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From: "saveterrislife" <saveterrislife@...>
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Subject: IMPORTANT! READ THIS & MY NEXT POST-TONS OF EVIDENCE 2 COUNTER LIES ABOUT TERRI!
X-Yahoo-Group-Post: member; u=169845270
X-Yahoo-Profile: saveterrislife
BE SURE & READ MY VERY NEXT POST HERE with TONS of EVIDENCE to=20
counteract the VISCIOUS LIES propagated by Michael Schiavo, Michael=20
Schiavo's Attorneys, the complicit propagandists in the mainstream=20
media, including TV, and many others!=20=20
I have 2 websites dedicated to Terri Schindler-Schiavo.=20=20
Extensive evidence & information can be found on my yahoo site,=20
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/saveterrislife/=20
which you can easily find by typing saveterrislife (all one word)=20
into google or yahoo or go to http://www.saveterrislife.com=20=20
There is also a link there to my yahoo site.
Click on any post on my websites and find FAR MORE information,=20
evidence, and links than only what the TITLE of each post states. =
=20
I will be adding much more information to my yahoo website on a=20
frequent basis.=20=20
Keep checking back!
=20
Melissa Roxanne Stanley
saveterrislife
DeLand, Volusia County, Florida
Due to what has been going on with Terri in the last few days, I have=20
been sending a tremendous amount of material out about Terri, but=20
have not had time to post it here yet.=20=20
Therefore, I am going to post material I have been working on today=20
first in my next message, and try to catch up on the rest as soon as=20
I have time.=20=20
I am also working on lots of other things which are very important=20
which could help to save Terri's life, so right now, I have to=20
concentrate on those things first and foremost, as Judge Greer has=20
ordered Terri's tube be removed on March 18th, 2005 at 1:00 PM EST!=20=20
Keep checking back for more info. frequently as I will be updating my=20
site as much as possible.=20=20
BE SURE AND READ MY VERY NEXT *LONG* POST HERE as it will contain=20
TONS of evidence to counteract the VISCIOUS LIES propagated by=20
Michael Schiavo, Michael Schiavo's Attorneys, the complicit=20
propagandists in the mainstream media, including TV, and many=20
others! The PROPAGANDISTS ARE SPINNING LIES FULL TIME that Terri had=20
a heart attack, suffered from bulimia, had a potassium imbalance,=20
electrolyte imbalance, etc. NONE OF THESE THINGS ARE TRUE! They are=20
all HUGE LIES by Michael and Co. and others working with them,=20
including the media, to take the focus off of what happened to Terri=20
on February 25, 1990 and since then!=20=20
They are all just damage control rabbit trails and disinformation=20
benefitting Michael and extremely detrimental to Terri as this is=20
what the public is being fed by the disinformationalists and have for=20
years and years.=20=20
Please read the truth on my site and tell others the truth and refer=20
them to my websites! Please send evidence you find here to others,=20
including the media, the officials, your friends, family, and others!
Thanks for your concern and support for Terri!
By the way, this site is a read-only site devoted to research I have=20
done since September, 2003 regarding Terri.=20=20
The only reason there are 2 members on this website is because yahoo=20
forced me to add another member or they threatened to shut my site=20
down! Therefore, I asked a fellow Terri researcher and advocate to=20
join, but I am the only one who posts information here.=20=20
I plan to be doing more net radio interviews on=20
http://crusaderadio.com in the near future, but it is sometimes not=20
known by me until the night before when I will be asked to go on the=20
air.=20=20
It will most likely be on Mondays and possibly on some Tuesdays when=20
I will be on the air doing more net radio shows about Terri. I will=20
also be talking about new information and things no one else talks=20
about, so keep listening!=20=20
You can click on old posts here about my old net radio shows on=20
crusaderadio.com for more details and links to click on so you can=20
listen!=20
You can check here many times for more information:=20=20
http://vetzine.blogspot.com as the person who owns that blog also=20
hosts the net radio shows I often do about Terri!
I will try to post a notice here to let you know when I will be on so=20
keep checking back! I am sure I will be on again soon since Terri's=20
tube is supposed to be removed in about 3 weeks!
There is soooo much going on in this case it is UNREAL, so rest=20
assured I will be posting it here in the next few days and weeks and=20
thereafter!=20=20
If you'd like to be on my e-mail list, send an e-mail to me at=20
saveterrislife@... and let me know you want to subscribe to my=20
e-mail list regarding Terri. It is different than asking to join my=20
yahoo site, as I do not allow anyone to join my site, because I could=20
not possibly keep track of what might be posted, due to the time=20
factor, and I have to keep my site truthful and accurate! I work to=20
support myself plus work fulltime on trying to get the truth out=20
about Terri! So, pls. be clear in your e-mail that you wish to=20
receive my e-mails about Terri!
Melissa Roxanne Stanley, saveterrislife
____________________________________________________________________
(Note: Over 100,000 People Had Signed As of Last Night (meaning=20
Thursday, 2-24-05)
Melissa Roxanne Stanley / saveterrislife
FORT LAUDERDALE-More than 5,000 people an hour are signing an online
"Petition to Save Terri Schiavo." Schiavo, a 41-year-old brain-
injured
woman who has the capacity to respond to her environment, recognize
voices, and who brightens at the presence of her mother, may be
starved to death by court order, starting today at 5 p.m.=20
"This is one of the strongest responses we have ever seen for an
online petition," said Dr. Gary Cass, Executive Director of the=20
Center for Reclaiming America, which is sponsoring the petition=20
campaign.
"The life of an otherwise healthy 41-year-old woman is in jeopardy
today, and thousands of concerned Americans are pleading for action
from Governor Bush," said Dr. Cass, who will personally deliver the
names on the petition to Gov. Bush and Florida legislative leaders in
Tallahassee on Friday, February 25.=20
The petition urges Governor Bush "to take immediate action to stop=20
the forced starvation of Terri Schiavo," and calls for "legislative,
judicial and executive efforts that will stop the forced starvation=20
of Terri Schiavo."=20
The petition may be accessed at http://www.reclaimamerica.org.
Cass also urged that calls and e-mails on Schiavo's behalf be sent to=20
Florida Governor Jeb Bush (at 850.488.4441 or=20
jeb.bush@...);
Senate President Tom Lee (at 850.487.5072 or
lee.tom.web@...);=20
and House Speaker Allan G. Bense (at 850.488.1450 or
speaker@....)=20
Food and water may be denied to Schiavo beginning today at 5 p.m.,
when an emergency stay of an order to remove her feeding tube will
expire. Michael Schiavo, the estranged husband of Terri Schiavo, has
battled Terri's parents in court for years in an attempt to end her
life. Michael, who has lived for at least nine years with another
woman by whom he has had two children, claims Terri would not have
wished to be kept alive. There is no written request from Terri to
document his claim.=20
"Death by starvation is an extremely cruel and painful ordeal," said
Dr. D. James Kennedy, President and Founder of the Center for
Reclaiming America. "Unless Governor Bush, the Florida legislature,=20
or
a court intervenes, the court-imposed torture of Terri Schiavo will
take 7-10 days and end in what will be a tragic and, mark my words,
criminal death."=20
Human starvation and dehydration is attended by hunger pangs,=20
cracking
of the skin, lips, and tongue; nose bleeds as mucous membranes dry
out; and vomiting as the stomach lining dries out. As the process=20
goes
on, blood pressure drops, the heart rate increases, and blood is
withdrawn from the extremities and redirected toward vital organs.=20
"Thomas Jefferson," Dr. Kennedy noted, "said 'the care of human life
and not its destruction is the first and only object of good
government.' A court order that mandates the cruel and unusual
sentence of death by dehydration has violated the very first purpose
of civil government-the care and defense of life. Governor Bush and
the legislature must act now to protect the life of this defenseless
woman. Along with Dr. Cass, I urge concerned Americans to sign the
Center for Reclaiming America's online petition and to flood Governor
Bush, Senate President Lee, and House Speaker Bense with phone calls
and e-mails on her behalf."=20
To request an interview with Dr. Gary Cass, please contact John Aman
at=20
(954) 334-5330, or CRMNews@....
US Congressional Switchboard Toll-free Numbers
1-877-762-8762
1-800-839-5276
The White House Comment Line: 202-456-1111
The line only accepts calls from 9-5 EST., Monday thru Friday.
A machine will detain you for only a moment and then a pleasant live
operator says "White House Comment Line" and then you can tell=20
her/him
how you feel.
Take Action NOW CALL & EMAIL=20
Please contact Governor Jeb Bush and encourage him to take all
necessary steps to save the life of Terri Schiavo. You may reach him
at: Governor Jeb Bush (850) 488-4441 jeb.bush@... WE CAN
MAKE THIS HAPPEN! CALL, CALL CALL!
Take Action!
Please contact Governor Jeb Bush and encourage him to take all
necessary steps to save the life of Terri Schiavo. You may reach him
at:
Governor Jeb Bush
(850) 488-4441
jeb.bush@...
____________________________________________________________________
100,000 Names on Petition to Save Terri Schiavo to be Delivered to=20
Representative of Gov. Bush in Tallahassee
To: National Desk
Contact: John Aman, of Coral Ridge Ministries, 954-334-5330,=20
CRMNews@...; Tallahassee contact is Lisa Ard, 850-284-
5165
FORT LAUDERDALE, Feb. 24 /Christian Wire Service/ -- Dr. Gary Cass,=20
Executive Director of the Center for Reclaiming America, will deliver=20
the names of 100,000 people who have signed an online petition on=20
behalf of Terri Schiavo at a press conference, Friday, February 25,=20
at 2 p.m. on the Plaza Level of the State Capitol Building in=20
Tallahassee.
Press Conference Details--
When: Friday, February 25, at 2 PM
Where: Plaza Level of Florida State Capitol Building
Who: Dr. Gary Cass, Executive Director of the Center for Reclaiming=20
America
Why: Dr. Cass will deliver the names on petition, generated in just=20
two days, to a representative of the Governor and will address=20
members of the media at the press conference. The petition urges=20
Governor Jeb Bush "to take immediate action to stop the forced=20
starvation of Terri Schiavo." It may be accessed at=20
www.reclaimamerica.org.
"The fact that this petition campaign, which began just yesterday,=20
has generated online signatures at the enormous rate of 5,000 per=20
hour, underscores how passionate people across the nation feel about=20
this issue," said Dr. Cass. "They want to see Terri spared from the=20
cruel and inhumane death by starvation and dehydration that may=20
commence tomorrow at 5 p.m."=20
"We appreciate the energy, concern, and effort which the Governor has=20
already expended in seeking a way to save Terri's live," Cass=20
said. "These petitions demonstrate the fervent concern in Florida and=20
across the nation that Gov. Bush act to save Terri's life."
Cass also urged that calls and e-mails on Schiavo's behalf be sent to=20
Florida Governor Jeb Bush (at 850.488.4441 or=20
jeb.bush@...); Senate President Tom Lee (at 850.487.5072 or=20
lee.tom.web@...); and House Speaker Allan G. Bense (at=20
850.488.1450 or speaker@....)
The Center for Reclaiming America is an outreach of Coral Ridge=20
Ministries, the television and radio ministry of Dr. D. James=20
Kennedy. The Center provides non-partisan, non-denominational=20
information, training, and support to all those interested in=20
positively affecting the culture and renewing the vision of our=20
Founding Fathers, as expressed in America's founding documents. The=20
Center for Reclaiming America is a national grassroots organization=20
with participants in all 50 states.
http://www.earnedmedia.org/crm0224.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Press Release
For Immediate Release - 02-24-2005 4:00 PM (GMT-5)
Associated Press Targets Terri Schiavo
Media repeats misrepresentations in Terri Schiavo case.
Clearwater, FL - On February 24, 2005, Associated Press released a=20
report penned by Vickie Chachere which cited an eating disorder as=20
the cause of Terri Schiavo's mysterious collapse and ensuing brain=20
injury on February 25, 1990.=20=20
Contrary to the account of writer Chachere, there was never a=20
determination by any court nor the Florida Department of Health that=20
Terri Schiavo ever suffered from any eating disorder, bulimia,=20
anorexia or compulsive behavior that would lead to a heart failure at=20
the age of 26.=20=20
Indeed, Florida's Department of Health had completely and absolutely=20
cleared Terri's general practitioner of any negligence or wrong-doing=20
in her case. This was after the physician had been accused by Terri's=20
husband of ignoring evidence of an eating disorder.=20=20
Additionally, at the time of her mysterious medical episode, Terri=20
Schiavo stood 5'3" and weighed somewhere between 115 and 118 pounds -=20
a slim, but normal stature and weight.=20=20
Associated Press writer, Vickie Chachere cites not ONE medical=20
document that would affirm her careless contention that Terri Schiavo=20
was an irresponsible dieter or a compulsive victim of an eating=20
disorder. The Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation asks Ms. Chachere to=20
readily produce the facts upon which she penned such assertions.=20=20
The parents and siblings have repeatedly offered to media and press a=20
copy of a bone scan conducted on Terri Schiavo just one year after=20
her incident that reveals multiple sites of trauma and broken bones=20
throughout Terri's body. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor the=20
media or press have made any effort to investigate why Terri=20
Schiavo's body was seemingly broken by battery.=20=20
Instead, they perpetuate the unsubstantiated claims that Terri=20
Schiavo suffered from an eating disorder that rendered her healthy,=20
26 year-old heart incapable of carrying on.=20=20
Statement of Robert Schindler, Terri's' Father: ""This is a=20
slanderous accusation against my daughter with no basis in fact.=20=20
Certain members of the press seem determined to spread misinformation=20
to kill Terri."=20=20
The Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation is calling upon all of media=20
and press to take up the task of investigating allegations of serious=20
abuse against Terri Schiavo as are evidenced in the 1991 bone scan=20
and well as ongoing violations against Terri under Florida's=20
Guardianship Statutes.=20=20
http://terrisfight.org
____________________________________________________________________
Much evidence can be found here that I provided, which was NOT=20
included, by the writer, in an article about Michael:
Michael Schiavo: Loving Husband Or MONSTER?
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/saveterrislife/message/65
____________________________________________________________________
US Congressional Switchboard Toll-free Numbers
1-877-762-8762
1-800-839-5276
The White House Comment Line: 202-456-1111
The line only accepts calls from 9-5 EST., Monday thru Friday.
A machine will detain you for only a moment and then a pleasant live=20
operator says "White House Comment Line" and then you can tell=20
her/him how you feel.
=20
Take Action NOW CALL & EMAIL=20
Please contact Governor Jeb Bush and encourage him to take all=20
necessary steps to save the life of Terri Schiavo. You may reach him=20
at:
Governor Jeb Bush
(850) 488-4441
jeb.bush@...
WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN!
CALL, CALL CALL!
=20
Take Action!
Please contact Governor Jeb Bush and encourage him to take all=20
necessary steps to save the life of Terri Schiavo. You may reach him=20
at:
Governor Jeb Bush
(850) 488-4441
jeb.bush@...
____________________________________________________________________
----- Original Message -----=20
From: saveterrislife=20
To: jgrogan@...=20
Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2005 2:50 AM
Subject: Columnist John Grogan Changes Mind About Terri Schiavo!
Philly columnist changes mind on Terri Schiavo=20
'Uncomfortable details' lead him to side with her parents=20
=20
Posted: February 26, 2005=20
=A9 2005 WorldNetDaily.com=20
A Philadelphia Inquirer columnist who believes in the "right to die"=20
has changed his mind about the Terri Schiavo case, pointing=20
to "uncomfortable details" about her estranged husband that now lead=20
him to side with the parents of the brain-damaged Florida woman, who=20
are fighting to keep her alive.=20
John Grogan said in a column published today, "I no longer so=20
blithely believe Schiavo's feeding tubes should be pulled and her=20
life allowed to end. I'm no longer so sure her parents do not deserve=20
a say in their daughter's future. I no longer am totally comfortable=20
assuming her husband, Michael, who now has two children by another=20
woman, is acting unselfishly."=20
Michael Schiavo has been living with his fiance Jodi Centonze since=20
1995 and has said he will marry her upon the death of his wife.=20
Grogan said he hasn't changed his opinion that everyone has a right=20
to "die with dignity," but he believes that in the Schiavo case,=20
the "devil is in the details, uncomfortable details that raise sticky=20
moral dilemmas."=20
Terri Schiavo suffered severe brain damage in 1990 after collapsing.=20
Michael Schiavo attributes it to a chemical imbalance caused by an=20
eating disorder, but parents Robert and Mary Schindler believe he may=20
have tried to strangle her.=20
Michael Schiavo contends his wife told him she never would want to be=20
kept alive artificially.=20
But Grogan points out Terri Schiavo's heart and lungs function on=20
their own, and she requires only a feeding tube that might not be=20
necessary if she were given physical therapy.=20
The columnist notes Michael Schiavo, as her legal guardian, has=20
forbidden any therapy.=20
"If [Terri] Schiavo merely required spoon feeding instead of tube=20
feeding, would anyone seriously be arguing to withhold food and=20
water?" Grogan asked. "Does not every human, no matter how=20
incapacitated, deserve sustenance?"=20
Grogan also is concerned about abuse allegations against Michael=20
Schiavo and believes they should be investigated.=20
The allegations "may be nothing but scurrilous rumor spread to damage=20
his credibility," he wrote. "But what if there is even a tiny chance=20
he is guilty of abuse? Should such a person be in a position to=20
decide this life-and-death issue?"=20
When it comes to who is best to decide, Grogan wrote, it's clear that=20
Terri Schiavo's parents "have proved themselves nothing if not=20
fiercely loyal, utterly committed parents. They might be misguided.=20
They might be in denial. But no one can argue their devotion. They=20
have not given up. They have not stopped caring. They have not=20
stopped loving. Who are we, as a society, to tell them they must?=20
Grogan concluded:=20
Clearly, Schiavo's husband has moved on to a new life, and who can=20
blame him? It's been 15 long years. But parents cannot move on.=20
Parents cannot give up. Their child will always be the precious gift=20
they brought into the world.=20
If the Schindlers want to dedicate the rest of their lives and=20
resources to caring for their brain-damaged daughter, if they want to=20
shower her with attention and affection she likely will never=20
recognize, who among us will tell them they cannot=20
It won't be me.=20
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D43039
=20
=20
Court documents and other information are posted on the=20
Schindler family website http://www.terrisfight.org.=20
Links to all "Terri briefs" regarding the governor's defense of=20
Terri's Law are on the Florida Supreme Court website, public=20
information.=20
Recent stories:=20
Terri Schiavo's life in balance again=20
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D43026
Stay extended in Schiavo case=20
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D43006
Clock running out for Terri Schiavo=20
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D42998
U.S. Supreme Court refuses Schiavo case=20
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D42527
Terri Schiavo saved again=20
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D41151
Judge spares Terri Schiavo =AD for now=20
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D41111
'Terri's Law' struck down=20
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D40594
Florida high court hears 'Terri's Law'=20
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D40242
Recent commentaries:=20
Supreme ignorance=20
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D40619
A right to live ... not to be killed
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D40641
Read WorldNetDaily's unparalleled, in-depth coverage of the life-and-
death fight over Terri Schiavo.
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D35305
=20
=20
=20
Philly columnist changes mind on Terri Schiavo=20
'Uncomfortable details' lead him to side with her parents=20
=20
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=3D43039
Praise God John Grogan woke up about Terri! Others are also waking=20
up! We must keep getting the evidence and the truth out to the=20
people and telling everyone we meet the truth about Terri. I do, and=20
I am sure many of you do the same. In addition to the radio shows=20
about Terri I have done many times, I have told people I have just=20
met, people who have come to fix my computer (several different=20
technicians), my friends, my family, my clients, people at the salon=20
I go to, people where I live, and you can do the same!=20=20=20
=20
If you have only told your family and friends, try talking to=20
others. I tell people as much as I can as fast as I can. You can=20
also call in to talk radio shows, net radio shows, television shows=20
and write e-mails to everyone including the media, officials, people=20
you know, etc.=20=20
=20
We ARE making a difference and we CANNOT stop now. Terri's life is=20
still in GRAVE DANGER and so are the lives of SO MANY OTHERS who=20
could be next, including ANY OF US and our friends and family=20
members!=20=20
=20
Please REMEMBER people CAN and DO change their minds, just like John=20
Grogan did! I pray he will change his mind about more than just=20
Terri, but I am very grateful he came forward and wrote the article=20
that he did. I commend him for having the courage to do so!=20=20
=20
Please pray for John Grogan, others who have not woken up, and those=20
who want Terri to be killed.=20=20
=20
Most of all, please pray for Terri and her loving family, who have=20
been through so much more than we can ever imagine for so very=20
long.=20=20=20=20
=20
Melissa Stanley
=20
=20
=20
Here is the new article John Grogan wrote and I was just, (as of 2:44=20
AM EST), finally able to read it after much trouble getting into the=20
website. The page of "special offers" which is supposed to appear,=20
per the site, once you join, would not work, therefore I could not=20
join, however, it let me see the article hours later, after I was=20
able to change my password. (I had actually joined long ago, back in=20
2003). Now that I have finally read John Grogan's newest article on=20
Terri, I see that John still does not have all of the facts and is=20
putting out inaccurate information about Terri. I will attempt to=20
call him regarding this as well as e-mailing him. I implore all of=20
you who know the truth and the know the evidence to do the same=20
asap. Melissa
=20
=20
=20
Posted on Fri, Feb. 25, 2005=20=20
=20
John Grogan | Second thoughts on Terri Schiavo
By John Grogan
Inquirer Columnist
Sometimes even newspaper columnists change their minds.
In the matter of Terri Schiavo, the permanently brain-damaged former=20
suburban Philadelphia woman caught in a life-and-death tug-of-war,=20
this columnist has changed his.
I no longer so blithely believe Schiavo's feeding tubes should be=20
pulled and her life allowed to end. I'm no longer so sure her parents=20
do not deserve a say in their daughter's future. I no longer am=20
totally comfortable assuming her husband, Michael, who now has two=20
children by another woman, is acting unselfishly.
That's not to say I have changed my opinion about the right of all of=20
us to die with dignity when life has lost all meaning. But for Terri=20
Schiavo, who lingers in a Florida nursing home, the devil is in the=20
details, uncomfortable details that raise sticky moral dilemmas.
Detail 1: Terry Schiavo is not dying. She is not being kept alive=20
artificially. Her heart beats and lungs breathe without help. She=20
cannot swallow food or water. Once the feeding tube is removed, she=20
would slowly starve to death over days or weeks.
Detail 2: Schiavo is not comatose. Her eyes open, and she sometimes=20
responds to stimuli. Doctors say there is no brain activity and her=20
responses are simply reflexive. Her parents, Robert and Mary=20
Schindler, want to believe otherwise.
Unanswered questions
Detail 3: The Schindlers think their daughter could benefit from=20
physical therapy and might someday swallow on her own, but her=20
husband, as her legal guardian, reportedly will not allow it. Which=20
leads to an equally uncomfortable question: If Schiavo merely=20
required spoon feeding instead of tube feeding, would anyone=20
seriously be arguing to withhold food and water? Does not every=20
human, no matter how incapacitated, deserve sustenance?
Detail 4: Unproven allegations that Schiavo might have suffered=20
physical trauma immediately before her heart stopped for several=20
minutes in 1990, leading to brain damage, have not been fully=20
investigated. The Schindlers have long suggested their son-in-law=20
strangled their daughter; Michael Schiavo's lawyer says the abuse=20
allegations have never been substantiated. Before pulling the plug on=20
this woman, don't these questions need to be fully answered?
The abuse allegations against Michael Schiavo may be nothing but=20
scurrilous rumor spread to damage his credibility. But what if there=20
is even a tiny chance he is guilty of abuse? Should such a person be=20
in a position to decide this life-and-death issue?
Last month, I wrote that Michael Schiavo's wish should be granted and=20
his wife allowed to die rather than suffer for years in what the=20
courts have deemed a "persistent vegetative state." I still believe=20
Terri Schiavo, if she were aware today, would instruct us to not make=20
her linger on like this.
Undisputed devotion
But she is not aware and left no written directives. So we are left=20
to guess her wishes. Last month, I said we could look inside our own=20
hearts and know what she would want. Today, with the latest stay=20
barring the removal of the feeding tube set to expire in hours, I am=20
less confident making such assumptions.
Who best to decide? In the murky mess that this case has become, we=20
are left with one unwavering truth: Over the last seven years of=20
fighting, Terri Schiavo's parents have proved themselves nothing if=20
not fiercely loyal, utterly committed parents. They might be=20
misguided. They might be in denial. But no one can argue their=20
devotion. They have not given up. They have not stopped caring. They=20
have not stopped loving. Who are we, as a society, to tell them they=20
must?
Clearly, Schiavo's husband has moved on to a new life, and who can=20
blame him? It's been 15 long years. But parents cannot move on.=20
Parents cannot give up. Their child will always be the precious gift=20
they brought into the world.
If the Schindlers want to dedicate the rest of their lives and=20
resources to caring for their brain-damaged daughter, if they want to=20
shower her with attention and affection she likely will never=20
recognize, who among us will tell them they cannot?
It won't be me.
=20
Contact John Grogan at 610-313-8132 or jgrogan@....=20
Read his recent work at http://go.philly.com/grogan.=20=20
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http://philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/pennsylvania/10985482
.htm?template=3DcontentModules/printstory.jsp
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Here's the older article John Grogan wrote about Terri:
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Posted on Mon, Jan. 31, 2005
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Just what life is being prolonged?
By John Grogan
Inquirer Columnist
For Terri Schiavo, there are no happy endings, only degrees of=20
sadness.
Her once-bright life has come down to two heartbreakingly bleak=20
choices: to live, if you can call it that, in what the courts have=20
determined is a "persistent vegetative state." Or to die.
If Schiavo could somehow make her wishes known, I have to believe she=20
would choose the latter - a peaceful death over a life sentence of=20
endless, unconscious tomorrows.
But the former suburban Philadelphia woman cannot and did not give=20
direction. And thus this anguished national debate.
Schiavo, who grew up in Huntingdon Valley, suffered brain damage in=20
1990 when her heart stopped as a result of an eating disorder. She=20
has been nonresponsive ever since and, unable to swallow, is kept=20
alive in a Florida nursing home with a feeding and hydration tube.
Her condition has left those who love her bitterly divided. Her=20
husband, Michael, formerly of Bucks County, has fought to let his=20
wife die with dignity. He says she made it clear to him she never=20
would want to exist like this, tethered to a machine with no hope of=20
recovery.
Her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, have fought just as fiercely to=20
keep her alive. They accuse the husband of being driven by greed and=20
a desire to remarry.
A political end-run
The case has wound through the courts and back again. After the=20
judiciary repeatedly sided with the husband, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush,=20
the president's brother, and his allies pushed through the state=20
legislature a special bill, "Terri's Law," designed specifically to=20
prevent Michael Schiavo from removing the feeding tube. A life was=20
being used to push political agendas.
The U.S. Supreme Court last week refused to overturn a lower court=20
ruling that struck down Terri's Law, but that has not deterred her=20
parents, who vow to keep battling on other fronts.
For Terri, now 41 and blessedly unaware of the ugly and very public=20
family feud her condition has spurred, there is no end in sight. My=20
sense is both sides are driven by pure intentions. Michael Schiavo=20
does not want to see his wife's suffering prolonged.
Her parents cling to hope against all odds, as parents are meant to=20
do. They see glimmers of life behind the blank stares. They believe=20
their daughter still exists in there, just waiting to be freed. Her=20
doctors say otherwise.
The fact that Terri Schiavo left no written instructions greatly=20
complicates the debate. And yet we are not without clues.
Absent a written directive, we have the husband's word. And we have=20
our own common sense and decency. We each can ask ourselves, If it=20
were me, what would I want?
Is there anyone among us who would answer truthfully: "Yes, I would=20
choose to linger for years, decades, in a vegetative state with no=20
hope of ever regaining consciousness?"
Alarmist malarkey
What would a reasonable person want from such a tragic turn of=20
events? The answer seems obvious: Not to be kept lingering in a=20
permanent comatose state, unaware of yourself or your surroundings,=20
with no chance for recovery.
The right-to-life camp has wrapped itself around the Schiavo case,=20
and its members paint alarmist "slippery slope" scenarios that are=20
shameful in their deceit. To hear them spin it, if Terri is allowed=20
to die, then next we will be rounding up and mass euthanizing all=20
whom society does not value - the elderly, the handicapped, the=20
mentally diminished, the homeless.
Pure nonsense.
This wrenching case is not, as Terri's parents claim, about "judicial=20
homicide." The courts are not killing anyone. They are merely=20
attempting to determine Terri Schiavo's chances for a meaningful=20
recovery (none) and what she would want.
This is about honoring a woman's wishes. She did not write down=20
exactly what those wishes are. But we can peer inside our own hearts=20
and know without qualm what Terri Schiavo would want. It would not be=20
the perpetual and pointless purgatory known by that sterile and=20
inadequate term, "persistent vegetative state."
That is no life at all.
Contact John Grogan at 610-313-8132=20
or jgrogan@....=20
Read his recent work at=20
http://go.philly.com/grogan.=20
=20
http://kentucky.com/mld/philly/news/10777048.htm?
template=3DcontentModules/printstory.jsp
=20
=20
=20
Posted on Tue, Jan. 11, 2005=20=20
=20
Are we 'proudly gruff' - or what?
By John Grogan
Inquirer Columnist
The female caller on my answering machine wanted me to know she=20
usually enjoyed my column. "I'm probably your No. 1 fan," she said.
But on this day, she was anything but thrilled. In fact, she was=20
downright grumpy. And it all had to do with two little=20
words: "proudly gruff."
As I am slowly figuring out in life, it's the little things that get=20
under people's skin.
"I don't understand how you can say proudly gruff," she=20
carped. "Gruff would have been bad enough, but proudly gruff?"
It's true. I, indeed, had used the words to describe the demeanor of=20
the people of this great region.
The two words were part of a column I wrote last month describing a=20
Good Samaritan tow-truck driver who came to the rescue of a couple=20
lost near Philadelphia International Airport and in desperate need of=20
a hospital. The tow-truck driver could have ignored them. Instead he=20
led them through rush-hour traffic to medical help, possibly saving=20
the wife, who had suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm.
The tow operator's actions, I wrote, "served as a reminder to us all=20
that even in a city as proudly gruff as Philadelphia... there are=20
still those knights among us who don't hesitate to come to the=20
rescue."
It didn't seem all that seditious to me, but No. 1 Fan considered the=20
remark an act of heresy.
No dissin' my hometown
"Philadelphia is the greatest city in the world. I've always believed=20
it, I always will," she said. "The people in Philadelphia are=20
marvelous; they are outstanding; they care about each other. They=20
talk to each other, waiting for a bus, standing in a supermarket=20
line, anywhere. Philadelphians are wonderful. We're not gruff at all,=20
and if we were gruff, we wouldn't be proudly."
Wow! Somebody sign this woman up with the tourism council.
I was pondering her reaction, wondering whether I had been unfair to=20
the good people of this region, when a second voice message came in.=20
It was No. 1 Fan again, and she had been doing some homework.
"I got out the dictionary," she said, "and under gruff it lists=20
harsh, brusque, markedly impolite in a manner of speech, lack of=20
civility, calculated rudeness... curt in manner, discourteous, blunt."
Hey, what about cantankerous?
After all, this is the home of the famous one-finger Philly Salute,=20
given each morning on the inbound Schuylkill. The place where Santa=20
got booed. The place tied with Detroit (my hometown!) for having the=20
country's rowdiest sports fans. The surly union town, home of bare-
knuckles politics, where men greet each other with the odd, guttural=20
grunt: Aye, Ow youse dune?
If anything, "proudly gruff" was a bit of an understatement.
But my No. 1 Fan was not buying my thinking. She ended with: "I've=20
traveled all around the country. I've lived in different cities. And=20
there's no city with people like Philadelphians."
No argument there.
Land of friendly faces
Actually, my caller makes a point. In my five years in the region,=20
I've met more kind and decent people than I can count. That's not to=20
say they weren't gruff - and proud of it.
My No. 1 Fan did not leave her name or number, but I want her to know=20
I'm open to the possibility that, as a relative newcomer with=20
sensibilities rooted in the Milquetoast Midwest, my perception might=20
be wrong.
My caller requested an apology, but I'm going to do even better. I'm=20
going to let the people of Greater Philadelphia - that means you,=20
too, South Jersey and the Pennsylvania suburbs - decide for=20
themselves.
Yes, folks, I'm suffering post-election poll withdrawal. So I'm=20
conducting one of my own.
So give it up, Greater Philly: What are we? Proudly gruff or=20
something else? Something more genteel? Look at the definition above=20
and tell me whether I was too harsh in describing the cheery denizens=20
of this gentle land.
And, if we are not proudly gruff, tell me what words would better=20
describe us. I'll even say please. You may vote by e-mail or phone=20
(contact info below), and I will report the highly unscientific=20
results in a future column.
Rise up and be heard, people. Not that that's ever been a problem.
Contact John Grogan at 610-313-8132 or jgrogan@.... Read=20
his recent work at http://go.philly.com/grogan.=20=20
(RISE UP AND BE HEARD ABOUT TERRI SCHINDLER-SCHIAVO, PEOPLE! MELISSA)
=20=20
=20
About John Grogan
John Grogan joined the Inquirer in November 2002 as the Pennsylvania=20
metro columnist. He is a former metropolitan columnist and urban-
sprawl reporter for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in Fort=20
Lauderdale, where his work won several national and state awards,=20
including the National Press Club's Consumer Journalism Award. From=20
1999 - 2002, he served as editor of Organic Gardening, a Rodale Inc.=20
magazine based in Emmaus, Pa.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Click here to read and post messages on John=20
Grogan's forum page. John monitors this forum daily and occasionally=20
drops in to comment.=20=20
http://forums.prospero.com/kr-inq_columns/start (This link is not=20
working at this time. Melissa)
His column runs on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. He can be reached=20
at jgrogan@....
=20
=20
LATEST COLUMN=20=20=20=20
=20=20
=20
John Grogan | Second thoughts on Terri Schiavo
Sometimes even newspaper columnists change their minds. In the matter=20
of Terri Schiavo, the permanently brain-damaged former suburban=20
Philadelphia woman caught in a life-and-death tug-of-war, this=20
columnist has changed his.
By John Grogan / Inquirer Columnist
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
**** =
=20
=20=20=20=20=20=20
***** =
=20
*****=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20
I am opposed to receiving unwanted e-mails. If you do not wish to=20
receive e-mails from me, please send an e-mail to me with UNSUBSCRIBE=20
in the subject line, (from the e-mail address you want me to remove),=20
and I will remove that address from my list as soon as possible.=20=20
=20
I have 2 websites dedicated to Terri Schindler-Schiavo.=20=20
=20
Extensive evidence & information can be found on my yahoo site,=20
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/saveterrislife/=20
which you can easily find by typing saveterrislife (all one word)=20
into google or yahoo or go to http://www.saveterrislife.com=20=20
There is also a link there to my yahoo site.
=20
Click on any post on my websites and find FAR MORE information,=20
evidence, and links than only what the TITLE of each post states. =
=20
=20
Melissa Roxanne Stanley
saveterrislife
DeLand, Volusia County, Florida
I have 2 websites dedicated to Terri Schindler-Schiavo.=20=20
Extensive evidence & information can be found on my yahoo site,=20
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/saveterrislife/=20
which you can easily find by typing saveterrislife (all one word)=20
into google or yahoo or go to http://www.saveterrislife.com=20=20
There is also a link there to my yahoo site.
Click on any post on my websites and find FAR MORE information,=20
evidence, and links than only what the TITLE of each post states. =
=20
I will be adding much more information to my yahoo website on a=20
frequent basis.=20=20
Keep checking back!
=20
Melissa Roxanne Stanley
saveterrislife
DeLand, Volusia County, Florida
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