Scott Tibbs
blog post
March 22^nd, 2005

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If Terri Schiavo is going to be murdered, can we at least come up with a more humane way of murdering her than starvation and dehydration? If you did that to your dog, you would go to jail.

I do not believe that nutrition and hydration falls under "heroic measures". Removing a breathing tube is one thing; depriving someone of food and water and watching as she dies demonstrates a cruelty that people associate with Nazi concentration camps. This does not at all resemble "death with dignity".

Terri's parents have posted a video of her reacting to a cotton swab. How aware she is may be up for debate but she clearly has some level of awareness. Given this, starvation and dehydration should not even be considered.

Is this a concern of the national legislature? Yes, because Congress is sworn to uphold the Constitution, specifically the 14^th Amendment's guarantee of equal protection under the laws. Terri is not being protected under Florida's murder statute.

Let us not forget the character of Michael Schiavo, First, there are suspicions that Terri is in the state she is in because her "husband" abused her. Michael Schiavo did not "stay" with Terri as she went through this time. Instead, he is living in an adulterous relationship with another woman. He has had two children with his girlfriend.

I don't think Michael Schiavo's years-long crusade to murder his wife by the most inhumane means possible has anything to do with not wanting her to suffer. At this point, it is about pride and the money he has to gain following her death.