Using Terri: The Religious Right's Conspiracy to Take Away Our Rights

I believe strongly that people should be able to decide for themselves, to the extent that it is possible, how much medical care they want. This goes both for people who want no heroic measures and people who want everything possible to be done. One of the most upsetting things about this story is that a number of people trying to keep Terri Schiavo on the feeding tube, including her parents, admitted that they didn't really care what she wanted, even if she had left even more specific instructions. Does the reviewer who professed to be distressed by the arrogance of Michael Schiavo, et al., apply the same standards to the Schindlers and others trying to warp the law and established practice? They were certainly convinced that they had a direct pipeline to God. The reviewer who claimed that he had no problem with the decision to remove the tube, but felt that Eisenberg was unfairly attacking Christian conservatives should give more thought to what they did. Did this person stand up and say, "You're not speaking for me when you claim that God requires extraordinary measures"? Eisenberg pointed out that a number of Christians, even conservative Christians, were puzzled by the reluctance to let Terri Schiavo go to God. I already have advanced directives, and after this, I think that I will try to strengthen them. Eisenberg's account of events was compassionate, careful and fair. In all that I have read about this, I have not seen any good evidence that Michael Schiavo was a bad husband while his wife was living with him, or failed to do the best for her until it became clear there was no hope. I cannot understand the argument that it is playing God to remove the tube any more than it was playing God to use it in the first place. Terri Schiavo would have died naturally more than 15 years ago. There were times when I thought that perhaps Michael Schiavo should have turned care over to his in-laws, since they felt so strongly, but that is only because I don't think that Terri Schiavo was alive enough to care. I don't judge him for that, however. I know what it is to decide with family members when treatment should be ended since death can only be briefly postponed. I don't know what it is like to have to watch someone in that condition for more than fifteen years, convinced that they would not have wanted it to happen that way. I hope that I am never the cause of putting my own family through such character assassinations, public intrusions and sufferings.

If you believe anything that Jeb Bush, George Bush, Tom DeLay, Bill Frist, Jesse Jackson, Robert Schindler, Mary Schindler, Bobby Schindler or Suzanne Schindler has said about the Terri Schiavo case, don't read this book. Actually, if you believe anything those people have said about the Schiavo case, you're not smart enough to read this book. Jon Eisenberg is an appellate attorney whose stock-in-trade is fact. Want to know who funded the Schindlers through bogus appeal after bogus appeal? Read Using Terri. Want to see how the judicial process can be undermined by the same people who scream about activist judges? Read Using Terri. It's an insider's view of what went on, written by a lawyer who has the ability to make it painfully understandable. It's worth paying retail for Using Terri!

This book should be on required reading lists for all college students... no, for nearly anybody. Whether you agree with the author or not, the book lays out the history of the Terri Schiavo matter in a factual manner. You know you're reading a darned good book when the author is just telling the honest truth (he even fairly presents the arguments of the other side) and you're scared out of your wits. If you're liberal/progressive, you need to read this book. It'll fire you up for action. If you're moderate or haven't given much thought to end-of-life decisions, you need to read this book. Even if you wind up choosing differently from the author, you'll learn about the issue and what you need to do to ensure your choices/desires are followed. If you're conservative, you need to read this book, and you need to really let it spur your thinking about whether or not the people you've been voting for have your best interests at heart- or if they're just out to control everyone's lives. Just a great book.

This book provides a concise overview of the issues arising from the right to die, the politics and law behind those issues, and the reasons all American's should be worried about the Religious Right's efforts to forcibly impose their own brand of morality on all Americans.

In the end, Eisenber's book is intended to move you to action. I fairly ran to do three things: review every word of my Advance Health Care Directive to be sure it explictly and unambiguously made clear my wishes; wrote a check to an organization that will protect my rights to make personal life decisions; and told everyone I knew to read this book and consider doing the other two things. After all I'd read about the Teri Shivo tragedy I found Jon's behind the scenes stories fascinating and frightening. He writes with insight, warmth and passion. He has a fine legal mind, a fierce commitment to individual freedom and an engaging writing style. Formidable.