OPINION
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TUESDAY, MARCH 29. 2005
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PAGE 5A
WWW.KANSAN.COM
A RIGHT TURN
Schiavo's cruel death meant to assuage selfish husband
Without a miracle, Terri Schiavo will be dead or very nearly dead by the time this column is printed, starved by her husband and the courts of the state of Florida against the wishes of her parents.
VINCE MYERS
vmyers@kansan.com
Contrary to what some have reported to the media, Terri Sehiavo was not terminally ill prior to being starved and has never been on life support.
Her lungs, kidneys, and l fine. But, because of a malnutrition-induced collapse in 1990, she was severely brain-damaged.
She requires a feeding tube for nourishment, and when her "husband," Michael Schiavo, ordered that her feeding tube be removed the third time it has been removed per his request since 1998 she began the long process of starving to death.
Though Michael Schiavo is legally Terri's husband, it's been years since he's convincingly filled that role. Michael lives with and is engaged to
another woman, and he has two children by her. For all intents and purposes, Michael has moved on. Yet Michael has remained married to Terri, seemingly only for the purpose of ending her life.
This decision seems so easy to me; if an error is to be made, let her live too long rather than cut her life too short. Why kill a woman who has an ounce of hope and willing caretakers?
Meanwhile, Terri's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, along with Terri's siblings and friends, have fought desperately to save her. In 1993, the Schindlers lost faith in Michael's care and attempted, unsuccessfully, to usurp guardian authority from him.
The Associated Press reported that in 2002, six doctors examined Terri and tried to determine whether or not she could recover from her supposedly vegetative state.
They have always maintained that they would gladly take guardianship from Michael, let him enjoy his new life and provide quality care and rehabilitation for Terri. Michael has consistently refused.
Four doctors said that she could not, while two doctors said that she could.
Despite the hope, Michael refused to rehabili tate her and continued to push for her death.
davit that she cared for her between 1995 and 1996. Iyer also explained that Michael was adamant that Terri not be treated or rehabilitated
Even more disturbing was the affidavit and interviews given by Carla Sauer Iyer, a registered nurse, who has claimed that Terri was able to communicate verbally and through body language with the staff at Palm Garden of Largo Convalescent Center.
Iyer explained in her affi-
and often asked Iyer and other nurses questions like "When is she going to die?", "Has she died yet?" and "When is that bitch gonna die?" according to her affidavit.
Michael and two of his relatives claim that Terri told them before her illness that she would not want to live in such a state. The Schindlers say that Terri would never have made such a claim.
Of course, Michael never mentioned such a statement during his malpractice lawsuit when he promised to care for her and rehabilitate her.
But to make this case a "right-to-die" case, Michael has given the claim as the key reason as to why Terri should be starved.
The courts put Terri's life in the hands of an unfaithful husband with a monetary incentive to kill her, and he convinced the court to help him by using a selective memory that is nothing more than thaarsay.
Their alternative is to award guardianship to a family that loves her, that is more than willing to care for her and that is convinced that they can rehabilitate her.
This decision seems so easy to me; if an error is to be made, let her live too long rather than cut her life too short. Why kill a woman who has an ounce of hope and willing caretakers?
I didn't think such an inhumane thing could happen in America to one person and to one family. Maybe we aren't as decent as I had thought.
Myers is an Olathe freshman in political science.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Black community sets difficult barrier to overcome with its own oppression
I read Tierra Scott's column on March 16, as I like to read and hear the opinions of today's youth.
I will agree with her that whites will not begin to understand what the black race has suffered.
But I wish to comment on the culture of hip hop that she often refers to in her column.
I don't understand a culture and race that defies drug dealers and gangsters. I also don't understand why it's hip to degrade women by calling them "bitches and hoes," to use them and throw them to the side when the men are done with them.
I also don't understand why the culture the killing of its young men.
I mean, just take a look at 50 Cent, because he was shot numerous times and survived he is a hero.
Nevermind that he is a ganster and because he can rap he is a star. Ms. Scott talks about how hip-hop can be a messenger to the world.
Is this the kind of message that the Black
I also don't understand when prominent black members of the community speak out about the tragedy happening to their youth — like Bill Cogby — and they are told to be quiet.
and hip-hop community want to send to the world?
I hear all the time how he is put down for speaking out about what's happening.
When I hear young black men throwing around the "N" word it saddens me. They don't see that by using that word other people can still see them in that same light.
I always hear how the black community has suffered under the whites and I don't dispute that it's a fact.
But the worst oppression that the community has suffered under right now is its own.
It's hard to lift yourself above one's own oppression, but until then you can't lift yourself above others oppression.
But this is just one white man's opinion looking from the outside in.
Robin Halbert Housing maintenance
STAYSKAL'S PERSPECTIVE
Wayne Stayskal/KNIGHT RIDDER/TRIBUNE
▼ GUEST COMMENTARY
U.S. sets dangerous precedent with withdrawl from Kyoto
The Kyoto Protocol represents an international response to scientific evidence that rising emission rates of greenhouse gases are linked to global warming, which may have catastrophic consequences for life on Earth. In 1997, developed countries that signed the
JUAN M. GUAYASAMIN opinion@kansan.com
treaty agreed to cut their collective greenhouse gas emissions to 5.2 percent below 1990 levels or face stiff penalties.
Reductions would be achieved by the implementation of control technology in industries and vehicles; this means that developed signing countries will have to make a continuous investment to reduce gas emissions and to keep them low.
Developing countries, which usually have profound poverty and limited resources, are not yet required to cut their emissions because of the negative impact on their economy.
For the Protocol to take effect, it had to be ratified by the necessary 55 countries that accounted for at least 55 percent of global emissions in 1990.
In 1998, the Clinton administration signed and therefore committed the United States to the Kyoto Protocol.
But the Bush administration withdrew the United States' signature in 2001, claiming it had a high cost to the U.S. economy and that developing countries needed to share in reduction of emissions.
The United States is the only country to have signed the protocol and then to have repudiated it.
Also, the U.S. pollutes more, absolutely and per head, than any other country in the world.
The U.S. population makes up 4.6 percent of the global population, but U.S. pollution makes up 21 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions.
— had not ratified the Protocol it remained without any effect on the signing countries.
Russia finally ratified the Protocol on Nov. 18; this addition means that signing
countries of the Protocol now account for 61 percent of the global emission of greenhouse gases and that the Protocol is now binding in international law.
At present, the Protocol has been signed by 141 countries — including 30 industrialized countries
—and took effect Feb. 16, thanks to the Russian ratification.
Some can argue that the economic cost of ratifying the Kyoto Protocol justifies Bush's decision; however, the U.S. position eludes the responsibility that the richest, most powerful and biggest polluter of the world should have.
Also, it exacerbates the idea that the U.S. government does not care about worldwide initiatives like the Kyoto Protocol.
This also applies to other international legislation, like when the U.S. government tried to obtain immunity from the new International Criminal Court for American soldiers.
The implementation of the Kyoto Protocol has to be seen as important, but still preliminary, step to avoid worst consequences of global warming.
The next obvious step is to demand the participation of the United States in this Protocol. It is common sense that if you make a mess, you have to clean the mess.
It doesn't matter if it is going to cost you time and money.
- Guayasamin is a Lawrence graduate student in ecology and evolutionary biology.
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Free for All
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all, incoming calls are recorded.
Ha ha, *Free For All*, I don't need you anymore. I bought a voice recorder. Ha!
Thanks to KU basketball losing, I left Oklahoma City and went to Dallas, where my friend got herpes and the rest of us got MIPs. Thanks, KU basketball.
The USC Daily Trojan definitely doesn't have a Free For All. The Kansan is so much hotter.
Free For All, I'm on spring break and I miss you.
I just realized that I am in such complete and total and utter denial about the basketball season being over.
It's official: New Mexico sucks.
♦
Does it count as spring break if you only saw the sun for half an hour the entire time?
I can't wait for football season.
I was just wondering how many people didn't get to spend the holidays with their family because they have to go to school tomorrow.
I hope Mario Chalmers is related to Michael Jordan.
Otherwise we're in trouble.
Now that Roy's boys are gone, Bill Self can get back to work.
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