Terry Schiavo

The Great American Tragedy

Growing up in America, we are taught from a very young age that America is the land of hope and opportunity, where if you dream it, you can do it. We are taught that each one of us has certain inalienable rights and that these rights are to be protected by our courts and our constitution. If this is the case, and we are to believe that our rights, which include such things as the protection of life as well as the protection from cruel and unusual punishment, then I would submit to you that on March 31, 2005, each one of us witnessed the great American tragedy- the death of Terry Schindler Schiavo.

It is a tragedy in all senses of the word. Mrs. Schiavo did not have her rights protected; on the contrary, she was not even afforded her right to due process. Mrs. Schiavo was dehydrated and starved for 13 days, thus she obviously was not even protected from cruel and unusual punishment. This case of judicial malfeasance was so extreme that had one the activist judges sentenced a convict to such a punishment, he would be removed from the bench without question. However, theses judges obviously suffered from a persistent case of arrogance and continued to uphold their own laws while Terry Schiavo lay starving in her bed.

It is this judicial callus and these tyrannical judges who condemned Terry Schiavo to a gruesome death. From the Florida courts to the United State Supreme, the 11th District Court of Appeals to the Florida Supreme Court, each one of these judges must now accept the responsibility and disdain from people all over the country for exterminating a helpless woman under the guise of law and mercy. The countless, unconscionable rulings proved to the nation that if you are unable to speak for yourself or feed yourself that your life has no value. It was blatantly obvious to all who watched the countless rulings of these judges that Terry’s death is a symptom of a greater pandemic that we all need to be aware of: the courts no longer value human life.
I am outraged that the courts have decided to act as judge, jury and executioner. I am disgusted that the legal system has abandoned the biblical values upon which our nation was founded. I am saddened that a helpless woman and a loving family fell victim to a court that simply decided to act as God when it pleases.

Terry Schiavo and her family have taught us all many lessons, the least of which is you can be convicted to die if you do not have a power of attorney for healthcare. Terry’s death should also serve as a call to action and should awaken all Americans to the problems in our court system. I encourage Christians everywhere to demand that our elected government officials ensure that this never happens again. If we do not act, these activist judges will destroy our nation, one Terry Schiavo at a time!

I would like to extend my prayers and deepest sympathies to the Schindler family and thank those who have worked tirelessly on her behalf; your work is not over, it is just beginning. Perhaps it is this final act of the great American tragedy that will awaken our country to the plight of the disabled, the tyrannical judges who legislate from the bench and one day, there will indeed, be a Terry’s Law!

Until next month,

Jason T. Christy
Publisher/Editor in Chief
The Church Report

P.S. For a free copy of an advanced medical directive, please visit http://www.christianmedicalassociation.org/. Discuss your wishes with your family and give copies of your directives to them and your doctor and attorney.