The judge in the Terri Schiavo case has extended his emergency stay until Friday. It was set to expire today. He originally put it in place yesterday when the previous order was about to expire.
He may have been prompted by an unexpected intervention by the Florida state agency that investigates abuse of the disabled. They told the court that they had opened an investigation of Terri’s case, saying they had been tipped off about abuse. Terri’s parents said they knew nothing about it, that it came as a complete surprise.
Also, Gov. Bush has said he will take every action available to him by law (did he tell the agency to investigate?) and a state rep. has filed a bill t hat would require food-and-water be given to incapacitated patients unless they have a written advance directive otherwise. And a US Supreme Court appeal is being made on 1st Amendment grounds.
Once again, just when all hope seems gone, a little glimmer appears. If nothing else, keeping this case in the public eye is exposing people to the value of the life of the disabled.
Oh, and still nothing from Bishop Lynch or his brother bishops as far as I can tell.
Cardinal Martino has spoken up for Terri, according to this Zenit article.
If the courts allow Terri to be starved to death America will have gone to a place we’ve never been before. We will actually be within shouting distance of the Nazis.
Nazi is not a word I use often because flinging it around trivializes a movement that came straight out of hell. The Nazis killed retarded people and disabled people. I pray that we won’t go that road.
Actually, Terri’s is not the first case of this. It has happened before in the US, and fairly recently. It also happens much more often than we think. Hers is just the most visible.
Rob: I was thinking more along the lines of US bishops.