Four years later, still exploiting Terri Schiavo

It's interesting how those on the Right, especially the so-called "Religious Right," will trumpet their devotion to "life" at every turn. I guess that includes the exploitation of life, too.

Today marks the fourth anniversary of the death of Terri Schiavo, a cause célèbre for the "right to life" movement, sparking controversy from Tampa to Washington and beyond. (Remember, for example, then-Sen. Bill Frist's long-distance dedication ... I mean, diagnosis?) But the folks who claimed that Schiavo's persistent vegetative state was reversible and that her desire to be removed from life support (according to her husband) was, well, just not relevant? Well, they'd rather exploit her than treasure her memory.

A Catholic university in southwest Florida plans a mass on Tuesday to recognize the fourth anniversary of Terri Schiavo's death.

A new $24 million oratory on the campus of Ave Maria University near Naples will be the site of the mass for Schiavo, the Tampa-area woman who was at the center of an end-of-life case that captivated the nation.

Schiavo's brother, Bobby Schindler, said he was seeking a higher profile for the annual mass when he approached Ave Maria University founder Thomas Monaghan, the Dominos Pizza magnate who built the 2-year-old college and surrounding community in farm fields east of Naples.

"It's a prestigious university," Schindler told the Naples Daily News. "Mr. Monaghan is a leader in the pro-life movement and has been very supportive of us."

Mr. Schindler, I don't think "prestigious" means what you think it means. Harvard is prestigious. William and Mary is prestigious. Yale, Princeton, the universities of Michigan and Virginia, Stanford? All prestigious. Ave Maria? Two. Years. Old. Usually, Bobby, an institution needs to exist for more than a couple of years before it's considered prestigious.

Apparently you also don't understand the plain meaning of "pro-life." Based solely on the words, "pro-life" should mean "in favor of life," right? But what it really means to these people is in favor of exploiting life for ideological or political gain ... and when that "life" is "unborn," it means "supporting" it vociferously until birth -- at which time, of course, you're on your own, pal.

There are few more hypocritical assholes on the ideological spectrum than those who comprise the grossly misnamed "pro-life movement." So go ahead and parade your sister's memory around for political gain, Mr. Schindler. If I were you, I'd spend today quietly reflecting on the goodness of her vibrant life, rather than her unnecessarily drawn-out, ghoulish death. But, hey, that's just me.

Another Terri Schiavo?

It's happening again here in Florida. Another case is pitting a husband against a parent over the fate of an unconscious, brain-damaged woman on life support. (By "brain-damaged," I don't mean Katherine Harris ... at least not this time.)

Karen Weber's descent into limbo began on Florida's Turnpike in November. She and her husband of 34 years, Raymond, had driven to Orlando International Airport to pick up her mother.

On the way home to Okeechobee, happy talk about Gracie, the new baby in the family, ended suddenly when Karen had a seizure. Her husband drove quickly to a hospital.

That seizure and a second one led to a paralyzing stroke and now, seven months later, Karen, 57, lies in a nursing home as family members battle over whether to remove the feeding tube that keeps her alive, a circumstance similar to the Terri Schiavo case of 2005.

Weber is paralyzed on her left side and cannot speak, but she breathes on her own.

Raymond Weber believes she is in a vegetative state and wants the feeding tube removed and his wife transferred to hospice care, where she probably would die.

But her mother, Martha Tatro, and other family members say she is alert and responsive.

An Okeechobee County circuit judge has issued an injunction, which husband and mother agreed to, blocking removal of the tube until he decides whether she is capable of deciding herself.

The judge also appointed a guardian for her and a committee of two psychologists and a neurologist to give their opinions. Karen had no living will or other health-care directive.

First things first, folks: if you don't have a living will or similar document, get one. Now. Today. Or as soon as possible.

As for this case, I'm not sure why it's not as high-profile as the Schiavo case. I mean, it is an election year, after all. You'd think the batshit crazy fundie Republicans would be all over this one. Are you listening, Ronda Storms? Hell, Bill Frist hasn't even made his diagnosis yet.

Of course, it's probably only a matter of time. The media will get a hold of this, and so will the crazies, and it's gonna be another cause celebre. The family's (not the husband's) website, prayforkaren.com, almost guarantees it. Once the MSM finishes with the Russert hagiography and when there's a lull in Nancy Grace's missing white women, look for the Karen Weber story all over the place.

So stay tuned. The crazy season is just beginning.

Today's Daily Schadenfreude: I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby

Bye bye, Scooter:

A federal judge said Thursday he will not delay a 2 1/2-year prison sentence for I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby [right, in maroon tie] in the CIA leak case, a ruling that could send the former White House aide to prison within weeks.

U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton's decision will send Libby's attorneys rushing to an appeals court to block the sentence and could force President Bush to consider calls from Libby's supporters to pardon the former aide.

No date was set for Libby to report to prison but it's expected to be within six to eight weeks. That will be left up to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, which will also select a facility.

"Unless the Court of Appeals overturns my ruling, he will have to report," Walton said.

Yes, there will be appeals, probably all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, but there's really no legal reason whatsoever to delay or overturn the sentence.* Appellate courts generally will not reverse or adjust a sentence barring some proof that the law was misapplied or there are other circumstances justifying a change. As far as I know from what we've heard from the news reports, the appeal pretty much is based on a "he's such a nice guy and look at all the good stuff he did" defense. That tends not to fly in federal court ...

So, Scooter, while you make your plans to move to your new home in a few weeks and your attorneys figure some way to make you sound like a good guy even though you're a convicted felon, please accept my congratulations: today's Blast Off! Daily Schadenfreude is for you!

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* Admittedly, I haven't seen the evidence or heard all the testimony in this case, so I'm basing my opinion solely on standard appellate procedure. Besides, if a "doctor" can diagnose a comatose patient from video, surely I can render a legal opinion on less shaky grounds, right?

Today's Daily Schadenfreude: Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.)

This one's almost too easy.

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) (left), who has cemented his wingnut/moron reputation by warning of rampant lesbianism in public schools, espousing the health benefits of silicone breast implants, and disputing Terri Schiavo's autopsy without having examined her, says senatoring is hard work.

More importantly, though, he said regarding a tough ethics bill that just passed the Senate, he "won't run for re-election if it becomes law."

"If this becomes law, I will guarantee you I won't run again," he said in a Sunday interview on C-SPAN television. "I'm not about to put what I've work for for 35 years as a physician and a businessman at risk so I can represent the people. I will say 'I'm cashing it in. We've just imploded ourselves.' "

Coburn, whose seat won't be on the ballot until 2010, said a lawmaker could make an "innocent mistake" but still be forced to spend as much as $500,000 on a legal defense for an accusation that would be taken to a grand jury, only to be leaked.

"I will promise you, very few people in the future will run for Senate or Congress because every campaign will be about somebody making a complaint," he said.

Now, you couldn't be saying that just because, say, you might have a few skeletons in your own closet, Tom? I mean, it would be irresponsible not to speculate, right?

It's hard to believe that of Oklahoma's two senators, Coburn is the sane one (see Inhofe, James). Seriously, Tom, don't let the Senate door hit you in the ass on the way out. "Don't throw me in that briar patch!" Goddamn, is there anything else we can do to make it easier to get rid of you, Tom? Maybe charter a plane to get you out of Washington? I'd be more than willing to kick in some cash for that.

For his utter idiocy and your whiny-ass-titty-baby rant about ethics, I'm pleased to congratulate Tom Coburn ... today's Blast Off! Daily Schadenfreude is for you!