars
Ralph Nader: 'Save Terri'
2005-03-25
(CNSNews.com) - Consumer advocate Ralph Nader says a "profound injustice is being inflicted on Terri Schiavo," and he is urging the Florida Courts, Gov. Jeb Bush and concerned citizens to take any legal action available to let the brain-damaged woman live. In a joint statement, Nader and Wesley J. Smith, author of the book Culture of Death: The Assault on Medical Ethics in America, enumerated what they see as the many injustices in the Schiavo case.
They said the courts, under "color of law," have imposed a slow death by dehydration on Terri, giving every benefit of the doubt to her death, rather than her continued life. Not only has Terri's feeding tube been removed -- but no attempt has been made to let her try drinking by mouth.
"Terri swallows her own saliva," Nader and Smith said. "Spoon-feeding is not medical treatment. This outrageous order proves that the courts are not merely permitting medical treatment to be withheld, it has ordered her to be made dead," Nader and Smith said.
They also noted that experts are split on whether Terri is in a persistent vegetative state or whether she can improve with therapy. "There is only one way to know for sure -- permit the therapy," they said. Nader and Smith said the court is imposing "process over justice." They said new evidence should allow for a new trial - which was the point of the federal legislation.
With the government spending billions on cures for people with all sorts of degenerative conditions, isn't it possible that a cure may be developed for people like Terri? they asked. The possibility demands that Terri's parents be granted their wish to take care of her, they said.
"Benefits of doubts should be given to life, not hastened death. This case is rife with doubt. Justice demands that Terri be permitted to live," Nader and Smith concluded.
Posted by:Steve

#37  Lawyers. Complete lack of respect for thema and the judicial system that it can be twisted to where an abusive ex husband can have teh state execute his former wife in one of the most cruel manners possible.

The following is an absolutely authentic transcript of a court proceeding in the Court of the District of Madrid as related by La Prensa, a famous Spanish daily:

Q: Doctor, before carrying out the autopsy have you checked the heartbeat of the patient?

A: No.

Q: Have you checked the blood pressure?

A: No.

Q: Doctor, have you checked for the signs of breathing?

A: No.

Q: Then it is possible that the patient was alive at the time of autopsy?

A: No.

Q: Doctor, how can you be so sure?

A: Because patient's brain was in front of me in a jar on the examination table.

Q: Nevertheless, the patient might have been alive?

A: It's possible that he was alive and practicing as a lawyer somewhere.
Posted by: OldSpook   2005-03-25 3:02:13 PM  

#36  Lawyers. Complete lack of respect for thema and the judicial system that it can be twisted to where an abusive ex husband can have teh state execute his former wife in one of the most cruel manners possible.

The following is an absolutely authentic transcript of a court proceeding in the Court of the District of Madrid as related by La Prensa, a famous Spanish daily:

Q: Doctor, before carrying out the autopsy have you checked the heartbeat of the patient?

A: No.

Q: Have you checked the blood pressure?

A: No.

Q: Doctor, have you checked for the signs of breathing?

A: No.

Q: Then it is possible that the patient was alive at the time of autopsy?

A: No.

Q: Doctor, how can you be so sure?

A: Because patient's brain was in front of me in a jar on the examination table.

Q: Nevertheless, the patient might have been alive?

A: It's possible that he was alive and practicing as a lawyer somewhere.
Posted by: OldSpook   2005-03-25 3:02:13 PM  

#35  Florida Code Of Campain Conduct Judges
Posted by: BigEd   2005-03-25 10:40:30 PM  

#34  'Cat - Reports of unrest in Iran TODAY. Frist has to call the rules change next week...
Posted by: BigEd   2005-03-25 10:04:57 PM  

#33   When I was in grade school the answer to "What are the three branches of government?" was "Executive, Legislative and Judicial". Now, it seems, the answer is "Judicial, Judicial and Judicial". I have a question "Who are the biggest tyrants, Mullahs in Iran or Judges in the USA? The Iranians may get rid of their Mullah masters at some point, what do we do?
Posted by: FeralCat   2005-03-25 9:18:10 PM  

#32  
The real Greer
Put a pair of spectacles on him and he looks like SIM-Greer I posted this AM
Posted by: BigEd   2005-03-25 9:14:58 PM  

#31  dcreeper, like all liberals, likes to play dictator. He's so full of shit. Has he investigated the case? Obviously not. Does he know ANYTHING about the disabled, or about this kind of disability, in particular?

Does he have knowledge regarding the history of Michael's treatment of Terri, or of how he made her condition very much worse through abuse and neglect?

Does he know that the hospice she was placed in was managed by Michael's attorney and another woman deeply involved in the euthanasia movement? Does he know that Michael Schiavo would yank Terri out of nursing facilities whenever they started or suggested rehabilitation?

Does he know that Michael's attorney is a moonbat wacko that thinks he can divine people's intentions through telepathy, and who has given the judge in this case money? No.

Can he understand that people who are brain damaged, like Terri, can still enjoy many aspects of life? Does he know she could walk between parallel bars and eat on her own before he removed those things from her?

Does he know Michael had a history of abuse, and that Terri had wanted a divorce? Does he know that the paramedics called in the injury as a attempted homocide and that the emergency doctors evaluated her a victim of a crime? Of course not!

Does he know that Michael Schiavo would not allow antibiotics to be administered when she had urinary infections?

Does he know that for the past five years Michael has kept her in a darkened room, with no stimulation, and refuses to let her be taken outside?

Does he know that she reacts positively to family members?

Does dcreepy know that Michael stated the nursing staff that he wanted Terri to die, and would inquire "Has the bitch died yet? and that he would talk about all the things he was going to do with the money he got from her death?

Has he read the affidavits of the nurses who cared for her, regarding the abusiveness of her husband? Does he know Michael has changed his story about Terri's end of life wishes?

Does he know that, for whatever reason, her parents WANT to take care of her and make sure she gets the therapy she needs? No. And he doesn't care. For dcreeper, t's all about HIM--what he would want, blah, blah, blah. Great. Write up your own plans and leave everybody else alone.

dcreepy exhibits a succinctly utilitarian point of view, and like a deconstructionist liberals, ignorantly states that anyone who has suffered brain damage like Terri, but is conscious, can eat, can learn to talk, walk, can enjoy sunshine, music and human interaction, IF THEY HAVE THE PROPER HELP from their caregivers, and wants to live, is "truly a horrible person on par with the worst of humanity and deserves death."

Of course, nobody would want to be in that condition, obviously. That's not the point. The point is someone is being put to death on hearsay. "Oh yeah--I remember hearing her say that she wanted to die."

Despite dcreepeys idiotic, uninformed, overly simplistic, Nazi-like eugenic predispositions--which I consider on par with the worst of humanity--I still would not say that he "deserves" death.

From the evidence, I believe Michael tried to kill Terri, or almost killed her in an argument, then called 911 to cover up his crime. His ealier attempts to "help" her had the same purpose. His years of abuse and neglect tell the real story. Then he turned out to be a useful pawn for the euthanasia crowd. He wants Terri dead for his purposes, they want her dead for theirs. This explains why he has kept the money intended for her rehabilitation, and will not relinquish care to her parents, although he has been secretly living with another woman as his wife, raising children with her.


Posted by: ex-lib   2005-03-25 8:19:10 PM  

#30  Righto AzCat....not over by a longshot. Was gonna say logical end, but there's been precious little logic involved as well.
Posted by: Rex Mundi   2005-03-25 7:25:12 PM  

#29  ...this case being the end result.

This case is merely another step along a very long road, it's far from the end result.
Posted by: AzCat   2005-03-25 6:39:36 PM  

#28  Is there any regular RB who is with Terri Schiavo's folks who lives in Florida?

Publicise this
Posted by: BigEd   2005-03-25 6:23:32 PM  

#27  can you say: "quid pro quo"? I knew ya could..

(/Mr Rogers)
Posted by: Frank G   2005-03-25 5:57:33 PM  

#26  The above contribution, the only $250 WAS THE ONLY COPNTRIBUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: BigEd   2005-03-25 5:44:57 PM  

#25  Lawfirm of Felos & ZFelos, "husband's" lawyer contributes $250 to campaign of Judge George Greer
Posted by: BigEd   2005-03-25 5:30:27 PM  

#24  ..and to follow up on Frank G's #21, there is also the point about what condition would she be in if POS husband had allowed proper PT? Another curious item, so much of Terri's family is fighting to keep her alive. Why would that be? We can easily judge what constitues quality of life for ourselves, we should be very, very careful when assigning it to others.
Posted by: Rex Mundi   2005-03-25 5:25:51 PM  

#23  Like I said yesterday, Terri's guardian (he legal husband) has a fundamental conflict of interest, so he cannot put her interests first and foremost. The judge refuses to consider this fundamental issue. It stinks. Terri's civil rights are violated. It is becoming a civil rights case, just like the murders of civil rights workers in the 60s when in that case the juries would let off murderers. The Feds stepped in because justice was perverted and thwarted. Same here. Justice for Terri is being denied. Her guardian wants her killed like an animal.

When my wife was in high school, she worked in a nursing home. When the families had the elderly patients cut off of food and water, she gave 'em water. She said that she had to do it in good conscience. On the QT, of course.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2005-03-25 5:14:37 PM  

#22  For myself, no, I wouldn't want this situation and if in the same sad situation would've been terminated long ago via legal direction to my Doctor and family
Posted by: Frank G   2005-03-25 5:01:09 PM  

#21  dcreeper - the point is NOT what you or I would want. The point is what Terri Schiavo wanted and whether her husband is any kind of guardian for her interests. I would say no, and he should've been terminated long ago. Judge Greer disagrees and has overlooked all other family/church interests to the favor of her POS husband
Posted by: Frank G   2005-03-25 4:59:38 PM  

#20  her brain died.. you can't cure a dead brain
(yes yes only part of her brain went splat, but it was a rather large and important part)

can anyone here honestly say, if they knew they would be in Terri’s position, they would not want to die? Can you think of anyone who wouldn’t?

I would want to die, and I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t.. I couldn't really experience life or even really live at all.. just a burden for my loved ones and a painful reminder of the past. My physical 'presence' would prevent closure, my closest loved ones would stagnate, unable to move on with their lifes… hell, my poor wife would be chained to my useless body, unable to seek out a new love.. I would be an undead thing in its truest form, just sucking the life out of the living...

Terri died 15 years ago, a half dead zombie is all that remained... can anyone here think of anyone, including themselves, who would WANT to live as a half dead zombie?


can anyone here honestly say they would wish such pain on their wife? their husband? their children?

I would rather die and in all seriousness, IMEO, anyone who would wish such a thing on their family is truly a horrible person on par with the worst of humanity and deserves death.
Posted by: dcreeper   2005-03-25 4:55:11 PM  

#19  In Germany, no body can be cremated without autopsy. Actually quite a few family killers were caught this way. Grandma got an overdose of her medecine and would have been quietly buried as the doctor would assume a natural death. But some wanted to play it safe and cremate her. The mandatory autopsy caught them.
Posted by: True German Ally   2005-03-25 4:53:18 PM  

#18  Of course he'll refuse. Any autopsy that disputes the PVS findings shows him and Michael to be killers. They've done their best to prevent therapy, testing, etc. Now bear the consequences
Posted by: Frank G   2005-03-25 4:06:24 PM  

#17  The likes Greer tend to sleep well enough for they lack a soul. . Alaska Paul had a very good comment in yesterday's thread regarding this nation having lost it's way as a result of it's moral relativism born of the 60's...this case being the end result. This is wake up call folks.....better wake up.
Posted by: Rex Mundi   2005-03-25 4:05:31 PM  

#16  There is a report that there is a hearing going on in Greer's courtromm with a petition "undisclosed contents."

I think the parents might be asking for the right to give her the Roman Catholic "Last Rites", and get her body after death, in exchange for agreeing not to have an autopsy, and file no more motions with Greer.

Its only a guess...

If this is the case, and Greer refuses, it will get VERY UGLY.
Posted by: BigEd   2005-03-25 4:03:45 PM  

#15  I'm suggesting the arrogance of the judiciary will someday cause aggrieved to take things into their own hands. Congress and the Executive need to bitch slap the "living constitution activists" back into their role as arbitrater of law, not creator. Our three branch system is out of kilter
Posted by: Frank G   2005-03-25 4:02:06 PM  

#14  Frank G - Your remark only hurts the cause. Don't suggest that...

However, "husband" has a restraining order for posession of her body after she dies for cremation. I'm not suggesting this but, what if there was enough people who acted with civil disobediance at the hospice.

Wouldn't that look "good" on evening TV if you had say 10,000 to 20,000 people who wouldn't let the undertaker in. "Judge. Are you going to enforce that order? I want to watch." Why does he want her cremated so fast. Enquiring minds want to know. I understand the "rule of law", etc. But Egomaniac Greer might be too stupid to realize what he would set in motion by sending in police, many of whom agree with the protestors, and although sworn, would not be willing to physically intervene, only contain the crowd at the perimiter...

Greer would then ask Jeb to send in the state police. Jeb would say this is a peaceful demonstration, I have no power to that because these people have 1st amendment rights. Then the judge say, "I issue an order for you to send in the state police." Jeb says, "This is a seperation of powers issue." Greer says, "OK I issue the order to the chief of the state police."
The chief says, "Do you want me to use violence against peaceful demonstrators?" Greer "Do what you have to do." The state police chief sends in a squad.... I would imagine some of them would balk at using violence unless someone in the crowd acted improperly...

Everyone understand where I am going with this?
Posted by: BigEd   2005-03-25 3:45:22 PM  

#13  "That's two things Nadir has done right in his lifetime"

There is another: Nader served honorably in the peacetime US Army during the 1950s.
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2005-03-25 3:22:01 PM  

#12  hmmmm Judge Greer, sleep well at night? Wanna let everyone know where you live?
Posted by: Frank G   2005-03-25 3:20:28 PM  

#11  Nader has always been a loose cannon for the left axis, no ideological discipline at all. This is perhaps because the guy actually means what he says. The Schiavo case is about another long step in the power-seeker lobby's long-running effort to gain absolute mastery over its fellow humans. Make no mistake, this is about authoritarianism, the life and death authority of credentialed professionals eclipsing traditional concepts of autonomy and the sanctity of life.
From the original nanny state, the Kaiser's Germany, to Stalin's gulags, Pol Pot's massacres, and the Islamofascist monsters, the "liberal" elite have had an unvarying affinity for the arbitrary power to kill.
Religious believers would argue that giving Terri Schiavo the benefit of the doubt is consistent with the immutable laws of God. As an agnostic, I would argue that doing so is consistent with the traits that have brought us through a billion years of evolution, the immutable laws of nature.

Whether of God or of nature or of both, the sanctity of life is the paramount law governing our existence as a sentient species.
Disregarding it is the first step on the road to extinction.
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2005-03-25 3:17:47 PM  

#10  Lawyers. Complete lack of respect for thema and the judicial system that it can be twisted to where an abusive ex husband can have teh state execute his former wife in one of the most cruel manners possible.

The following is an absolutely authentic transcript of a court proceeding in the Court of the District of Madrid as related by La Prensa, a famous Spanish daily:

Q: Doctor, before carrying out the autopsy have you checked the heartbeat of the patient?

A: No.

Q: Have you checked the blood pressure?

A: No.

Q: Doctor, have you checked for the signs of breathing?

A: No.

Q: Then it is possible that the patient was alive at the time of autopsy?

A: No.

Q: Doctor, how can you be so sure?

A: Because patient's brain was in front of me in a jar on the examination table.

Q: Nevertheless, the patient might have been alive?

A: It's possible that he was alive and practicing as a lawyer somewhere.
Posted by: OldSpook   2005-03-25 3:02:13 PM  

#9  I agree with BigEd. We need to remove some judges at the state and federal level pour encourager les autres.
Posted by: Jackal   2005-03-25 1:26:57 PM  

#8  Darn. That's two things Nadir has done right in his lifetime. The other being the 2000 election.
Posted by: Jackal   2005-03-25 1:24:57 PM  

#7  Terri, Rest in Peace.

All we can do now is get the Florida Legislature to Impeach SIM-Judge (above) and kick his ass off the bench.
Posted by: BigEd   2005-03-25 12:59:39 PM  

#6  eL, arrested for trying to save a dying soul....

The passage is an somber reflection of mortal judges facing the Eternal Judge. Due Process be damned.
Posted by: john   2005-03-25 12:22:57 PM  

#5  Tom : DERANGED SERIAL KILLERS?



Posted by: BigEd   2005-03-25 12:19:23 PM  

#4  John - I think it is exactly that passage that protesters have had in mind as they got arrested trying to bring Terri a cup of water.
Posted by: eLarson   2005-03-25 12:11:09 PM  

#3  If we executed a serial killer on death row by locking him up in a cell and denying him food and water, we would be charged with cruel and unusual punishment, and ACLU lawyers would be all over this case like flies on sh*t.

This Schaivo case stinks. It is my fervant hope that after this thing is done and Terri dies that the Federal Bush Administration gets some US Marshalls together, swoops down on this sh*tty little Florida county and seize all the court records and evidence of the past 15 years. Then turn it over to the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Dept and go after the judge and all the cronies in a civil rights case.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2005-03-25 12:07:38 PM  

#2  Matthew 25:31-46
(HT Bros Judd)
Posted by: john   2005-03-25 11:44:12 AM  

#1  I can't believe it, but I'm aligned with Ralph Nader today. We treat deranged serial killers better than we treat innocents like Terri Schiavo. "Disgusting" is the word that keeps coming into my mind over this. Truly disgusting.
Posted by: Tom   2005-03-25 9:26:04 AM  

00:00