# The Terri Schaivo Political Action Campaign **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 2, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609 "2006-02-02T01:38:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/1 "2006-02-02T01:38:16Z")
[http://www.terripac.com/](http://www.terripac.com/) Michael Schaivo has organized a PAC “to restore personal freedoms and individual rights”. Is this turnabout fair play? > [@](#): > > …politicians from Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., manipulated Michael and Terri Schiavo’s deeply personal family tragedy into a national media spectacle and exploited that attention for their own political gain. So the proper response is to use Terri Schiavo’s deeply personal family tragedy in the creation of a PAC in order to achieve political gain? At the time, overwhelming public opinion was that Congress should keep their collective nose out of these sorts of personal issues. Boy, 2006 sure would be a good year to stir up _that_ hornet’s nest again, wouldn’t it?. Could be a winner for Democrats, as long as they aren’t seen to have any connection with Michael. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/2 "2006-02-02T01:47:20Z")
> [@Patty O'Furniture](#): > > So the proper response is to use Terri Schiavo’s deeply personal family tragedy in the creation of a PAC in order to achieve political gain? Is Michael Schiavo running for office? No? Then I fail to see any hypocrisy here. Unless there’s some evidence that Michael Schiavo has something personal to gain from this PAC, other than the satisfaction of advocating a cause he believes in, then it seems to me that his position now is perfectly consistent with his position before Terry Schiavo’s death. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/3 "2006-02-02T02:04:14Z")
> [@Patty O'Furniture](#): > > So the proper response is to use Terri Schiavo’s deeply personal family tragedy in the creation of a PAC in order to achieve political gain? No. As Michael clearly says in his “Who We Are” section: (bolding mine) > [@Michael Schiavo](#): > > “If our political leaders have taken no lessons from their shameless exploitation of Terri, and the public outcry against it, I have,” Schiavo said. “I have taken my sadness, anger and worry and channeled them into a personal resolution: **I will do everything in my power to keep another unsuspecting American family from re-living our private national nightmare**.” He’s trying to educate the public so that if this issue – that of the **sanctity of marriage** and **personal privacy** – is as important to them as the lip service they give, they’ll know which representatives support or oppose those principals and hopefully make the right decision in the election booths come November. > [@Michael Schiavo](#): > > The sanctity of marriage and personal privacy – the right to make life’s most personal decisions for ourselves and our families free from government interference – are fundamental freedoms and American beliefs that I hold dear. > > Politicians in Washington and Tallahassee made a mockery of these traditional values when they forced the government into the middle of my family’s tragedy and the personal decisions that were rightly between me and my wife and our god. > > \*\*The most dangerous moment is now, after the headlines have faded. There are two things we can do to fight back: > > Create a living will – so families have a record of their loved ones wishes. > > And make sure the folks don’t forget where their representatives stood when it came to forcing government into my family’s most personal and agonizing decisions. Because if they could do it to us, they can do it to you.\*\* More power to him. My lameass representative didn’t even bother to show up. She got an appropriate letter from me at the time, and my vote will reflect my disdain for her unwillingness to stand up for my rights. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/4 "2006-02-02T03:02:16Z")
Often times, when an injustice is visited upon someone, they are motivated to work for change so that others do not suffer the same experience. It’s hardly hypocritical to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/5 "2006-02-02T04:26:55Z")
> [@Patty O'Furniture](#): > > At the time, overwhelming public opinion was that Congress should keep their collective nose out of these sorts of personal issues. That sounds like exactly what he’s advocating. I don’t see the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Walter\_Windchill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Walter\_Windchill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walter_Windchill)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/6 "2006-02-02T05:11:04Z")
Usually when people say “political gain,” they mean some kind of personal advancement, not the advancement of a cause. Anyway, usually “political” and “partisan” are accusations lobbed at one’s opponents when they actually score some points. They translate to, “how dare they use the same strategies as we do, but more effectively!” ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/7 "2006-02-02T06:00:09Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > > [@Patty O'Furniture](#): > > > > At the time, overwhelming public opinion was that Congress should keep their collective nose out of these sorts of personal issues. > > That sounds like exactly what he’s advocating. I don’t see the problem. I think his point is that notwithstanding that public opinion, the pols didn’t keep their collective noses out of the matter, but went barrelling in, passing a law for one special case, encouraging repetitive litigation, and in the case of Jeb Bush, even considering attempts that the courts had already said were not within his authority. Mr. Schiavo seems to want to turn that overwhelming public opinion into an actual brake on the activities of politicians. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/8 "2006-02-02T06:09:37Z")
> [@Northern Piper](#): > > Mr. Schiavo seems to want to turn that overwhelming public opinion into an actual brake on the activities of politicians. Sounds wonderful! Now how’s that make him a hypocrite again? The way I read the fallout from the Schiavo case was that the public did not want the government interfering in this very personal decision. If Congress passed laws protecting people’s rights to make their own choices in these cases, I don’t think that counts as the kind of interference that so infuriated much of the country. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/9 "2006-02-02T13:34:08Z")
It isn’t hypocritical at all. The hypocrites are the politicians who were all for the “sanctity of life” in the Schiavo case, in order to play to their “base”. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/10 "2006-02-03T20:41:38Z")
Go Michael go, that’s my thought. At the moment we have a group of politicians–congressional Republicans and some state-level Republicans–who are absolutely determined to project government power into every aspects of every person’s private life. They have granted themselves the moral and legal right to make every decision that is normally considered private, and they have granted themselves the right to kill any person who opposes them. (Conservative activists tried to murder Michael Schiavo, remember?) This destruction of the personal freedom that’s the basis for all human happiness will continue until the Republicans are removed from power. And now Republicans are beating up on Michael Schiavo for exploiting a personal tragedy for political gain? Why that’s the sort of extreme, outrageous and glaringly obvious hypocricy that one normally expects from … Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/11 "2006-02-03T22:04:00Z")
Minor thread title nitpick: PAC stands for political action committee. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/12 "2006-02-04T02:13:48Z")
> [@ITR champion](#): > > And now Republicans are beating up on Michael Schiavo for exploiting a personal tragedy for political gain? Why that’s the sort of extreme, outrageous and glaringly obvious hypocricy that one normally expects from … Republicans. Who was beating up on him? If I was Bill Frist, I’d surely not touch this issue again. I mean how many times do they want to be bitten in the ass? ---
**Author:** ![alaricthegoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@alaricthegoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alaricthegoth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/13 "2006-02-08T10:17:53Z")
> [@Patty O'Furniture](#): > > Who was beating up on him? If I was Bill Frist, I’d surely not touch this issue again. I mean how many times do they want to be bitten in the ass? So he’s strapping on his guns–what would **you** do in his place? This is the first election since those chimpanzees who masquerade as legislators amused themselves smearing feces on the constitution. Go Michael–fuck them up…In fact, I think I’ll send some money… Why don’t we all… ---
**Author:** ![alaricthegoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@alaricthegoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alaricthegoth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/14 "2006-02-08T10:25:10Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Minor thread title nitpick: PAC stands for political action committee. How exactly does a sentient resident of Washington DC misspeak PAC? ---
**Author:** ![alaricthegoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@alaricthegoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alaricthegoth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/15 "2006-02-08T10:27:24Z")
> [@Patty O'Furniture](#): > > Who was beating up on him? If I was Bill Frist, I’d surely not touch this issue again. I mean how many times do they want to be bitten in the ass? that would be you, patty… ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/16 "2006-02-08T16:19:20Z")
Well I didn’t mean it to sound that way. I wondered out loud of there might be some hint of hypocracy, and said it could backfire on Dems but I guess I should have added that I hope it does not. The thrust of my OP was simply to bring up the existance of the PAC for discussion. ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/17 "2006-02-08T16:33:27Z")
It is commonplace in America for victims of an injustice or personal tragedy to become active in politics so that future potential victims of the same injustice or tragedy do not suffer the same fate. Recent examples include the families of 9/11 victims and Cindy Sheehan. Whether or not one agrees with the goals of such persons, I would say that the impulse to transform personal injury into civic involvement and push for reform is to be admired. Sua ---
**Author:** ![EEMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a6a055/32.png) [@EEMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EEMan)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/18 "2006-02-08T16:51:31Z")
> [@SuaSponte](#): > > It is commonplace in America for victims of an injustice or personal tragedy to become active in politics so that future potential victims of the same injustice or tragedy do not suffer the same fate. Recent examples include the families of 9/11 victims and Cindy Sheehan. That isn’t an untrue statement… but as often as not, they see a possible personal gain there as well… Cindy Sheehan is a bad example for you though, in that she was previously an anti-war advocate… her tragedy did not inspire her to do what she does ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/19 "2006-02-08T16:56:16Z")
> [@EEMan](#): > > That isn’t an untrue statement… but as often as not, they see a possible personal gain there as well… Example 1: John Walsh ::shudder:: > [@](#): > > Cindy Sheehan is a bad example for you though, in that she was previously an anti-war advocate… her tragedy did not inspire her to do what she does Did not know that. Fair enough. Sua ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609/20 "2006-02-08T18:44:39Z")
> [@ITR champion](#): > > (Conservative activists tried to murder Michael Schiavo, remember?) Hmmm? > [@ITR champion](#): > > This destruction of the personal freedom that’s the basis for all human happiness will continue until the Republicans are removed from power. Nitpick: Personal freedom is important, arguably more important than anything else; but it is not the basis for **all** human happiness. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terri-schaivo-political-action-campaign/342609.md?page=2)