League group prays a Rosary for Schiavo at Chicago’s Daley Plaza, March 23
[Photo by Dan Gura]
The Pro-Life Action League joins the Schindler family and all pro-life Americans in mourning the death of Terri Schiavo. Terri died on March 30 of organ failure brought on by starvation and dehydration thirteen days after her feeding tube was removed by court order.
“It’s disappointing that the efforts of so many pro-life activists and disability rights activists were unable to prevent the killing of an innocent woman,” said League National Director Joe Scheidler, “but we are thankful that we were a part of that great effort.”
League Joins Eleventh-Hour Campaign
Scheidler and the League had joined an eleventh-hour campaign organized by Operation Rescue‘s Troy Newman, including an open letter to the nation’s pro-lifers debunking the many myths about Terri’s condition and calling on all to take action to prevent her estranged husband from having her put to death.
On March 2, Joe Scheidler did a radio interview on Terri Schiavo’s plight, during which he described the torturous death by starvation and dehydration that Terri ultimately suffered.
On March 23, members of the League took to the chilly streets of downtown Chicago to spread the truth about Terri Schiavo and debunk the myths surrounding her situation. Thousands of “The Truth about Terri Schiavo” leaflets were distributed to Chicagoans. Some also held signs reading, “Save Terri” with a picture of Terri Schiavo before she was stricken with brain damage.
Public Education, Public Prayer
When our fliers ran out, John Jansen ran off to make copies at a nearby copy shop while the rest of our group prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary for Terri and her family and all the judges and officials involved, as well as Michael Schiavo. At the very moment the Rosary concluded, John arrived with 500 additional fliers.
The leafleting group received many positive remarks and thumbs-up from passers-by, as well as a few donations. One man stopped to speak with Eric Scheidler about his son who suffers from spina bifida and the mother he lost to Alzheimer’s. “Every life is precious,” he said.
The following week, Joe, Ann and Eric Scheidler and John Jansen joined the disability rights group Not Dead Yet for a “Save Terri” protest and press conference outside the State of Illinois Building. One woman held a sign reading, i’m a pro-choice feminist who supports terri’s right to life.
Uncertain Future after Terri
Will Schindler v. Schiavo prove to be the Roe v. Wade of euthanasia? Or will the nation respond by reforming the bad laws—and the renegade judiciary—that allowed this tragedy to ensue? We must not forget Terri, or cease praying, so her cruel death will not have been in vain.
