Fla. Woman's Feeding Tube to Stay in Place

3 minutes ago

U.S. National - AP

TAMPA, Fla. - A judge on Friday extended for three weeks a court order keeping Terri Schiavo's feeding tube in place, the latest in a series of legal developments in the bitter right-to-die case.

Pinellas Circuit Court Judge George Greer made his decision after pleadings from the woman's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, that they need more time to pursue additional medical tests which might prove their brain-damaged daughter has more mental capabilities than previously thought.

The woman's husband, Michael Schiavo, says he is seeking to carry out his wife's wishes not to be kept alive artificially.

THE CATHOLIC ADVOCATE:
Vol. 13 No. 5/6
JUNE/JULY 2004

THE END GAME - Why Terri Schiavo Has To Die

The time-line for the Terri Schiavo case begins in February 1990 and continues up to May 2004. For 14 long years, the Schindler family have fought an agonizing battle for the life of their child, who unexplainably collapsed after a mysterious incident at her home.

For every one of those years estranged husband Michael has fought just as hard to have his wife put to death by a court ordered starvation/dehydration. Terri has no living will, does not have a terminal illness. One has to wonder why? Is there money involved? The husband claims the judicial award of $700,000 is gone.

Is it love? Michael claims Terri wouldn’t want to live with the brain damage that has handicapped her, however, his hear-say evidence of her wishes came only after the malpractice suit monetary award was announced. Michael’s loving “devotion” is somewhat marred by the fact that he now lives with another woman with whom he has sired two children.

What is the motive behind the restaurateur turned physical therapist turned nurse who passionately pursues his wife’s death? Many wonder. Could Michael Schiavo be a pawn, a pawn in a much larger game being played for much higher stakes?

Enter one George Felos, a kind of weird, yoga practicing guru lawyer yer who is fixated on helping people die. Felos, a board member of the Hospice, has U. S. Dollar visions, ideation that figures on book signings and movie rights once Terri is dead. Not to mention all the fame and fortune that will accrue to the man who finally overturns the law that protects the handicapped, the elderly, and the terminally ill’s opportunity to live until they die – by natural means.

When the gavel finally sounds that makes legal the whim of the courts to adjudge that a human person may be eliminated, by active or passive euthanasia, it will do so with the same language unearthed in the Constitution that has legally murdered 46,000,000 innocent unborn, the right to privacy.

Few people realize that every single FL institution, (Governor Bush excluded), every legal, judicial, medical, societal, journalistic and even religious, from the office of Attorney General Charlie Crist on down through the ranks to the local police department, is arrayed against this woman. This is a big case. Whatever happens to Terri has the potential to affect the entire U. S. population, a fact few people realize.

Death in America

In 1994, emigree billionaire Geroge Soros wrote a check for $15 million to finance the Project on Death in America (PDIA). Its goal was to “transform the culture of death in the United States.” By 2003 when the PDIA ended its grant making and closed the program, it had distributed $45 million to organization and individuals working on end-of-life issues. Altho, the project is closed the work goes on. Is a large part of that work to make doctor-assisted suicide legal? It would seem so.

In 1991, Dereck Humphrey wrote euthanasia’s most famous textbook, Final Exit and embarked on a career to further the cause of “death with dignity.” (Allegedly, Felos and Michael attempted to use some of the protocol found in Final Exit on Terri). Soros and Humphrey were on the same wave link and in 1997, Oregon became the first state to legalize physician-assisted suicide.

On the May 18th Fox News O’Reilly show, investigative reporter and best selling author Richard Poe gave an expose on Soros. Poe claims Soros is a maniacal figure who fancies himself as a New Age Messiah and that his philanthropy funds abortion, atheism, drug legalization, sex education, gay marriage, and globalization. He is out to destroy America as we know it, says Poe. In a Newmax cover story, Poe writes of the dark purpose behind Soros’ $200-million “Project on Death” program. Soros, who authored The Bubble of American Supremacy, is bankrolling the Democratic party’s attempt to unseat President Bush. Militantly anti-religious, Soroswrites that "devout believers of any sort are idiots who shouldn't hold public office."

The sophisticated scene of international intrigue and politics, of Dereck Humpfrey, Newsmax and George Soros, is a far cry from the town of Clearwater, Florida formerly filled with shuffleboard courts and known as a favored retirement destination for “snow- birds.” But just as Clearwater has changed, the prospects for longevity for the elderly and handicapped may be changing also. In what can only be regarded as a strange turn of events, the hitherto unknown case of a Florida woman, Terri Schiavo, leapt off the pages of the hometown newspaper onto the spotlight of the national news.

The facts are tailor made for sensationalism: the husband is suspected of abuse; the parents tenaciously cling to Terri’s chance to live. After six days of court ordered starvation, the governor of the state ordered a previously removed feeding tube re-inserted, the legislature was called into emergency session to enact “Terri’s Law,” and the story went nationwide.

The media consistently reports on the case, mostly inaccurately. However the situation is so fraught with insanely unending moves by husband Michael that CNN’s Kate O’ Beirne named Michael Schiavo’s 55 day ban on visitation rights for Terri’s parents, the “Outrage of the Week” on CNN’s Capital Gang, May 22, 2004. (Michael lifted the ban on May 25th).

With all the notoriety the Terri Schiavo case has attained, it would be foolish to suggest that the anti-life forces are not passionately interested in its outcome. The nearly unbroken line of public figures trying to kill Terri make it a certainty.

Attorney General Crist: Rubbing his hands together, Crist, who has his eye on the governor’s seat, says, “I can do nothing.”

Senator Jim King: Remarking on the passage of Terri’s Law, which he originally upheld, Sen. King said, it was "probably one of the worst votes that I've ever done." King opined he wouldn’t want his “legacy” (of passing death-enhancing laws), to be ruined by the Schiavo case. The Hemlock Society applauded Hospice board member King.

Campaign Finance: Sen. King’s campaign contributors include Richard M Jerger Jr., the same name and address as listed on Jerger & Centonze Insurance. Jodi Centonze is Michael’s girlfriend. Why were they contributing to King when they live in another district?

Judge Douglas Baird: On May 6, Pinellas Circuit County judge W. Douglas Baird ruled Terri’s Law unconstitutional. Baird’s ruling was based what he said was the unconstitutional delegation of legislative power to the governor because it unjustifiably authorizes the governor to summarily deprive Florida citizens of their constitutional right to privacy.”

Bishop Robert N. Lynch: Terri’s Catholic bishop has never made a clear, unequivocal appeal for her life, despite a recent document from the Pope disallowing death by starvation/dehydration.

Campaign Finance: The law firm employed by both the St. Petersburg and Venice Diocese is DiVito and Higham. Allegedly, Joseph DiVito is a personal friend of Bishop Lynch and has contributed to the re-election campaign of Judge Greer.

Judge Greer: Judge’s Greer’s rulings include: imposing visitation restrictions, refusing to allow swallowing tests, refusing to look at evidence, disregarding Michael’s guardianship omissions and failures, and repeatedly ordering Terri’s feeding tube removed. Greer appears totally locked in to supporting Michael Schiavo.

Michael too is desperate. In one of his characteristic acts of cruelty he recently had five of Terri’s teeth pulled after a decade of omitted dental care. By submitting her to 55 days of isolation from her family was he hoping to drive her into despair for being abandoned?

So, what’s gone wrong here? The end game isn’t proceeding as plan- ned, as carefully constructed and carried out by the major players. Not yet, anyway. And why does that “brain-dead vegetable,” Terri Schiavo, gurgle and smile and show utter delight when her mother and father finally regain their visitation rights for one hour on a Sunday afternoon?

Is Terri’s smile, Terri’s motions just involuntary muscle responses, a jerking of the nerves? Or could it be the indomitable spirit to live — because one is loved? For love, or the lack of it, is after all the end game