I apologize for being indelicate, but when one feels strongly, one should speak out strongly.

Terri Schindler-Schiavo is a woman who, several years ago, suffered brain damage as a result of a chemical imbalance. Since then, she has been in a state of mental disability. It’s been described as a Persistent Vegetative State (PVS), although the majority of doctors who’ve seen her recently have said it’s not such a state.

Terri’s husband, Michael Schiavo, gave Terri the best of care during the course of a malpractice suit he filed against the doctors who treated the illness that left Terri in this state. Once he won the lawsuit and collected the money, he moved Terri to a hospice and denied her any sort of rehabilitative treatment. He has since started a new life with another woman.

Michael contends that his wife told him, verbally, that she didn’t want to be kept alive artificially. Terri’s only artificial support is a feeding tube which carries nutrition and hydration to her stomach, because her swallowing reflexes don’t work. Many doctors contend that Terri could learn to swallow and to even eat on her own, given proper training and therapy, but the husband will not allow it.

For years now, Michael Schiavo has been fighting in the courts against Terri’s parents, for the right to remove Terri’s feeding tube and allow her to dehydrate and starve to death. Years of legal maneuvering by the parents and by concerned parties have kept him from doing this, although her feeding tube has been removed (and replaced) twice now. Ten days ago it was removed for the third time, and Terri has been without water or nutrition since.

At every juncture, Judge George W. Greer, a Florida circuit court judge, has shown an unbelievable degree of bias in favor of Michael Schiavo. To me, it seems clear that Schiavo simply wants his wife out of the way, so that she’ll stop draining the funds he earned in the malpractice suit. Nonetheless, time and time again, Greer has gone out of his way to make decisions that shut Terri’s parents out. His orders are unbelievably cruel. Each time he has ordered Terri’s feeding tube removed, he has also stipulated that no attempt be made to feed her or give her water by mouth. He continues to hear evidence that Terri could make at least a partial recovery, given the chance, and he has repeatedly denied her that chance.

There were allegations of abuse by Michael Schiavo. Greer refused to hear them. The Vatican appealed on her behalf. President Bush, Governor Bush, and many others have made statements that defend Terri’s right to treatment and to her chance at life. Greer has shut everyone out.

Terri has repeatedly shown signs that she’s communicative, that there’s a living woman in there who is struggling to get out, and could, with the proper help. Greer has made sure she didn’t get that help.

Today, Greer denied yet another motion for relief, based on testimony from several medical experts that Terri may be able to communicate. Greer doesn’t want to hear it.

If I had a dog, and decided it was too sick to ever recover, and decided that rather than humanely euthanize it I’d just deny it food or water until it died of starvation or dehydration, I’d be locked up for a very long time. It’s a horrible, painful way to die, and if someone allowed a dog to die this way they’d be charged with animal cruelty, or worse!

If the courts were so sure that Terri ought to be put out of her misery, why haven’t they simply ordered her euthanized? It would be the most humane option, and the kindest. Euthanasia, however, is illegal for humans — at least in Florida. We can’t kill someone by lethal injection, but we can take away her food and water and watch her die. Since that’s the only way that Michael can get rid of Terri and still have his new life, they’re condoning it, on his sole word that this is what she would have wanted.

Perhaps today, perhaps tomorrow, the government of the state of Florida, the federal government, and a scheming, greedy husband will get their way. An innocent woman who had hope, however small, for a better life will die horribly as they stand by and let it happen. Evil triumphs when good men do nothing, isn’t that the old saying? Evil will triumph, and the world will be a different place because of it. If Terri is allowed to die in this way, I don’t think I’ll be proud to be an American anymore.

Governor Jeb Bush could stop this. He says he can’t. He’s lying. If he can pardon a hardened criminal and stop his execution, he can stop the execution of an innocent woman.

Jeb’s brother, President Bush, could stop this too. When he leaves office, I can practically guarantee that he will pardon dozens of less deserving people without batting an eye.

Michael Schiavo could stop this. He’s been offered a million dollars, more than once, to simply walk away and leave Terri in her parents’ guardianship. Of course, that would still leave him looking greedy … as if he doesn’t already … so he won’t do it.

I’ve been following this case for several years. No news story ever reported has had a bigger impact on me, because it’s so frustrating and so wrong. I rejoiced last year when Jeb Bush passed legislation preventing Terri’s husband from starving her, and her feeding tube was reinserted after days of starvation.

I am nearly in tears as I write this. The evil bastards who want her dead are winning. She’s more dead than alive now, not even able to swallow the communion wafer she was grudgingly allowed to have because her mouth is too dry from the dehydration. This is so, so wrong. Convicted murderers get better treatment and more rights than this poor woman.

The worst part of this is that when she dies, when they’ve finally had the satisfaction of watching her life slip away, they’ll walk away. Michael Schiavo will have lots of money, and no wife to spend any of it. Greer will probably write a book and make some money himself … if Michael Schiavo’s bribes aren’t enough to retire on. Brothers Jeb and George will make heart-felt speeches wishing there was more they could have done, and their political approval ratings will soar because uninformed people will believe them. The lawyers on both sides will make enough money to buy Disney World, or a dozen more circuit judges. The doctors, hospice, and hospitals will clean up too.

The victims are Terri, who will be gone, and Terri’s parents, who will have lost any chance they ever had of hearing their daughter’s voice again.

I am deeply ashamed. I hate our country, our legal system, our president, Florida’s governor, Michael Schiavo, and most of all I’m ashamed of us as a people, a people who could allow this to happen and not stop it, a people who value life so little and legal principles so much that we will allow an innocent death before we change our way of thinking and doing things.

Judge Greer, may you rot in hell. Michael Schiavo, may you starve to death. Slowly, painfully, endlessly.

If you would like to know more about Terri’s battle, see http://terrisfight.org