Monday, February 21, 2005

A Death Sentence

The Florida Court System is poised to hand down a death sentence upon a woman whose only crime is that she is an inconvenience to her husband. You might know the story of Terry Schiavo, the woman who has been in a handicapped state and is being kept alive by feeding tubes because she can no longer swallow for herself. Her parents have pleaded with her husband to allow them to take care of her, but he refuses saying that she wants to die.

The media has depicted her as a woman who has no brain function, but I have personally seen video of her laughing and smiling at her parents when they come to visit. The media says that extraordinary means are being used to keep her alive. Since when have food and water been considered extraordinary? She doesn't need a ventilator; she doesn't need a heart/lung machine. She just needs to be fed.

This is such a horrendous crime for the Court to be even considering. Death by starvation would be considered cruel and unusual if it were tried on a death row inmate, yet it may be the fate of an innocent woman.

I think this entire ordeal has been deplorable. If she is made to die because she is an inconvenience who will be next?

Perhaps we should all go on a hunger strike if they force her to do so. How many voices will it take for her to be heard?

Pax

3 comments:

Suzanne said...

I've been following this case too, all along. The kids and I have been praying almost daily for the entire situation. Even Shane looks at her and says, "Why would they want to kill her?" and then a look of sadness crosses over his face. Children have deeper feelings and more sense than most of these so-called adults involved. The case as to how this happened is also very mysterious after reading an article yesterday, I am more and more convinced that her husband put her into this state to begin with...a history of violence to her, had lost several jobs in a row, stands 6ft. 4in or so and has forbidden most anything that could help her to recover. He doesn't visit and he has ordered that the drapes be pulled in her hospital room so that the sun cannot even shine through! After her passing, he wants her body immediately cremated...another thing that the family insists that she would not want. Why is he cremating her?
After the few x-rays were done on some bones in her skull, an MD on Fox said that it was very likely falling on something sharp could have done injury and her neck responds and seems as a result of a possible strangulation technique could have occurred. What is wrong with the courts that more testing cannot be done to at least eliminate foul play? I suppose he wants her cremated so no further tests will reveal anything and he doesn't want her to learn speech, because he wants her to stay shut up. My personal opinion in the end, I suppose, however, in case your readers haven't heard these news reports, I pose them here for them to ponder. God, where are we going, angelmeg?

Unknown said...

Evil flourishes when those of us of good will stand by silently as things like this happen.

We have to take back this world for truth and love and what is right. We have to speak louder and be brave enough to say the things that most people don't want to hear.

Anonymous said...

http://pages.ivillage.com/debi_1111/id30.html

I grew up in a loving home and never knew what the term domestic abuse meant, until I got married.

Something needs to be done in this country. The current restraining order system does not work. It often makes the spouse more dangerous.

This woman probably suffered at the hands of her husband. Hopefully, the hands of God can save her.