Blogswarm on Terri Schiavo Case

Ok, in the essence of brievity and time, here's a link where you can find newspapers, radio stations, tv stations, etc. by state. Please, please call anyone, write anyone you can.

http://newslink.org/

I'm going to be posting phone numbers for major media. Please start dialing now to let your voice be heard.

Here's a start:

NBC News -- Headquarters
Website: www.msnbc.com/news
Phone: (212) 664-4444
Fax: (201) 583-5453
Address: 30 Rockefeller Plz New York, NY 10112

CBS News -- Headquarters
Website: www.cbsnews.com
Phone: (212) 975-4321
Fax: (212) 975-1893
Address: 524 W 57th St New York, NY 10019

CNN News Group -- Headquarters
Website: www.cnn.com
Phone: (404) 827-1500
Fax: (404) 878-0891
Address: One CNN Center, PO Box 105366 Atlanta, GA 30348-

Fox News Channel -- Headquarters
Website: www.foxnews.com
Phone: (212) 301-3000
Fax: (212) 301-4229
Address: 1211 Ave of the Americas New York, NY 10036

Continued... newspapers

New York Times -- Headquarters
Website: www.nytimes.com
Phone: (212) 556-1234
Fax: (212) 556-3622
Address: 229 W 43rd St New York, NY 10036-3959

Boston Globe -- Headquarters
Website: www.boston.com/globe
Phone: (617) 929-2000

Arizona Daily Star -- Headquarters
Website: www.arizonarepublic.com
Phone: (602) 444-8000
Fax: (602) 444-8933
Address: 200 E Van Buren St Phoenix, AZ 85004-2238
Fax: (617) 929-2098
Address: 135 Morrissey Blvd Boston, MA 02125

Washington Post -- Headquarters
Website: www.washingtonpost.com
Phone: (202) 334-6000
Fax: (202) 334-5269
Address: 1150 15th St NW Washington, DC 20071-0070

Capital Outlook -- Headquarters
Website: www.capitaloutlook.com
Phone: (850) 681-1852
Fax: (850) 681-1093
Address: 602 N Adams St Tallahassee, FL 32301-

Florida Sentinel Bulletin -- Headquarters
Website: www.flsentinel.com
Phone: (813) 248-1921
Fax: (813) 248-4507
Address: 2207 E 21st Ave Tampa, FL 33605-

Miami Herald -- Headquarters
Website: www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald
Phone: (305) 350-2111
Fax: (305) 376-5287
Address: 1 Herald Plz Miami, FL 33132-1693

Miami New Times -- Headquarters
Website: www.miaminewtimes.com
Phone: (305) 576-8000
Fax: (305) 571-7677
Address: 2800 Biscayne Blvd Miami, FL 33137

Dallas Morning News -- Headquarters
Website: www.dallasnews.com
Phone: (214) 977-8222
Fax: (214) 977-8319
Address: 508 Young St Dallas, TX 75202-

Houston Chronicle -- Headquarters
Website: www.houstonchronicle.com
Phone: (713) 220-7171
Fax: (713) 362-6806
Address: 801 Texas Ave Houston, TX 77002

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel -- Headquarters
Website: www.jsonline.com
Phone: (414) 224-2000
Fax: (414) 224-2699
Address: 333 W State St Milwaukee, WI 53203-

Wisconsin State Journal -- Headquarters
Website: www.madison.com/wisconsinstatejournal
Phone: (608) 252-6120
Fax: (608) 252-6119
Address: 1901 Fish Hatchery Rd Madison, WI 53708-8058

Capital Times -- Headquarters
Website: www.madison.com/captimes
Phone: (608) 252-6400
Fax: (608) 252-6445
Address: 1901 Fish Hatchery Rd Madison, WI 53708

Arizona Daily Star -- Headquarters
Website: www.azstarnet.com
Phone: (520) 573-4511
Fax: (520) 573-4141
Address: 4850 S Park Ave Tucson, AZ 85714-

Just got same email (about blogswarm) from some person/group that wasn't familiar & will spread via email lists - guess word is getting out.

Great letters battlebob and madame. This case is so ridiculous. Michael Schiavo's comments are extremely truthful. The Repubs need to focus on the real issues facing our society and not using what's left of his wife as a poltical tool to score points with their rabid far right constituents. I saw some of the press conference held by the House Dems and I agree with what Florida congresswoman (Deborah Wasserman?) said. She told reporters that she doesn't believe Congress is qualified to determine the status of Schiavo and has no business being involved in this decision. She was like she doesn't have a medical background and is not comfortable being involved with this process. I agree with her 100 percent. And any doctor that comes in now and claims Ms. Schiavo's brain isn't pure liquid should be tossed out of the profession and a background check should be conducted on his political donation habits. Of course Frist is all up in this too and he's a doctor, but his opinion is worthless. He apparently thinks you can get HIV by shaking hands.

Honestly, I kinda hope Ms. Schiavo's tube feeding is reinstated soon. If it isn't, she could die on Easter Weekend and that would fire this base up to even scarier levels. They'll make this poor woman into the Second Coming, no doubt.

It was interesting listening to C-Span callers today. There were some Repubs calling in saying they did not like Congress being involved in this and one even wondered about how much of a weight her medical costs were on the system. Spoken like a true Republican. I agree with Linda E., the Florida Republican who said Ms. Schiavo has been kept to long from her Lord, was well spoken, however, and I'm thankfully no afterlife expert, she could already be with him for all we know.

I'm curious which federal judge will be assigned to this case. If he or she overturns the verdicts of all the Florida state courts and is out of step with the Supreme Court, which rightly chose not to hear this case, then I think a background check should be done on them as well to determine if they're Shrub Pioneers or DeLay Hot Tubbers.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/032005A.shtml

Media Downplay Historic Day of Protests
    
    Fayetteville, NC -- The second anniversary of the war was the impetus for major demonstrations throughout the world. In the United States, over 800 communities held events calling for an end to the occupation.

    CNN, however, reported that in the United States "barely a ripple was made while large protests took place in Europe." The New York Times reported that protests in the United States ranged from 350 people in Times Square to thousands in San Francisco. Later in the same story, the Times reported that several thousand marched from Harlem to Central Park. If thousands marched in New York, why did the Times highlight the 350 in Times Square?

    CNN's report was worse … nothing about US protests. While they only saw a ripple, a huge wave passed them by. If CNN had been in Fayetteville, North Carolina, they would have seen what could be a major turning point in the anti-war movement. The largest Anti-war protest ever in this heavily military town took place.

(NOTE - I read that 3000 demonstrated in NC)

-snip- (details under DCP story on protest or at link)

    CNN missed the boat … perhaps a good thing for them, since they were only prepared for a ripple and not the giant wave that formed in Fayetteville.

(will be cross-posted on Yahoo Vets for Peace,
Kerry 2008 & other Vets sites - I've here omitted details on a very impressive military-family-oriented protest, well well-organized)

Maybe all the brouhaha & distraction about this case is a build up for Bush to sign some legislation on Easter Sunday or something.

I know that US News & World Report had one issue wit him on the cover where they purposely made it look as though he had a halo.

All he needs now is to look like he is the power & the glory & can resurrect people & give life.

The 2nd anniversary of a war that Rumsfeld said would take 5 hours, 5 days or maybe 5 weeks has passed relatively unnoticed by the media, which is the obvious wish of the government.

There has also been little mention of the fact that Condi Rice lied & said N Korea sold weapons to Libya when it was to Pakistan who then sold to Libya and she knew it. That is meant to slip under the radar but the media can only control the America radar.

There is blowback for everything they hide, distract from, spin, distort or revise - as it only works for domestic audiences. & the American people are not the ones who trade with, lend money to, buy & sell arms & oil with & to the US.

What goes around comes around.

The Terri Schiavo Case
Schiavo: 'Come down, President Bush'
By WILLIAM R. LEVESQUE, Times Staff Writer
Published March 20, 2005

PINELLAS PARK - 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."

Schiavo said he was going to stay at his wife's side through the entire ordeal and said he wouldn't back down in his fight to have her wishes carried out.

"Terri died 15 years ago," Schiavo said, referring to the collapse and cardiac arrest that doctors say virtually destroyed her brain. "It's time for her to be with the Lord like she wanted to be."

[Last modified March 20, 2005, 01:09:07]

Tampa Bay headlines

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/20/Tampabay/Schiavo___Come_down__.shtml

How about a little consistency?
Where were DeLay and Frist when they killed this baby Tuesday?

Republican morality: If a business wants to remove the breathing tube from a baby against the wishes of his mother, the Republicans are nowhere to be found.

posted by JFA at 8:56 AM

Mixter said...

Little black male babies aren't as important as white women in Jeb's Florida.

How is it possible that they could remove this breathing tube against his mother's wishes? She must have no/crappy insurance.

Hypocrisy abounds...

Mixter

http://wildsects.blogspot.com/2005/03/how-about-little-consistency.html

British article on this circus:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1442416,00.html

The House is Voting Right Now on the Schiavo Act
20 March 2005

I’m watching C-Span right now while the House members are casting their votes on the Schiavo Act. They are taking phone calls and it’s pretty interesting listening to the comments from callers. So far everyone I have heard is disgusted by this power play by the Republicans. The last caller said it was “abortion politics straight up.”

Nancy Pelosi issued a statement earlier today on this issue.

WASHINGTON, March 20 -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on Congressional involvement in the Terri Schiavo case:

"The case of Terri Schiavo is a sad and tragic situation. Congressional leaders have no business substituting their judgment for that of multiple state courts that have extensively considered the issues in this intensely personal family matter. The actions of the majority in attempting to pass constitutionally-dubious legislation are highly irregular and an improper use of legislative authority.

"Michael Schiavo is faced with a devastating decision, but, having been through the proper legal process, the decision for his wife's care belongs to him and to God.

"This rush to exploit a personal tragedy is not fair to those involved and will not create good policy."

The Bill has just passed: 203 Yeas, 58 Nays.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=589

Want a change?

Try http://www.novaplanet.com
streaming radio from Paris France

I'm off to look at foreign press.

Liberals, Quick... Look here... Fringe Republicans "Deep spiritual truth revealed"

If you read this to the end, you will know more about death and resurrection than eighty percent of the so-called Christians in our country that think they know everything the Bible says. Moreover, this is just in time for Easter. Amaze all your friends.

One quick note first. 'Asleep' in the following passage is a euphemism for physical and spiritual state known as death.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
[13] But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them, which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others, which have no hope.
[14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
[15] For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
[16] For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
[17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
[18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

This is the passage that tells Christians when they will get up after they have died. It also tells about what to expect if Jesus Christ returns and a person has not died yet. Re-read it and remember where to find this passage or ignore it at your political and perhaps spiritual peril.

The average Christian believes that when you die you go straight to heaven. However, if they read their beloved Bibles, with a modicum of respect and understanding, what might become clear is that when you die, you are dead. And then there is a resurrection. Or two.

I write this because of the above discourse on life and death and Terri Schivo is loaded with foolishness.

It is not the Will of the Christian God that his children die. It was not His will that Adam and Eve die. It is not His will that you die. It is God's point of view that death is the enemy. Death is not a friend.

1 Cor 15:26 'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Psalms 6:5 'For in death there is no remembrance of thee...

Psalms 146:4 "His breath goeth forth, here returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10 ' For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they anymore a reward for the memory of them is forgotten.
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in anything that is done under the sun.

Whatsoever thy hand do, do it with thy might for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Yup, when you are dead, you are dead. That is written in pretty plain language. Many Christians do not believe this. You know what I am saying is true, don't you? You have already heard the platitudes and rationalizations that prove this. You might even have spoken one or two of them yourself. I know I have. It is not right to say the wrong thing, but, there you have it. We all do it. I am human. So probably are you. Let's try to do the right thing better tomarrow.

Here are a couple of familiar examples. 'God has another little flower in heaven' Or, 'so and so has gone home to the Lord (like she wanted to be)'. "At least they are out of their pain. " "Isn't death a comfort? "Or such and such is looking down from heaven smiling on us et cetera." To all of this I say.... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... do not listen to that crap and do not allow silly thinking to persuade the debate.

Ecclesiastes 9:4 'For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.'

SEE? Living, good. Dying, bad. Starving a person to death, probably very bad.

I write all of this not to encourage government participation in the dying process any more than they have but to remind you that if you want to know the answer you can just look it up. God, you'd think The Holy Bible is the big bad scary book of the enemy the way liberals ignore it.

Love God with all your mind.
Love thy neighbor.

This is pretty sad. We're just starting to see the effects on women in combat...

Women in Combat, More Prone to PTSD
21 March 2005

If you read any ancient history, you know that centuries ago it was commonplace for women to fight side by side with men on the battlefield. This is not the stuff of mythology. It is fact.

Today, in Iraq women are on the front lines again fighting side by side with their male counterparts.

On a mission just south of Baghdad over the winter, a young soldier jumped into the gunner's turret of an armored Humvee and took control of the menacing .50-caliber machine gun. She was 19 years old, weighed barely 100 pounds and had a blond ponytail hanging out from under her Kevlar helmet.

"This is what is different about this war," Lt. Col. Richard Rael, commander of the 515th Corps Support Battalion, said of the scene at the time. "Women are fighting it. Women under my command have confirmed kills. These little wisps of things are stronger than anyone could ever imagine and taking on more than most Americans could ever know."

However, now we are starting see the effects women fighting on the front lines and studies are indicating that more women are suffering from more debilitating forms of PTSD. According to Paula Schnurr, a lead researcher for a 6 million dollar study on the effects of PTSD in women, “data indicate that female military personnel are far more likely than their male counterparts to have been exposed to some kind of trauma or multiple traumas before joining the military or being deployed in combat. That may include physical assault, sexual abuse or rape.”

MORE - http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=590

..The Holy Bible is the big bad scary book of the enemy the way liberals ignore it..

(rolls eyes & turns up music)

Feeling fabulous, we disagree on this point and not for the first time. But you bring an interesting idea to the table. That idea being that no matter what you believe, and there is room under this tent for many beliefs, no matter what your belief, the government should have no damn business in it.

The second fact of the matter is, that you and I have both seen to one extent or another, what it looks like between life and death. And on this matter we have a profound disagreement. And our opinions are informed by nothing greater nor lesser than human experience. To take that experience and qualify it as the one and only truth, is to show profound disrespect for the will of god's lesson in the lives of others. Further, it is disrespectful on an intellectual plane.

In point of fact, you sound like a damn know-it-all, when in point of fact, you are in no position to know any more or any less of God's truth than the rest of us.

Moreover, to say liberals ignore the bible is just ignorant and stupid. Stop believing the talking points of idiots when you know better. I believe you know several ladies of advanced years who I am in no doubt know the bible chapter and verse better than you and whose politics are more liberal than even my own, so knock it off.

It's not necessary, or Christian even, to knock others down to raise either yourself or your opinions up. That is the argument of a weak mind and yours has never been that.

So cut the crap. You believe that when you are dead, you are dead. So what, I believe that God let the devil have death of the physical body because the soul belongs to heaven. Also, I say, so what.

Neither argument is relevant at all in the discussion, which is, the government needs to stay out of Terri Schiavo's body as much as it does out of my bedroom and my uterus.

Period, Paragraph.

What a shame! Once more Bush trespassed on the Constitution, having religion stepping over law.
You can really call him King George, this is what he is. A monarch of divine right. He rules over his kingdom, but America is getting further and further from a Democracy.
Our screens and radios have been floaded during the whole week-end by reports on the Schiavo case. The only decent person, who really makes sense is the husband.
Papers and journalists are very hard not only at Bush, but at Tom Delay -trying to white wash himself out of scandal- and to Frist, willing to run in 08 and flattering the fundamentalist basis.
When do they suppress abortion, or voting for women?
You've gone centuries back.

http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/20050321.FIG0164.html

Andree, I'm thankful that you respond to these issues.

One trend that's been on my mind, and has nothing to do with this thread, is that we're losing our representative form of government. Many politicans are moving from being a mere representative to being an almighty manager of the people.

In going off in my own direction here, my local US Congressman, Steve King, is a good example. During last year's campaign season Mr King stated that he was elected by the people, with trust, to do what he thinks is right -- that he is elected as a manager rather than a representative. He won by toting this attitude.

The slope we're sliding down is that most people don't seem to grasp the difference between representation and management. Most Americans want to sacrifice their best interests for a willful, misdirected leader who tells them what to do and how to do it. As you've mentioned, Europeans have been through this before. I can only hope we eventually learn from history.

Found this quote by Benjamin Franklin, as a paper title about the Schiavo case.

" le moyen de voir par la foi, c'est de fermer les yeux à la raison"
That should look like : "the means of seing through faith, is to close one's eyes to reason"

Posted by: feeling fabulous at March 21, 2005 02:15 AM

That's why I prefer the Gita and a whole bunch of other tradition's spiritual books to the Bible.

Life didn't begin with birth and it ain't ending with death. Spirit is eternal, always is, always was, always will be.

Life without end, Amen.

"There but for the grace of God goes God..."

-Winston Churchill

Posted by: feeling fabulous at March 21, 2005 02:15 AM

And while I'm at it, Paul expected Christ's return in his lifetime. That's was his rationale for suggestings husbands and wives not waste time on marital relations (Corinthians 7:29)

I guess he was wrong about that one. Now, if he was wrong about that one, what else could he have been wrong about?

Mark,

I already said it, but the present situation of America calls to a striking parallel with France before the revolution.
King and clergy ruled hand in hand, kept the people under fear in the name of god while oppressing them with increasing taxes...
Reminds you of something?
You have King Idiot surrounded by his conservative courtisans obeying him blindly in order to please the bigots.
This is not an 18th century play unfortunately it is called absolute power...and it's happening today.
What do your representatives represent? You or their own interests?

There is a rather illuminative summary of the *real* politics behind this putative passion play on the NewsHounds website (their motto: "We watch FOX so you don't have to"). It was included in their wrapup of Friday evening's Hannity & Colmes show, which apparently was a Hannity-only total wingnut fest this week. Here are a few choice excerpts from the NewsHounds summary, which can be found in its entirety at http://tinyurl.com/4flp6 ...

"Hannity put on quite a one-sided show tonight campaigning to have Terri Schiavo's feeding tube replaced. Guests tonight included Terri's sister and brother, James Dobson, Rick Santorum, Jim Sensenbrenner, and Randall Terry, founder of the infamous Operation Rescue. When Randall Terry appeared, he was mainly concerned with the paybacks from politicians and the pro-life agenda' and Terry Schiavo became just a symbol for the extreme right's 'culture of life.'

"Everyone on H&C claimed that Terri Schiavo was not in a vegetative state, claiming she could talk and would recover with therapy. However, Schiavo's sister admitted that there had been no MRI's permitted to find out her true condition.

"Hannity framed the situation as a heartless murder of a functioning young woman stressing the painful death she was facing. James Dobson supported this view condemning the heartless judicial action to uphold the law and remove the tube.

"Before Santorum and Sensenbrenner came on, there was a brief soundbite from the lawyer representing Terri's husband. The lawyer was shown angrily accusing Democrats of not speaking up to prevent the replacement of the tube. Viewers got no information from the other side.

"Finally Randall Terry appeared, who is responsible for the hate-filled demonstrations outside women's clinics making a visit to Planned Parenthood a nightmare. Randall didn't seem at all concerned about Terri, claiming that he had been at this for 25 years since the Reagan Revolution.

"Randall, angry at lawmakers added, 'We got conservatives in charge of both chambers and these people can't get it together. They came into office making promises...'

"It was very clear that he felt that paybacks were in order, and he urged people to create an avalanche of protest. Then he started jabbering about an epiphany he had about Pontius Pilate and the blood of innocents.

"Maybe Hannity took advantage of Colmes' absence and just arrogantly created this right wing rally. There was nothing fair and balanced about this show. In my opinion, Randall Terry is a dangerous fanatic who will stop at nothing. It is frightening to think that Hannity aligns himself with Randall and then puts himself on such a self-righteous pedestal."

imho: randall terry really *is* a dangerous fanatic,
Otter

I think, no I hope, that we can all agree that science has gone beyond what we can find in the texts of many religions. I have yet to find a religious admonition that refers to artificial breathing machines, feeding tubes and the like. I do not mean to imply that all science outstrips all religion, but to point out that there are guiding principals within each, and that while we are subject to a plethora of religious interpretations, there are only facts in science.

Religion will not save Terri Schiavo, as it will not save any of us when the time comes for our bodies to stop functioning. I believe, and I am just one small person, that just because we have certain medical technologies, it is not right to use all of those technologies in every case. I also believe that having tried a technology, in a case where all the medical facts are not established, that when they are, it is also permissible remove those technologies that are preventing the natural course of death to take place.

Forestalling death, and calling it the culture of life implies that this is the only life there is. Religious moralists have a dilemma in that case. Is Terri, or someone like her, to be seen again in heaven in the fullness of health where there is no pain, or isn't she? And, if she is, then what is the harm of letting her enjoy that fullness now, rather than later?

Given that a place called heaven, or eternal life is something that comes only from faith, and without the proof that humans so crave, I would tend to think that Terri's parents do not believe in an afterlife, their actions aggressively suggest that HERE is all there is. In which case, they have preyed on the religious faithful who are sure there is a heaven to be headed toward.

There are, as I said wide gaps between science and religion. Politics cannot fill those gaps. For that reason, in this situation, I say 'politics be damned.'

Religion should have comforted the Schindler family over their daughter's misfortune, and it did not. Science should have done something to save their daughter and it did not. Now, in an agonizing attempt to request that politics do what neither science nor religion could do, we are all witnesses to how much a folly politics can actually be.

Terri Schiavo will either die without her feeding tube, or the tube will be put back in by court order and legislative action. Science will still have medical facts about her case, and religion will still have beliefs to reckon. And politics will go on picking its issues by how it will play out in the voting booth back home.

There always has to be a winner and a loser in politics. Tell me, are we, any of us, winning anything?

I think that Feeling Fabulous must be a brave soul to post here. He has an interesting post on the forum about talking to the bible folks. Quite an interesting point and one worth exploring further.

BTW... I for one was thoroughly appalled when I started to see the phrase "Randall Terry, who is acting as a spokesman for Schiavo's family, said..." showing up in news articles on this depressing debacle of a debate.

Those of you who know me already recognize that I tend to take Tip O'Neill's dictum one step farther: for me, all politics ain't just local, all politics is personal as well.

Terri Schiavo's case is very personal for her and her loved ones, but it's repeatedly been turned into a pathetic political three-ring circus -- in large part due to the actions of people like Randall Terry. And when it comes to Randall Terry and his politics, for me it gets *really* personal.

I lived in Atlanta from 1980 through the late 1990's. I was quite active as a pro-choice protester and patient advocate in the mid-'80's, back when Randall Terry's eventually-discredited 'Operation Rescue' movement was targeting abortion clinics in that city (a movement that, you may recall, ultimately resulted in a series of arson bombings of women's clinics and related locations).

One of the things I did in the name of personal politics back then was to serve as a volunteer clinic escort, running the gamut and helping to shield frightened women from the constant verbal and occasional physical abuse that was being spewed at them by the so-called pro-life people trying to block their safe and perfectly legal access to those women's clinics.

I was there when Randall Terry was making his extreme statements to the local and national news media about what 'Operation Rescue' stood for. I was there when he got arrested for his criminal actions in the name of his movement's over-the-top activities. I cheered when he was arraigned for his actions, and I jeered when a well-known Atlanta family promptly bailed him out of jail for them.

I've been toe-to-toe and face-to-face with Randall Terry more than once, politically and locally and personally. And I don't just think that he's a dangerous right-wing fanatic, folks -- I damn well *know* that he is.

evil is as evil does,
Otter

(P.S. -- for a disturbing contemporary interview with Randall Terry from his 'Operation rescue' days, go to http://tinyurl.com/4ejw2 ...)

"I want you to just let a wave of intolerance wash over you. I want you to let a wave of hatred wash over you. Yes, hate is good... Our goal is a Christian nation. We have a Biblical duty, we are called by God, to conquer this country. We don't want equal time. We don't want pluralism."

-- Randall Terry, quoted in 'The New Republic', 8/1/1994

"Everyone on H&C claimed that Terri Schiavo was not in a vegetative state, claiming she could talk and would recover with therapy" (from
report on Hannity & Fox)

I have been a speech pathologist for 25 years and have a doctorate in speech science. I have worked for years with all sorts of neurological problems, language recovery specifically - head injury & coma patients, stroke patients and children including autistic.

Terri would have a poor prognosis after cardiac arrest with severe brain damage. Most change to the brain with therapy occurs in the lst 6 months. There have been cases where someone spoke after 20 years but they usually produce a word or phrase and it may not happen again or very intermittently. After someone has a certain type of stroke, they may retain emotional speech such as swear words. This is not true communication. The linguistic areas of the cortex can't survive more than a few minutes without oxygen. Time only makes recovery more unlikely.

Therapy for someone this far out from onset of condition would not be covered under guidelines of Medicare, Medicaid or any other provider that I know of & would also be outside the ethical scope of what someone in my profession could provide, under the regulations of the American Speech & Hearing Association.

I suppose the Operation Rescue folks could try a faith healer.

Here are two prime examples of hypocrisy (an email group I'm on has started a series called "Projectile Barf":

-- The president's brother, Gov. Jeb Bush, praised the actions of Congress.
"We in government have a duty to protect the weak, disabled and vulnerable," he said in a statement yesterday

-- > As part of a two-day visit to the Chinese capital, Rice took time to attend a Palm Sunday church service at one of the city's few state-sanctioned churches. Although Rice has previously said the United States is not satisfied with religious freedom in communist China, she let her presence at Gangwashi Christian Church speak for itself. Rice, a regular churchgoer who has described herself as deeply religious, listened to an English translation of the Chinese sermon. As she and her American delegation left, the minister said ``God bless the United States.''

What do these neocons think about torture? Is that part of the "culture of life?"!

Conyers:

Casting Aside the Separation of Powers

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/032105Z.shtml

"I want you to just let a wave of intolerance wash over you. I want you to let a wave of hatred wash over you. Yes, hate is good... Our goal is a Christian nation. We have a Biblical duty, we are called by God, to conquer this country. We don't want equal time. We don't want pluralism."

-- Randall Terry, quoted in 'The New Republic', 8/1/1994

--------------------------------

Hmmmm ... Change God to Allah, Christian to Muslim,... you have the Taliban.

Change Allah to God, Muslim to Christian .... the American Taliban ... identified by words from their own mouths.

Dwahzon

We were just saying that yesterday!
I am still trying to pick out my Easter Burkha.

Posted by: Otter at March 21, 2005 09:38 AM

And we are called by the spirit of our ancestors - Jefferson, Adams, Washington, Madison, Franklin, Paine - to defend their noble revolution in government and consciousness from the perversions that these monsters would subject it to.

ARRRKKHH...

And now the Vatican is congratulating Bush! Did they congratulate the pedophile priests as well?
Where are we going?

Lemme see...

First, note to Spinnaker. No need to reef the mainsail. Or aweigh the sea anchors. The howling storms of doubt and fear are assailed. You and I are wing and wing with a following sea. Trust me.

Each time I post I write to inform, entertain and add to your quiver of arrows to shoot down biblical inaccuracy and the illogic of the so-called Christian right. I attempt to load you up with references so you can make their argument your own, and frame the conversation in a language they can understand. Currently the neo-cons do not understand what the hell you are talking about and as a group are collectively ringing your doorbell and giving you the finger when you answer it.
My attempt is to cause the reader to put on the whole armor of God as it says in Ephesians 6:13 so that we can withstand the evil of this day and time. I believe it time to get over this tribal shouting and shooting. So on that note, Second Timothy is written for church leaders. It is a help in times of political turmoil.
2 Tim 2:3...
[3] But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
And you thought this was a democrat/republican thing. Silly you.
Here is today’s question. (Ask yourself silently) ‘What does the Christian Right claim as their authority for removing or restoring the feeding tube?

I think I can help move the conversation in America by asking and answering this type of question. I mean no disrespect except to say it is ignorant and disrespectful to ignore the question and degrade the writer for posing it.

Now as to tone, I apologize if it appears that I am arrogant or have a corner on the truth. I AM arrogant, and I DO have a corner on the truth, and I am trying to get over it. The medications help. As to the truth, well, maybe there is some wiggle room here. My purpose in addressing the blog with a biblical truths paradigm is to inform readers where in the Bible you can read the scripture that so called Christian believers draw their authority. I do not care to be the subject of the discussion. Let the subject of the discussion be the subject of the discussion. Paragraph.

Second to Andrée-France, I am with you. The husband is the only one who makes sense to me also. I would like to echo Mark in welcoming your continued remarks and look forward to reading your point of view.
Regarding your Benjamin Franklin quote, thank you for finding that. Please note that faith is not a substitute for knowing everything you should and could know. Although most people of faith do not seem to operate that way. It seems unskillful and immature and foolish to put faith before knowledge. To me is the same as being ignorant. Or worse blind and ignorant. And deaf too. I believe the point of reading books of instruction is to understand the matter at hand. 2 Cor 5:7 (for we walk by faith, not by sight) is not an excuse to be ignorant.

Finally, Cyrano. Cyrano, Cyrano, Cyrano. I do not know where to begin except to please ask that you read the whole chapter to get a sense of the scope of the conversation. Read it in context. I believe there is much more to that verse than what you describe and forgive me for saying so but…
what you wrote misses the mark. Verses 25 to 32 get a little murky. I am not sure I am clear on this passage but, if you would like to carry on this discussion, I am available to IM and E-Mail.

DiAnne posted the link listed below. Please read Representative Conyers remarks. Elegant, succinct, sad;

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/032105Z.shtml

It appears most thinking people understand that Terri is not normal since the incident that damaged her.

However, she is alive as are many disabled individuals who can't see, hear or talk.

It is my opinion that letting her starve to death will cause her pain. If she can't hear or talk, how does anyone know she feels pain. In fact, how does anyone know if a starving person feels pain in the process of dying.

Unless you have starved to death how do you know if its painful. You can revive and tell anyone.

The issue of the Federal Court & Judge:
All criminals found guilty of a capital crime and sentenced to die are allowed to appeal to a Federal Court & Judges.

Why should Terri's case be different? Shouldn't Terri have the equal treatment given to a criminal?

Why has she been sentenced to death by starvation?

In my Opinion, if you want to kill Terri, which is what is happening, it should be the Court's decision and ordered done with an injection.

If she can't receive the same and equal treatment as a Murderer why should she be starved to death.

I doubt that it is anymore of an expense to the Govt. by having the Schindlers take care of her than, it is to keep and maintain a Murderer sentenced to life imprisonment.

Life has sentenced Terri to life imprisonment, why must she be starved to death?

Why should she be sentenced to death?

Richard,

I invite you to read the posts on the next thread where this question is addressed extensively.

dwahzon

"Why should she be sentenced to death?"

You should instead ask Dubya why Karla Faye Tucker needed to be put to death, for a crime she committed decades before under the influence of the same kind of drugs that Dubya and Neil were users of, and after Christ's teaching had utterly transformed her life? And how Dubya could mock her plea for mercy after signing her death warrant?

And let's not forget that some Iraqis hold Dubya personally responsible for the deaths of thousands of their countrymen - both through his original decision to start the war, and his Administration's utter incompetence during the subsequent occupation.

Dubya and his supporters cynically talk about a culture of life while endorsing a culture of death, greed, and utter selfishness.

Terry Schiavo's life functionally ended 15 years ago. All that remains today is the shell. Her next adventure is a spiritual one, not a terrestrial one.