Passion Week Parody: The Death of Terri Schiavo

24 March 2005

The story of Terri Schiavo has become a kind of sick imitation of the death of Christ that many have drawn entertainment from.

* According to a radio show Terri said she was leaving her husband the day before she is found in a traumatic state. What ABC says was a bulimic reaction was described by Barbara Stanley as beaten and strangled. A radio program reports ambulance personnel called police who said it was a homicide. (Betrayed in her own house,)

* The husband gathers to himself lawyer and judge who are members of the Hemlock Society and makes a friend of a nurse with the reputation of having a high death rate on her shift. (The chief priests and scribes took counsel together how to kill.)

* On visits husband locks door according to nurse who was fired for reports. On radio program a nurse says she found regular insulin hidden in trash and needle marks on Terri’s body after visit, Terri agitated and blood sugar so low as to be unreadable. (smitten)

* News articles report husband referred to wife as “bitch” and rejoiced each time she got ill, refusing her simple antibiotics. (cursed)

* Nobel prize nominee in the field says Terri is aware and could respond to therapy if it was given. A number of people who treated her make reports that agree. (Jesus was pronounced innocent.)

* When a health care organization will not do what husband wants Terri is moved to another location. (See movements of Christ.)

* Judge, who has political contribution ties with players, when approached by his pastor about his rulings, resigns from church. (The high priest rends his garments.)

* Money paid for medical therapy and care is given out to lawyers. (Judas returns the thirty pieces of silver.)

I could give more examples of how this story parallels the story of Christ symbolically, but you get the idea. What yet remains is for the interest in her story to cause an investigation into why some 89 DCF investigations have gone untended in this matter.