Still in the Dark

I received an email response from Dr. Caplan. He is over-focused on the fact that the litigation has hung in the Florida courts for years. Apparently that makes the decisions constitutional and legally sound. I guess in his world there couldn't be any bad judges on the bench. We need to get back to work on having Judge Greer recused from the bench. Here is Dr. Caplan's brief reply and my response back. I am not going to be intimidated by a PhD.

Educated does not mean informed.

*********Reply from Dr. Caplan:
There have been more than 20 trials in this case over seven years. None gave credence to all the 'charges' against Michael Schiavo. the US Supreme Court has now turned the case down 4 times!! letting the Florida court decisions stand as accurate.

Congress is now making an utter mockery of the judicial system and of a
person's right to refuse medical care.

Arthur Caplan


****** My response back:

Dr. Caplan,

I noticed you did not address any of my questions in my previous email but are stuck on your contention that the courts are making sound decisions based on your assumption they are hearing the evidence fairly. The length of time this case has spent in the courts should not add value or rightness to the decisions made. They need to be evaluated own their own merit.

Fairness has not been the case, as the primary judge in most of these decisions has thrown out the evidence without review,disregarded facts, or not even ruled on some of the motions. He is not holding this particular guardian accountable for his violations of the state of Florida's guardianship laws. The simple fact that Judge Greer has ordered her NOT to be hand fed after the tube was pulled should be suspect, as nurses have previously reported she was able to swallow and enjoy milkshakes and jello prior to her rehabilitation being halted by her guardian.

You would be more ethically honest if you took more than a cursory look at the decisions made by the courts and reviewed the facts more thoroughly. Please see The Empire Journal for several points on this topic, as well as the myriad of information on Terri's Fight or Blogs For Terri which gleans their information from court documents and a variety of news sources.

Unless of course, your position as Director of Bio-Ethics requires you to have a closed mind. Then you are on the right track.

Diane K

Concerned American Citizen
Wife who values the sanctity of marriage
Mom who tries to instill values in her children


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He replied once more:


>I have read the entire court proceedings. so have 34 different state and US Supreme court justices and judges. Congress is showing complete contempt for the courts as are you.

Arthur Caplan
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I wasn't willing to let it go....


Dr. Caplan,

Incompetent judges deserve our contempt in light of the hearsay evidence presented. You are getting caught up in legalism, as did the Pharisees in Jesus' time. They were just as wrong as you.

While you may believe I have no regard for the courts, I feel just as strongly you have no regard for a human life, whose rights have been trampled by the courts.

Diane K