Anti Euthanasia Crowd Descends on Penn

The Penn bioethics center's 10th anniversary conference was sure to attract some attention from the Save Terri crowd (and not just the folks who believe that she could have returned from PVS with just a few more years of tube feeding), given that Michael Schiavo, Judge Greer, etc. are scheduled to speak. But the rhetoric that pro-life groups have employed is truly extraordinary:

The probate judge who ordered the dehydration death of brain-injured Terri Schiavo will join Michael Schiavo and other key proponents of her death as a guest speaker at a bioethics conference.

Who knows if there will be a book signing by the Schindler family, but at least one is planning a great big protest.

Bobby Schindler, Terri Schiavo's brother, calls Greer's speaking engagement "offensive," and on behalf of the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation Center for Health Care Ethics [ed: this has to be the most eggregious use of the language of "ethics center" ever - zero academic work, 100% lobbying and fundraising] intends to protest Geer’s presence at 10:30 a.m. Monday outside of the university's Biomedical Research Building.

And the Schindler family has actually commented on its anger that Judge Greer will be appearing. Their comments are incredible:

"Judge Geer’s presence at the University of Pennsylvania's bioethics conference is not only outright offensive and inappropriate but it is indicative of his own biases against the disabled," Schindler said.

He also wonders if Greer's appearance is a "violation of Florida's judicial canons as prescribed by the Supreme Court of the State of Florida."

"We are entitled to a fair and unbiased judiciary," Schindler added. "Judge Greer is confirming exactly what my family has maintained from the beginning of Terri's case – that he has a disposition against the vulnerable people whose cases he controls."

I just do not get it. At what point does the family and the movement acknowledge that Terri was in fact beyond therapy? Does that even matter? Somebody ask the protesters tomorrow, please, and comment. Or if you're scared, send in some hapless Penn student with a script.