Has the Schiavo case Become a Political Football?

List of Schiavo Donors Will Be Sold by Direct-Marketing Firm
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and JOHN SCHWARTZ

Published: March 29, 2005

Correction Appended

WASHINGTON, March 28 - The parents of Terri Schiavo have authorized a conservative direct-mailing firm to sell a list of their financial supporters, making it likely that thousands of strangers moved by her plight will receive a steady stream of solicitations from anti-abortion and conservative groups.

"These compassionate pro-lifers donated toward Bob Schindler's legal battle to keep Terri's estranged husband from removing the feeding tube from Terri," says a description of the list on the Web site of the firm, Response Unlimited, which is asking $150 a month for 6,000 names and $500 a month for 4,000 e-mail addresses of people who responded last month to an e-mail plea from Ms. Schiavo's father. "These individuals are passionate about the way they value human life, adamantly oppose euthanasia and are pro-life in every sense of the word!"

Privacy experts said the sale of the list was legal and even predictable, if ghoulish.

"I think it's amusing," said Robert Gellman, a privacy and information policy consultant. "I think it's absolutely classic America. Everything is for sale in America, every type of personal information."

Executives of Response Unlimited declined to comment. Gary McCullough, director of the Christian Communication Network and a spokesman for Ms. Schiavo's parents, confirmed that Mr. Schindler had agreed to let Response Unlimited rent out the list as part of a deal for the firm to send an e-mail solicitation raising money on the family's behalf.

The Schindlers have waged a lengthy legal battle against their son-in-law Michael Schiavo to prevent the removal of the feeding tube from their daughter, who doctors say is in a persistent vegetative state.

Mr. McCullough said he was present when Mr. Schindler agreed to the arrangement in a conversation with Phil Sheldon, the co-founder of a conservative online marketing organization, RightMarch.com, who acted as a broker for Response Unlimited.

"So the Schindlers do know the details," Mr. McCullough said on Monday. How much attention they paid to the matter is hard to assess, he added. "The Schindlers right now know that their daughter is starving to death, and if I ask about anything else, they say, 'I don't want to hear about it.' "

Direct mail and mass e-mailings are ubiquitous fund-raising tools of interest groups on the left as well as the right, and others in the direct-mail business defended the sale of lists like the roster of donors to the Schindlers as a useful way for potential donors to learn of causes that might appeal to them.

Pamela Hennessy, an unpaid spokeswoman for the Schindlers, said she was initially appalled when she learned of the list's existence.

"It is possibly the most distasteful thing I have ever seen," Ms. Hennessy said. "Everybody is making a buck off of her."

Ms. Hennessy, who operates the Schindlers' Web site, www.terrisfight.org, said the family had not released any of the names or e-mail addresses gathered there. "Obviously these people are enterprising, and they are taking advantage of this very desperate father," she said.

On Sunday, as the Schindlers gave up on their legal battle and their daughter passed her 10th day without food, others continued to rally supporters and solicit money in an effort to restore the feeding tube.

"This time, we have a real chance to break through the 'roadblocks' that the enemies of life have been putting up in front of us," said a mass e-mailing from RightMarch.com, asking supporters to urge Gov. Jeb Bush to intervene somehow.

The message added: "We're asking you to give a donation to help with our activism efforts to save Terri's life. Battles cost money; resources cost money; media costs money; we could go on, but you get the picture."

Mr. Sheldon - whose father, the Rev. Lou Sheldon, founder of the Traditional Values Coalition, has also sent appeals urging support for Ms. Schiavo - apparently played a dual role as a partner in RightMarch.com, which is working with the anti-abortion activist Randall Terry, and as a broker for Response Unlimited. Mr. Sheldon did not respond to phone calls yesterday.

"I think it sounds a little unusual right now because of the situation where she is in the process of dying," said Richard Viguerie, another major conservative direct-mail operator. "If you came across this information six months or a year from now, I don't think you would give it too much thought."

Correction Tuesday, April 5, 2005
An article last Tuesday about the decision by the parents of Terri Schiavo to let a conservative direct-mailing firm sell a list of their financial supporters referred incorrectly to the price the firm would charge. It is $150 per thousand names or e-mail addresses, not $150 a month for all of them. (The list consists of 6,000 names and 4,000 e-mail addresses.)

You have to wonder how much money changed hands during this episode

But this is speculation on your part, when you assume someone's motive. For all you know, most of these people were motivated primarily by sympathy. Even if some did decide that TS was a poster-child for the cause, this is not necessarily unethical if the root motivation is to do what they perceive as moral good. An assumption of base motives on the part of your opponent frees you from having to address his arguments, requires no proof on your part, and is almost impossible for him to defend against even when untrue. This is why it is generally better to discuss someone's stated position than to psychically guess what's in his mind.

Brandon

Quote:

But this is speculation on your part, when you assume someone's motive. For all you know, most of these people were motivated primarily by sympathy. Even if some did decide that TS was a poster-child for the cause, this is not necessarily unethical if the root motivation is to do what they perceive as moral good. An assumption of base motives on the part of your opponent frees you from having to address his arguments, requires no proof on your part, and is almost impossible for him to defend against even when untrue. This is why it is generally better to discuss someone's stated position than to psychically guess what's in his mind.

How ironic that you would write this. Why?

You, and others, have assumed motive for Michael Schiavo from the first page of this thread. It has been a primary argument against her death. Nice to see that you are for giving him the benefit of the doubt now!

Cycloptichorn

Almost as frightening as Michael Schiavo using a huge lion's share of the settlement awarded for Terri's care and rehabilitation to pay lawyers to file suit to have her killed. And prevailing.

In what post did I do that, please? I have never simply come out and said, "His motive is this." I may have said that his motive is unknowable, but I do not think I have simply stated what it was like Phoenix did.

Hmm. While you may not come right out and say it, there is little doubt that you have implied more than once that his motives are less than pure.

And others have come right out and claimed to know his motives, even going so far as to call him a murderer. Do you condemn their statements?

Cycloptichorn

I withdraw the assertion. I thought I had seen a post of yours concerning the topic but upon review I can see that you never came right out and said it, but stuck to speculation.

Now that we've cleared that up, do you condemn those who do claim to know Michael's motives? Do you think it is possible to know someones' motives?

Cycloptichorn

Cheney Opposes Retribution Against Schiavo Judges

By Mike Allen and Brian Faler
Monday, April 4, 2005; Page A04

Vice President Cheney says he opposes revenge against judges for their refusal to prolong the life of the late Terri Schiavo, although he did not criticize House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) for declaring that they will "answer for their behavior."

Cheney was asked about the issue on Friday by the editorial board of the New York Post. He said twice that he had not seen DeLay's remarks, but the vice president said he would "have problems" with the idea of retribution against the courts. "I don't think that's appropriate," he said. "I may disagree with decisions made by judges in any one particular case. But I don't think there would be much support for the proposition that because a judge hands down a decision we don't like, that somehow we ought to go out -- there's a reason why judges get lifetime appointments."

.....

To Panzade:
I think a full accounting will show that much more has been expended from the legal settlement in legal efforts to kill Terri and for other purposes than was ever used for her medical care from that same settlement. I know it is comforting to those of you who wanted the feeding tube pulled to believe Terri Schiavo was PVS and therefore totally unaware of the consequences. There is simply too much evidence to the contrary for anyone to be certain of that other than those who choose to be certain.

And since there were family members, both parents and siblings, more than willing to take over the personal and financial responsibility for her care for the rest of her life, if she was PVS and therefore unaware as you say, what other reason could there be to kill her other than expediency? If she was truly PVS she didn't know anything one way or the other so it certainly wasn't any more cruel to let her live than it was to kill her. If she was aware, if she was not PVS, and there is a plethora of medical evidence and eye witness testimony out there indicating a strong possibility that she was not, and if she was clinging to life as her parents, siblings, and numerous caregivers believed she was, then killing her was legal muder of a disabled citizen, pure and simple.

Some have said they want the plug pulled on this thread. I would imagine so because I can't imagine that some of you supporting Michael Schiavo's side in this are not at least a little uncomfortable when confronted with any data that suggests killing Terri was not the right thing to do. I think you don't want to look at it and don't want to believe Terri Schiavo was brutally killed.

I am so 100% certain that dehydrating her to death was not the right thing to do, I intend to do what I can to try to prevent such a thing from ever happening again.

I think nobody is neutral on this one or we wouldn't have more than `1800 posts already on this thread alone.

The money, which came from a 1992 medical malpractice case, has been used for Mrs. Schiavo's medical bills; her husband's attorney, who is fighting to remove her feeding tube; and a bank that manages the money.

Records show that George Felos, Michael Schiavo's litigation attorney, has been paid more than $200,000 since 1997. Another Schiavo attorney, Deborah Bushnell, got $27,000. Schiavo himself was reimbursed almost $6,000 for legal costs.

Other expenses include private aides, security guards hired after the publicity led to a ruckus outside Mrs. Schiavo's nursing home and a lawyer appointed by a judge to represent Mrs. Schiavo in court.

if she was PVS and therefore unaware as you say, what other reason could there be to kill her other than expediency?

If she was truly PVS she didn't know anything one way or the other so it certainly wasn't any more cruel to let her live than it was to kill her.

I am so 100% certain that dehydrating her to death was not the right thing to do, I intend to do what I can to try to prevent such a thing from ever happening again.

How about, "she's my wife, she told me what she would want, I'm carrying out her wishes in spite of what others might think

Well the sources I posted don't support your assertions Geli. I accept you are convinced of the rightness of your convictions as I am convinced of mine. You can call me ignorant, ridiculous, or anything else you wish to call me, and it won't change the facts as they exist.

Quote:

The money, which came from a 1992 medical malpractice case, has been used for Mrs. Schiavo's medical bills; her husband's attorney, who is fighting to remove her feeding tube; and a bank that manages the money.

Records show that George Felos, Michael Schiavo's litigation attorney, has been paid more than $200,000 since 1997. Another Schiavo attorney, Deborah Bushnell, got $27,000. Schiavo himself was reimbursed almost $6,000 for legal costs.

Other expenses include private aides, security guards hired after the publicity led to a ruckus outside Mrs. Schiavo's nursing home and a lawyer appointed by a judge to represent Mrs. Schiavo in court.

Edited to provide quote - linked on previous page

Defend her wishes? Well I gotta give you credit for hanging in there like a terrior Geli. You have to REALLY twist it to get to that point though. If he was defending her wishes, he would have been defending them long before all that money was available I think. But I'm going on what I would do if I was trying to carry out the wishes of a loved one. I'm sure those of you on the 'kill Terri because she's already dead' side would have done it exactly like Michael Schiavo did it.

I am much more cynical than that. And I think Terri had a very strong case for being allowed to live.

If he was defending her wishes, he would have been defending them long before all that money was available I think.

You have to REALLY twist it to get to that point though.