Sunday, March 20, 2005

 

The Courage of Michael Schiavo

Considering all the political pandering surrounding the Terri Schiavo spectacle, her husband makes a courageous demand when he says,"Come down, President Bush"
Angered by the latest political developments in Washington, Michael Schiavo said Saturday that it isn't just the Florida governor who should visit his wife to learn about the case.

Jeb Bush's brother, President Bush, should visit Terri Schiavo, too, he said.

"Come down, President Bush," Schiavo said in a telephone interview. "Come talk to me. Meet my wife. Talk to my wife and see if you get an answer. Ask her to lift her arm to shake your hand. She won't do it."

She won't, Schiavo said, because she can't.

He made a similar offer to the governor last week, saying lawmakers interferring in his wife's life know nothing about the case. So far, Gov. Bush hasn't responded to the offer.

President Bush has indicated he will sign any federal legislation to keep Terri Schiavo alive.

Weary after an emotional visit with his wife, Schiavo said he is astonished that politicians want to interfere in such a private matter.

"Instead of worrying about my wife, who was granted her wishes by the state courts the past seven years, they should worry about the pedophiles killing young girls," Schiavo said, referring to a local case. "Why doesn't Congress worry about people not having health insurance? Or the budget? Let's talk about all the children who don't have homes."

He said U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who is leading a charge to extend Terri Schiavo's life, is a "little slithering snake" pandering for votes.

"To make comments that Terri would want to live, how do they know?" Schiavo said of the members of Congress who want to keep his wife alive.

"Have they ever met her?" Schiavo said. "What color are her eyes? What's her middle name? What's her favorite color? They don't have any clue who Terri is. They should all be ashamed of themselves." (More)


It is tragic really. For Michael Schiavo his wife died 15 years ago and he has been trying to fulfill her wishes of a death with dignity. Instead it has become a political issue which extremists are using to bludgeon their opponents and score political points.

Comments:
It is so hard to see Michael Schiavo on the news or read about him online. Where does he find the strength to get up in the morning? And how many times should one person have to tell the American people his life is none of our business?
 
I feel sure Michael Schiavo (as a nurse) should have known that Terri was not in a PVS. Did you ever
see the sweet picture of Terri
and Michael after the accident on
the internet? It's easy to find.
Google and check out the images
option. Was he cuddling a "vegetable?"
Stronger evidence against any
sympathy for Michael's opinion,
was available until recently on
the Terrisfight website. I
was skeptical of reports of Terri
speaking, but when I was able to
understand her on first hearing
I knew very well that she was
not in a PVS. She was
cognizant to a degree and She died in a horrible manner. The
comparasions to Nazi barbaric acts are
understandable.
I wonder if her birth family
had pursued options like Gaze-assisted technology, and aggressive
speech therapy if Michael would
have been relieved of his
guardianship at an earlier date-
technology that would have
allowed Terri to spell out what
she thought of her husband and
your opinion of him.
R, RN
 
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