Florida congressman to introduce bill to protect disabled people

This news is popping up in various places; of the write-ups I've seen, the Florida Baptist Witness article by Michael Foust (linked above) covers the most ground in a short space. Here are key excerpts:

...The bill by Rep. Dave Weldon, R.-Fla., would provide Schiavo and other similarly incapacitated persons all the legal protections often associated with death row inmates, such as the right to a "de novo review" -- that is, a review by another court of all the evidence.

The bill, dubbed the Incapacitated Persons Legal Protection Act, would apply to disabled persons like Schiavo who are facing a court-ordered death. If her feeding tube is removed, she will die of starvation and dehydration within a matter of days.

"Terri has never been afforded independent counsel in a matter that will result in her life or death," Weldon said on the House floor March 3. "Terri has had no voice of her own in these legal proceedings.... The case of Terri Schiavo deserves a second look by an objective court."...

...Weldon, a medical doctor, discounted assertions that Schiavo is in a persistent vegetative state.

"Evidence exists to the contrary," he said, noting that Schiavo can smile and cry. "Terri is not in a coma as I would define it, and I am a physician. She is not on a respirator or other 24-hour-a-day medical equipment."

Weldon said it is a "travesty" that Schiavo may be put to death simply "because she is not able to speak."

"The [bill] simply provides a final avenue for review of the case to ensure that an incapacitated person's constitutional rights of due process are maintained and that justice is done," the congressman said....

As always, take time to read the whole article if you can. The bill is expected to be introduced next week.

On another front, a friend of mine who keeps public radio on nearly all day as background noise says that NPR has been paying attention - and that they have reported on people from Europe who can't believe we're going to so much fuss over such an obvious problem - specifically, saying things that translate roughly to 'Those silly Americans, how can they be so confused on this?'

Hold on. Here's the good news. Europeans, at least some of them, given air time on NPR have said that they think it should be obvious that Terri should be removed from her husband's control and handed over to the people who want to take care of her.

For once, I will forgive the Europeans calling us "Those Silly Americans".

And I thank public radio for letting them do it on their station.