A Three Ring Circus

The Lions, Elephants & Tightrope Artists

By PACOINNYC

Let me start this out by making my position perfectly clear.
I don't care whether Terri Shiavo lives or dies.

Starting with March Midnight Madness in the House of Representatives we have been forced to render any and all opinions on a woman we have never met. Most Americans know very little about the woman and understand even less about the facts of the court case. We don't have a right and we don't deserve a right to meddle in a family tragedy. It's none of our business and why should it be?

American legend P.T. Barnum is supposed to have said "There's a sucker born every minute." A charmingly appropriate legacy. Although there is some doubt if he really made the statement, he would be so proud of the sideshow that has attached itself to this poor woman. The circus that now surrounds Florida, the 11th Circuit Court in Atlanta, Washington D.C., every cable news network, and even your dinner table, has been a stench.
If you've ever actually been to the circus, you know the smell.

THE LIONS

Jerry and Marilynn Chase said they came all the way from Orlando to protest the treatment Terri Shiavo was receiving. Mr. Chase is the "Expansion Director" for a group called The Pro-Life Action Ministries. As you can tell by the name of his group his mission is clear; to feed off the flesh of this family tragedy for his own agenda. According to the group's website, "Christians are invited to join us in this effort."

Worthy of "Disney's The Lion King", the three cable news media hyenas were more than hungry for a story juicier than that of Michael Jackson. Starting last Sunday night CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News have been the evil trio of hyenas that fed and aided Scar, the evil lion of the story. Twenty-Four hours of "Shiavo-vision" no doubt sickened most Americans but the bloodthirsty lions were emboldened. Pat Buchanan and Robert Novak asked the same question.. "Why are Liberals so intent on killing this woman?" I even thought I saw Pat spit during his rehearsed question. For the hyenas this has been a welcome respite from reporting the real news; Social Security, Iraq, the Budget and now weapons sales to both Pakistan and India. Note: THIS IS A VERY, VERY STUPID IDEA.
Not that these little things matter much.

Yes, the lions have surrounded Pinellas Park, Fla and and the feeding frenzy becomes more disgusting by the minute. Led by such respectable figures as Randall Terry every blood-thirsty fanatic on the American Right has hijacked situation for their own benefit. The sanctimonious Mr. Terry went far enough to state, "If Terri dies, there will be hell to pay!”, but would not call that a threat.

In the meantime the Family Values crowd has begun offering up their cubs for protest fodder. Chris and Galen Keys came all the way from Burnet, TX to allow their children to become handcuffed and made into criminals. I would urge all readers to phone the Burnet, TX. Sheriff @ (512) 756-8080 or the Burnett Police Department @ (512) 756-6404 and urge them to arrest the parents for "Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor".


THE ELEPHANTS

The Elephants thought they would be in the center circle, swooping in at the last minute with a Mighty Mouse inspired, "Here I Come To Save The Day". But alas, they were to late. The lions had hijacked the podium away and were now in their growl mode.

Tom DeLay, in a desperate fight to save his own political life, stood in front of the American People and along with his buddy Dennis Hastert, forced themselves into your well being. A "Talking Points" memo circulated among Republican senators explained why they should vote to intervene in the Schiavo case. Someone wrote, "This is an important moral issue and the pro-life base will be excited..." and "This is a great political issue... this is a tough issue for Democrats."
Then days later Tom DeLay was speaking to the “Family Research Council”, again, making reference to Mrs. Shiavo and his own political troubles.

Bill Frist, a Harvard educated heart surgeon, surprised the entire family of elephants and lions when he concluded that the doctors in Florida had misdiagnosed Mrs. Shiavo and she was not in a "vegetative state". An astounding conclusion given that he had never seen or examined Terri Shiavo and made his statement based on videotape.
This can only lead to two conclusions 1) He is a horrible doctor. AND/OR 2) He is a political hack.
Maybe it's both. Either way Tennessee should be happy he is no longer in practicing, because he needs much, much more practice.

Jeb Bush and the dumbest political move of 2005... (so far)
Brother Bush held a press conference on Wednesday to announce the state of Florida's "intention" to seek custody of Mrs. Shiavo. The news conference was of course a dupe, he knew he did not have the power and that the judge in the case would see to it that he could not pull a swift one.
He looked like fool, searching for some final way he could ring DeLay's neck.

Our "Chicken Little in Chief" decided that this circus was going to be so fun he just had to return to Washington and join in the festivities. Perhaps he thought to himself "I'll put on my cowboy hat and become the ringmaster".
Marie Coco correctly pointed out that on Aug. 6th 2001, when handed a briefing entitled "Bin Laden Determined To Attack America" his return to D.C. was not warranted. Or on 9/11/01 itself.
Then came the story of Baby Sun Hudson, a 5 Month Old that was removed from life support against her mother's wishes just days before. In 1999, then Gov. Bush signed the Texas Futile Care Law which gave hospitals the right to remove life support if the patient could not pay and there was no hope of revival, regardless of the patient's family's wishes.
Of course the lions would have no such thing, or would they?? Surprise, the National Right To Life organization that is now asking for donations on the flesh of Mrs. Shiavo, actually helped write the law.


THE TIGHT ROPE ARTISTS

Did you notice that the above mentioned Elephants haven't been seen in a few days?? For that matter neither have the Tight Rope Artists.
During the extraordinary Sunday sessions of congress last week, the Democrats joined in the circus tent, huddled in a dark corner, not wanting to fall from unknown heights without a safety net. In the Senate it would have taken just one person gutsy enough to stop the circus. No one volunteered.
In the House, almost half of the opposition party showed it just wasn't up to the task of stepping out onto the line.
Today none of these people are to be found and don't believe that the lions aren't trying sniff out for some fresh meat. Today the lions are thirsty for Jeb and George, not to mention Bill Nelson (D-Fla) for not speaking out on what is so sensitive. They are waiting for any sign of a slip or a tilt, way up there above the rafters, on the ready to attack should someone fall off. Anyone (PLEASE ANYONE??) to fall off.
Anywhere from 63% to 83% of Americans polled say that "Congress had no business intervening in the Terri Schiavo case"

Make no mistake about it, the Democrat Tight Ropers are on watch. Hillary & Chuck from the great state of New York (my senators) along with the others have allowed this circus to rise and multiply. They have lost the respect of many Americans for kowtowing to the elephants and the lions. Still today, a full week since what conservative writer Charles Krauthammer called "a flagrant violation of federalism and the separation of powers" these democrats are missing, still cowering in that dark corner, afraid.

I don't know what Mrs. Shiavo would have wanted, and neither do The Lions, The Elephants or the Tight Rope Artists.
I have one bet on what she would have wanted though.
I bet that Terri Shiavo would have much preferred being remembered to just her circle of friends and family as that cute young woman with the 80s haircut, instead of the poor figure that has been projected to the entire world.

I guess at this point I have to be clear about one last thing. I have given my family my last wishes should I ever be in this situation and I will share them with you now.
DO NOT remove my feeding tube.
DO give me a Belushi Blast. Please be gutsy enough to fix me a Kevorkian Cocktail and let me pass with a smile on my face.
I do understand that at the present time this is against the law and may never be legal in my lifetime but, as a caveat, I do have some sneaky friends.

If this cannot be achieved, and I will not haunt you if it isn't, please DO remove all life support and make sure you have an attendant at my bed twenty-four hours a day who is humane enough to be heavy handed on the morphine button.
Thanks Mom, and yes, I will do the same for you.


Pacoinnyc
3/27/05