Terri Schiavo, Emotional Appeals, and Logic

In the Saturday, March 26 Oregonian (Portland, OR), the AP reported Michael Schiavo’s attorney George Felos making an astonishing claim. As Terri Schiavo’s parent’s were nearing the end of the legal options to save their daughter they pleaded for someone to save their daughter.

To which Felos stated that the “Schindlers had abondoned all pretense of the law and are simply making ‘a pure emotional appeal.’”

The claim by Felos’ client, “Terri would not want to live this way,” is at its basis an emotional claim. The fact that Felos was able to wrap the appeal in legality does not make it any less of an emotional appeal.

Further, Felos confuses legality with morality. That is just because something is legal doesn't make it moral nor is an illegal act necessarily immoral.

To criticize the parents for making a “pure emotional appeal” after they exhausted all other options in order to save the daughter they love; the daughter they offered to care for on their own with no help from the husband who has sired two kids with another woman. Felos statement is nothing less than kicking the parents when they are down; pouring salt in their wounds. Feel the compassion.