Michael Schiavo in Minneapolis

By Mitchell

Just a reminder that today (September 23), Michael Schiavo is scheduled to speak in Minneapolis at a Euthanasia Conference to be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Minneapolis.

The Conference is titled, “33 Years Of Clinical Ethics in Minnesota: Stories of Heroes and Courage.” Schiavo was awarded the Guardian Of The Year from the Florida State Guardianship Association, and is now a public speaker on the issue of euthanasia.

The event is billed as a tribue to Dr. Ron Cranford, who is a member of the board of directors of the Euthanasia Society of America and has ties to the Hemlock Society. In 1997 Cranford wrote an article for the Star Tribune advoc ating assisted suicide as a way to lower the rising number of patients afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The Strib describes the relationship between Schiavo and Crawford, with Schiavo referring to Crawford as " 'a very close family friend' who helped him during the ordeal. 'He's a great man,' he said. Cranford was Schiavo's medical adviser and served as his public surrogate in the media debate about the case last winter."

For his part, "Cranford jokes that he's afraid Schiavo will upstage him. 'He's taken me out of my limelight,' he said." Which is true; Hitler stole the limelight from Mengele as well. (Although, aside from the award as Time Man of the Year, I'm not aware of too many international banquets honoring Hitler during his lifetime.)

What's interesting is that Cranford retired from Hennepin County Medical Center in May after a 34 year career, upon learning that he had cancer. After surgery he now pronounces himself "healthy as a horse," but I'm confused. If the cancer was enough to cut short a career he loved, why didn't he just kill himself? That would seem to be consistent with his philosophy on the "quality of life," wouldn't it? (I know that may be simplistic, but irony often is.)

If you live in the Twin Cities Metro area and are able to get away for a few hours today, it would be worth your time to come downtown and present yourself as a witness to the sanctity of life, and to stand as a counterpart to the evil that is taking a firm hold of our culture.