Rally at the Florida Capitol, Pinellas Park prayer vigil draw hundreds of Terri Schiavo supporters

TALLAHASSEE (FBW)-Family and pro-life leaders rallied in support of Terri Schiavo’s parents and lawmakers who have stepped up to the plate in seeking ways to prevent the court-ordered death of a 41-year-old disabled Clearwater woman Mar. 18. And Hollywood actor Mel Gibson lent his support via a message read by Teri’s brother, Bobby Schindler Jr.

Singing, praying and standing quietly holding small “We Love Terri” signs, the 500-strong crowd spent two hours on the windy, but sunny, Sunday afternoon listening to speakers talk about the sanctity of human life, the need for Terri’s life to be spared, and the gratitude Terri’s parents have for those who have joined them in the fight to save their daughter.

James Dobson, founder of Colorado-based Focus on the Family spoke to the crowd via a recorded message.

“It is an outrage that Terri’s life hangs in the balance today. We are going to do everything we can to protect her,” said Dobson. “Even though this is a somber day, we have a good reason for hope.”

Robert and Mary Schindler, Terri’s parents who have been fighting for over seven years to defend their daughter’s right to life, and Gary Cass, executive director of the Center for Reclaiming America, were joined by representatives of various pro-life organizations.

Bobby Schindler told participants that Mel Gibson, producer of The Passon of The Christ, telephoned his father, Bob, Mar. 11 and said he supported the family's efforts to save their daughter. In addition he faxed a statement which Bobby read:

"I fully support the effort of Mr. & Mrs. Schindler to save their daughter, Terri Schiavo, from a cruel starvation," Mel Gibson wrote.

"Terri's husband should sign the care of his wife over to her parents so she can be properly cared for,” Gibson continued.

Co-sponsors for the Rose Rally were: The Center for a Just Society, the Center for Reclaiming America, Christian Law Association, Christian Coalition, Coral Ridge Ministries, Eagle Forum of Florida, Family Research Council, Florida Family Policy Council, Florida Right to Life, Focus on the Family, Liberty Counsel, and the National Right to Life Committee.

Single roses, without water and wilting under the Florida sun, lined a platform where pro-life speakers Mar. 12 joined Terri Schiavo supporters in a seven-hour prayer vigil at the Woodside Hospice in Pinellas where Terri resides.

At times the crowd swelled to nearly 300, with families lining the narrow strips of grass outside of the secluded, nicely landscaped facility and other supporters gathered across the street outside of the store-front of a storage facility rented by the Terri Schindler-Shiavo Foundation.

“We love you Terri,” one rally leader directed the crowd to yell after turning to face the hospice on the count of three.

Across the street, a smiling young girl, the eldest child amongst six siblings sitting in the shade with their parents, rolled around on tennis-shoe skates offering people free lunch—and advice.

“Terri Sciavo deserves life like any of us,” Rosy Kimball, 10, told Florida Baptist Witness. “We are praying.”

Lorraine Guerrier, who attends Liberty Baptist Church, an independent church in St. Petersburg, held signs encouraging Gov. Jeb Bush to step in and place Terri in protective custody. She said in addition to the moral questions in the case, there is also a question of Terri’s constitutional right to life under the law.

“I believe this is a turning point for our nation,” Guerrier said. “Just because someone is disabled, doesn’t mean they aren’t a human being or less deserving of food and water.”

A slate of pro-family and Catholic leaders expressed sympathy for Bob and Mary Schindler and disdain for Judge George W. Greer and for Robert Lynch, an area Catholic leader.

Thomas Droleskey, founder, president of Christ the King College, in California, called for Lynch to come alongside the Catholic Church’s teaching on the issue of nutrition and hydration—and the sanctity of human life.

“Rome has clearly spoken on this issue,” Droleskey said, referencing Lynch. “Are you a Roman Catholic or an American Catholic?”

Joseph Magri, a Tampa Bay area attorney who has previously represented the Schindler family in this case, called on listeners to remember the lessons of the Bible.

“You can get misled about the love of neighbor,” Magri said. “You have to ground love of neighbor in a love of God to make sure that decisions we make are good ones.”