Showing posts with label Schindlers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Schindlers. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Michael Schiavo Should Sue The Schindlers

Most of even the supporters of Michael Schiavo seem not to have noticed the real story behind the efforts of the Schindler family over the last decade. A time line might prove helpful in discerning certain facts. The Schindlers first sued for custody of their daughter, Terri Schiavo, within a year of Michael Schiavo winning a lawsuit which netted him 1,000,000 dollars for the care of his wife. It is easy to see that, had they won this initial custody suit, Michael would have been obliged, potentially, to hand over the money he had won in this lawsuit. Now, here is the important thing to consider. It was not until three years after this lawsuit initiated by the Schindlers, that Michael petitioned the courts to remove Terri's feeding tube. Take the time to digest that simple fact. When the Schindlers started their shit, it was three years before Michael petitioned the courts to have the feeding tube removed. Here comes a chronology.

1992: Michael Schiavo wins settlement of 1,000,000 plus dollars for the care of his wife.
1993: The Schindler family initiates a lawsuit to gain custody of their daughter from Michael Schiavo.
1994: Michael Schiavo petitions the courts to remove Terri Schiavo's feedign tube.

So what was the reason for the initial lawsuit on behalf of the Schindlers. It can only be money. Of course, this money was long since dissipated in the course of the numerous lawsuits filed by the Schindlers, which Schiavo was obliged to fight. But the Schindlers cause became the cause celebre' of Right wing Christians and social conservative politicians across the country, so they received, I would suggest, a great deal of metary support for their continuing endeavors. Look out for the book. And for the movie.

Michael Schiavo is a hero in my opinion, one of the few true American heroes (a term which is oft used and abused). And now that the final autopsy report has been released, verifying that Terri was indeed in a persistent vegetative state, the Schindlers, as I predicted, could not let it go. They are still insisting the doctors are wrong, even implying that they are lying, or hiding the truth to protect their reputations, with the assistance, no doubt, of the courts and state agencies which were involved in the matter and had decided time after time on behalf of Mr. Schiavo. Other amongst their long-time supporters will hold fast to the belief that regardless of the veracity of the autopsy, it was still morally wrong to remove the feeding tube. And then there is Governor Jeb Bush, who, in an effort to regain favor with ths crowd, which was tested severely when he refused to intervene with an emergency order to prevent the tube from being removed, has now stated the time line should be investigated as to how long it took Michael Schiavo to contact emergency personnel upon Terri's collapse, implying of course the potential for foul play on Michael's part.

Yet, no one has questioned the Schindler time line, and their obvious, to me, grasping for money and influence. I would strongly suggest that Michael Schavo should sue the Schindlers, as well as several of their supporters, including possibly their priest. Jeb Bush, too, might be considered by some a tempting target, including me. What Michael Schiavo has been going through over the last twelve years amounts to libel and slander of the most obscene variety. A good stiff lawsuit against the perpetrators might send a well needed message to them, and to the right wing smear merchants in general. It's time to bring this shameful episode in American jurisprudence to a close.