Faith Leaders to Honor Terri Schiavo in Front of the White House on the 5th Anniversary of Her Death
by Staff
March 31, 2010
WASHINGTON, (christiansunite.com) -- The Christian Defense Coalition, Faith and Action and Generation Life will pray and leave a single rose on the public sidewalk in front of the White House. (On the Pennsylvania Ave. NW side.)The leaders will also hold a news conference to discuss the legacy of Terri's life and death and the impact it has on the current healthcare debate concerning end of life issues and the controversy over "death panels."
The prayer and news conference will be held on Wednesday, March 31, at 11:00 A.M. on Pennsylvania Ave. NW in front of the White House.
The group will also draw attention to President Obama's lack of commitment to human rights and the disabled community in America.
They will especially focus on his comments during the Presidential campaign when then Senator Obama stated concerning the Senate intervening to help Terri.
"It wasn't something I was comfortable with, but it was not something that I stood on the floor and stopped, and I think it was a mistake..."
Simply put, how can the American public trust the President and his Administration to deal compassionately with end of life issues in his health care bill when he considered it a "mistake" to have intervened in attempting to keep a young woman from being starved and dehydrated to death?
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition and one of the leaders who worked to save Terri's life in Florida, states,
"Terri's life had purpose, meaning and great value. It was tragic that she was brutally starved and dehydrated to death in full view of the America public. We are coming to the White House to honor her life and loudly say never again and pray this Administration embraces compassion for the disabled community.
"We also want to be a prophetic witness for justice and human rights to President Obama who considered it a 'mistake' to attempt and keep a young woman from being starved to death.
"End of life issues are a deep concern in this new health care legislation. Simply put, how can the American public trust the President and his Administration to deal compassionately with end of life issues when he considered it a 'mistake' to have intervened in attempting to keep a young woman from being starved and dehydrated?"
Rev. Rob Schenck, President of Faith and Action, comments,
"Nothing arrested the conscience of the nation like Terri's suffering and needless death. Now, she continues her ministry by provoking us all to appreciate and value the worth and dignity of brain injury victims.
"Her life and death are not in vain."
Brandi Swindell, Director of Generation Life and while in Florida was on a 14 day hunger strike while Terri was starved, adds,
"As a young woman, my heart broke every day outside of Terri's room thinking about the pain and suffering she was experiencing.
"As a nation, we must offer the most needy of our society compassion, dignity and justice. Regrettably, we forced Terri to die the most painful and barbaric of deaths.
"My hope is that we have learned valuable lessons from Terri's death and how we treat the disabled. Those lessons must be founded on equality and human rights for all.
"I pray that President Obama reconsiders his unconscionable statement that helping Terri was a 'mistake' and works toward building a nation that values all human life."
