Terri's Army

Jeb just can't let Terri go.

With his recent decision to investigate Michael Schiavo's role in his wife's medical demise, Jeb Bush and the Right to Life movement demonstrate that there is still mileage to be gained from this entanglement.

In the BAG's recent effort to collaborate with photojournalists, I've had the opportunity to correspond with Timothy Fadek. Tim is an award winning photographer whose work has been published in Time, Newsweek, The NYT Magazine, as well as major publications worldwide. Perhaps with posterity in mind, Tim was in Florida during the Schiavo controversy and made portraits of many of the pro-life adherents who found their way to the hospice. (His letter is below.)

Portraits are inherently interesting. How a person presents himself to a camera -- especially in the role of an advocate -- can offer a window into that person's personality and disposition. I offer these images (and the opportunity to read into them -- which is the trademark of this site) for two reasons:

First, I'm interested in the way we will look back on this episode. Religious extremists are operating with more power (and "teflon") than I can ever remember. The President himself, as well as leading members of Congress are either drawn from the movement, or are strongly catering to it. What happens to the role of the fundamentalists, however, if a moderate becomes the GOP standard bearer? Will a wider segment of the population come to see these activists as fanatics?

Second, liberals and progressive usually talk about moral extremists as a monolithic group. In considering these images, however, one can't help but consider these folks who trekked to Florida in more individual terms. By offering these images, I thought it might force a consideration of different motivations and personality types among the Right to Lifers.

I am grateful to Tim for making these images available to us. For each one, I have supplied Tim's caption (omitting last names) and my own associations. My idea was that you might also study them and provide impressions and interpretations. There are more images after the fold, as well as a message from Tim. (You can click on each image for a larger version.)

1. The Cutout

Tim's Caption: Nancy of Pinellas Park, Florida. She holds a cardboard cutout of U.S. President George W. Bush, as a visual appeal for the president to get involved in support of Terri Schiavo. Kramer herself suffered brain damage after an automobile accident and has some difficulty with her balance. She was outraged by the Schiavo tragedy and saw it as an attack on disabled people and sees the courts actions as un-American.

My Take: This shot testifies to the degree George Bush has given the Right To Lifers a sense of higher authority -- not to mention unconditional support. It also exemplifies how many of these activist personally bonded with a human shell (I mean Terry, not Bush) through the perception of shared misfortune. It's an empathy -- but a more primitive, self-serving kind. Also, you should always be careful around people who put a hand on the hip like that. Usually, there's no come back.

2. Mad

Tim's Caption: Ed, 22, from Cedar Grove, Wisconsin. He is a Christian and is angry at the apparent injustice in the Terri Schiavo case and believes strongly in the right to life.

My Take: I was pleased to see this image. I just don't understand why there isn't more discussion of what really motivates a large cross section of moral extremists. Forget about faith, lets talk about ANGER. By the way, have you noticed a recent tendency for right wing politicians and political appointees to pose for photographs by turning and pointing a shoulder at the camera? It's often a sign of defiance -- or hostility. The fact this kid did agree to be photographed means he's not completely alienated -- although I don't think I'd want to try and discuss it with him.

3. Brother Paul

Tim's Caption: Brother Paul of the Franciscan Brothers of Peace.
He has provided direct council to the Schindler family and has been an
outspoken voice for the family to the media.

My Take: The Franciscan Brothers for Peace describe their
members as men who "leave everything" to follow Jesus Christ in order
to live out a "radical call to discipleship." The group -- dedicated to
the Right to Life movement -- regularly conducts prayer sessions
outside abortion clinics. From the neck down, I find Brother Paul quite
disarming. The relaxed shoulders suggest unconflicted ease with himself
and his work. The hands at his side read like the unquestioning
soldier. I wonder about the face and that right foot, though. The foot
looks like he might have been inpatient standing for the portrait.
(Maybe he would rather have said no?) I don't recall seeing him in his
role as family spokesperson, but the face seems to betray some
wariness.

4. On The Line

Tim's Caption: Larry Klayman, attorney for Freedom Watch, a conservative christian organization and advocate for the Schindler family.

My Take: Why pose on the phone? Is it a FU? Is he hung up on
his own importance? With the phone and the glasses, I think he's
reserving his right to deny he took part in the photo. At the same
time, he seems like one of those small time operators that keep Swift
Boat-like attack operations afloat. I think the lapel pin is a flag.
The pocket handkerchief seems like a stereotyped gesture to suggest
he's a man with class. (Sorry, but I can't help but be tougher on the
professionals.)

5. The Bottle

Tim's Caption: Janet, Lakeland, Florida. She holds a bottle of water as a symbol of the desire to provide water to Terri Schiavo.

My Take: I like this shot for the sense of righteousness. Is she
looking over the camera, or perhaps facing off with it? (It also brings
to mind the Statue of Liberty.) I would have liked to have asked if she
really thought Terri could drink this water. My thought is that a lot
of these people are concrete thinkers. If Janet was also, she would
deny that her gesture was symbolic. This kind of mental process is
scary. These are the people who looked at the photo of Terri and her
Mom and found that it proved that Terri could not have been in a vegetative state.

6. Family Photo

Tim's Caption: Reverend and his son. When he heard the camera shutter click, the son, age 4, would happily shout "Jesus!"

My Take: I found this picture troubling. I think it's
because I hate to see kids drawn into this. James and his son are the
only African-Americans in the collection. It makes me wonder how much
the mobilization was a white thing. (That is Dean's argument, isn't
it?) The poster is a strong message coming from a minister. Aren't the
fundamentalists just as much playing God, however? The strangest
element to me, though, is that the Reverend is sporting two
signs. Is it possible he doubts his ability to get his point across?
Also, is there some regional, ethnic or religious tradition for placing
one around his neck?

Finally, the following is Tim Fadek's letter accompanying the images:

Terri Schiavo's autopsy confirms the truth

In late March, 2005, I was on assignment outside the Woodside
Hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida, photographing the story of Terri
Schiavo, the brain-damaged Florida woman at the heart of a bitter
right-to-die dispute. On March 31, 13 days after her feeding tube was
disconnected, she died.

I spent some of my time photographing a portrait series of the Keep
Terri Alive crowd, a patchwork of mostly Christians, right-to-lifers,
clergy, and self-appointed Schindler family spokespersons. All made
their pilgrimages and public appearance in front of the hospice. They
prayed publicly for Terri, spoke to reporters, wore t-shirts with their
message, held crosses and signs up for the television cameras.

On June 15, the autopsy results were released. The long-awaited
report found that the 41-year-old woman's brain had shrunk to about
half its normal size. The cause of death was dehydration from removal
of the feeding tube, the autopsy found Schiavo suffered from severe and
irreversible brain-damage.

The examination of her remains confirmed she was not strangled, poisoned,
bludgeoned or starved to death.

The autopsy results still have done nothing to sway her parents'
position that she deserved to live and may have gotten better with
therapy.

Schiavo's parents said that she showed signs she was aware of her
surroundings, but doctors said her reactions were automatic responses
and not evidence of thought or consciousness. They maintain that
belief, even though the autopsy also determined she was blind.

"There's nothing in her autopsy report that is inconsistent with a
persistent vegetative state," said Dr. Stephen J. Nelson, a medical
examiner who assisted in the neurological portion of the autopsy.

The people I met and photographed outside the hospice believe in
life at all costs. However, I don’t think the autopsy results will ever
sway their beliefs, even though it seems to clearly and unambiguously
refute the position that her parents and right-to-life supporters have
taken. Although, the autopsy might diminish the martyr status that some
had given her.

It’s time to move on.

Let her rest in peace.

Timothy Fadek
New York City, June 22, 2005

View the full gallery here.
(I made an effort to present the "less eccentric" looking folks. In
that way, I think it makes us look at these images more seriously.)

Tim Fadek's website here.

Comments

[Victor F]

You said "The poster is a strong message coming from a minister. Aren't the fundamentalists just as much playing God, however?" and I completely agree with that. If a person is 100 per cent dependent on human technology to live, isn't that unnatural and defiant of God in the first place? Ms. Schiavo was "supposed" to die 15 years ago, but humans "playing God" brought her back to life with technology.

I realize the photographer used the wall to provide a clean and consistent background for each portrait, but couldn't it be interpreted that all these people--especially the ones whose feet are in the frame--have their backs literally against the wall fighting for Ms. Schiavo's life against the overpowering onslaught of government-endorsed murderers?

Interesting article and photos. I'll be chewing on these for a few days, for sure.

[lytom]

Where are these "devoted to life" people when their government is being involved in killing people, in Iraq?
Where are these "devoted to life" people when their government is involved in torture in Guantanamo, Abu Graib, and countless other places including Afghanistan?
Silence and avoidance to face and protest these acts shows hypocricy of their "pious" stand!

[bob crane]

i understand the point about showing the "less eccentric" folks to help keep the conversation on a less reactionary level, however i think it may serve a slight disservice overall. looking at all of tim's photos i can't help but think, these "less eccentric" looking folks are more interesting in context of all tim's photos, and all appear to have their own degree of zealous enthusiasm, shall we say, that the more "eccentric" make more visibly apparent.

i find it very interesting that the least "eccentric" looking portrait is that of Randall Terry, who is probably the most rapid, irrational (and ultimately dangerous) of all the portraits. at least the rest are honestly revealing a person with all their apparent foibles, his portrait reveals nothing other than a seething righteousness. is it terry's life he care's about or political opportunism? rhetorical question i know, but his photo makes the answer starkly apparent. at least all these others seem to show a more personal conviction (and a more personal photograph), randal terry's is a campaign pose.

[futurebird]

The wall-- it says "grass roots" "everyday people" -- there are a lot of social class signals in these photos... and they seem to clash with the arty-ness of the framing... the choice of black and white.

I think it makes the distance between us and the subjects seem vast-- as if they are subjects in some kind of documentary about a foreign country far far away.

[Alan Chin]

fadek, i think i told you before already, but I'll say it again, this is really great work and I'm sure that hanging out in Florida was fun.

from my point-of-view I don't think that you have to be a right-wing or religious fanatic to have been troubled over the whole Schiavo issue. I think it was Joan Didion who expressed this unease very well in the New York Review of Books.

clearly the people that Tim photographed took their beliefs to the absoluteness of public protest, of open declaration. They seem extreme, because, in this sense, they are. Yet, as with all protestors of any cause, they are individuals with different motivations and different pasts. Fadek's pictures give them the space to express this.

they may look odd or "foreign" or the distance between "us" and "the subjects" might seem vast, but remember, these people presented themselves this way, voluntarily. in a way they are reaching across that distance to you, the viewer, by posing for Fadek.

[Asta]

I read everyone's comments and viewed Fadek's photo gallery before getting up the nerve to voice my opinion on this.

I think everyone here is being too nice about these freaks who poked their noses into a private, personal family tragedy.

If they are "Everyday People" then I don't know what planet you are living on. If they are "reaching across a distance" then I want to move a bit further away.

These people POSED for their portraits because it gave them more attention.

Seriously, these people don't give a gnat's navel about Terri Schiavo. They only care about the attention they receive by standing on the sidewalks, in the streets, holding posters, getting their pictures taken because they are losers. THEY ARE NOBODIES. "Empathy" -- my ass. These people are EMOTIONAL VAMPIRES. And the sooner you figure it out, the better off you will be. They will suck the spirit out of your bone marrow and then spit on you for having nourished them.

Take a look at the NEED they project with their tatoos and body piercings (so much for the "Your body is a Temple" philosophy). They scream "LOOK AT ME"! It's not about Terri, it is all about them. They really need the 15 minutes of fame. It validates their exitence.

I put myself in Terri's shoes for a moment and I realized, considering all her vanity about her looks and her dress size, she would be appalled that these freaks would be outside her nursing home trying to keep her "alive". "I would rather be dead than socialize with them" was the thought that entered my head.

[Kerstin]

"Forget about faith, lets talk about ANGER."

Yes, why isn't there more discussion about the incredible anger emanating from the moral extremists? I suspect if you were to talk with any of these folks about their childhood, you'd find a whole lot of beat-up baggage. It seems to me that the people most likely to violate another person's privacy are the ones who were violated early in life (beatings, beratings, neglect, you name it). That kind of anger just doesn't crop up out of nowhere, it's nursed for years and years.

Asta, I agree with you. The scary part, though, is that in many ways these extremists are "normal, everyday" people. There are lots of "everyday people" who have nothing better to do than pass judgment on others. They are selfish, needy, falsely pious, and emotionally abusive. And they make your business THEIR business. More common than we care to admit.

I like the black and white photos. Brings home the "black and white" mentality of this group.

[cj]

As portait photographs, I think these are very interesting and good--very Americana. Kudos to TF for capturing the various subtle "energies" of these folks. I see anger, opportunism, faith, devotion, hey where's the party, etc so I find it difficult to generalize about the photos as representing "the religious right" or anything like that. (I do really like "The Cutout"--it says it all about Dubya for me, but that may be beside the point!) I guess if I had to generalize, I would say that all of these photos represent an existential spit in the eye of human impotence (and mortality). On one hand it is pathetic and futile, but on the other hand it is improvised and creative. Do these photos persuade me of the legitimacy or the correctness of their cause?--no, but it does tell me a bit about America, the culture. Individually, the photos may look "freakish", but when I went to the website for the whole group of photos (thumbnails), I was struck by how diverse (ok, fractured) even this portion of American culture can be. Aside from the Terry Schiavo protest, I wonder how much these folks would have in common with each other, let alone the main stream America. I see these people all isolated within their individual perspectives, looking for a way to articulate who they are and what they believe. This represents free speech in its most basic banal awkward form. It ain't pretty; it ain't slick, but it does provide a diversion and entertainment for the rest of us while the real lobbyists and influence peddlers manipulate the American political system. Seriously, how's your oil stock portfolio doing these days.........

cheers,

cj

[robbo]

Great photos and comments. The cutout of W is really great, conveying every bit as much depth and sincerity as the "real" thing. Important Cellphone Guy is just precious. I've been thinking lately that I really do love America, it's just Americans that I'm starting to loathe (and yes, I'm one of us).

[jillian]

Fantastic!

[mugatea]

The first photo makes the inset shot take new meaning. The more I look at it the more I see Schiavo standing there. Which doesn't look natural 'cause she's been elevated from her iconic reclined position.

Nice work, sad subject.

Asta's on to something with the gnat's navel comment. Who will be the next Terri Schiavo? It could be anyone of us depending on the "moral climate" of your area.

[Matthew]

The intentional manipulation of emotion on a large scale is a crime against our common humanity.

My heart aches to see the innocent longings that people have for a true culture of life being exploited for selfish and hateful ends.

I mourn for those who have been betrayed, and those who have betrayed themselves.

[Johanna]

I am struck in each of these photographs and from the gallery of the innocence of "intention" that I experienced in each of the pictures.

And you know, thats how those who misuse power through the use of religious ideals are able to corrupt. Now, I am not saying that everyone connected with religious values is corrupted. But if you study the history of religions, I think you will find that there were those who followed a religious life who wielded power, who were the "herders" so to speak, who corrupted the innocent "sheep". And these well intentioned, sometimes innocent "sheep" did horrible things to each other, "in the name of God", for the victims "own good", often at the urging of the religious in power.

I don't doubt that many if not all, of the people involved with protesting for Terri Schiavo had good intentions and that they believed somewhere within them that they were following a righteous path. And, that they had undiagnosed or unlooked at "issues" that complicated why they were there.

What concerns me is the corruption of the conciousness of the well intentioned. These well intentioned people would have killed Terri with their misinformed kindness if they would have given her water or food.

This religiously fueled well intentionedness is also happening on a greater scale in Iraq and Afghanistan, millions of U.S. "Christians" are silent or in favor of - the killing and maiming of the Iraqi's let's say, destroying their homes and lives - and I bet that each of them would share with you how well intentioned these acts are too.

Peace. Johanna

[The BAG]

I'm glad that Asta picks up on the idea of "self centeredness" or need for attention, and Kerstin goes for the point about personal baggage. As a psychologist, one thing that has disturbed me over the past ten years or so is the rejection of psychology as an explanation for personal behavior. Instead, moral judgement and moral failing has taken its place.

I think this transition became complete during the Clinton witch hunt, when the right wing sucessfully framed the case that Clinton's personal weaknesses actually constituted moral and legal crimes (rather than more understandable, strictly personal and fundamentally politically irrelevant acts of psychological weakness.)

To look at these pictures (or, to look at the actions of any public figures) without access to a psychological paradigm leaves us basically unable to develop working insight of most "unusual" public or political behavior. And, without that insight, there can really be no appreciation and working dialogue about specific human weaknesses that manifest around us (as well as no pathway to logical remediation OR pragmatic empathy.)

As extreme examples, just look at the gawking and "flogging in the public square" directed at Michael Jackson (who is a completely infantile and infantalized being who desperately needed some kind of containment a long time ago. Same goes for Mike Tyson). As another example, look at the ridicule currently being heaped on Tom Cruise. With the death of psychology, and the corresponding instinct to simply medicate (which, in the majority of instances just masks symptoms, as well as blunts or sedates), we have these kinds of dramas where people try and keep moving in the face of publicly and painfully drawn-out mental breakdowns.

In the old days, we could look at images like these and be a lot more descriptive than just calling somebody an extremist (requiring us to lend that person a degree of credibility that they, themself, do not feel). We could talk about narcissism and hostility and fantasy and projection. We could talk about denial and delusion and the inability to symbolize. And that working picture (before the death of the unconscious) would have allowed us to feel sorry for somebody without having to either pity or hate them. And, more significantly, it would allow us to identify (and, hopefully, better deal with and save ourselves from) those who exhibit no separation between ideology and psychopathology.

[Kerstin]

"As a psychologist, one thing that has disturbed me over the past ten years or so is the rejection of psychology as an explanation for personal behavior. Instead, moral judgement and moral failing has taken its place."

Yes! How did this happen? I feel like I fell down some sort of hole during the last 10-12 years (which coincides nicely with becoming a mother) and now that my youngest will be off to school full-time in the Fall, I finally dare poke my head up to see what's going on out there in the world. Not that I've been completely clueless, but after 9-11 I realized that I would have to shut off the news spigot if I was going to be a decent nurturer to my children.

When did the death of psychology begin? Is it traceable? I'm fascinated by this phenomenon. My father-in-law is a psychiatrist with a strong belief in talk therapy. He is now at the end of his career but discouraged by the emphasis now placed on medication. The drug companies have certainly been after him for years. We have plenty of pens around the house with "Paxil" written all over them.

You make an excellent point in your last paragraph. It wasn't until I read "Bush on the Couch" by Dr. Justin Frank that I finally began to understand why Dubya drives me stark raving mad. Learning the psychology of the man gave me a framework that has been very helpful. Can't say I'll ever have sympathy for him and I'm still working on the "hate" part, but I can at least place his bizarre behavior in context.

Identifying "those who exhibit no separation between ideology and psychopathology" is crucial if we're to retain our own sanity. A very important reminder. Thank you!

[cj]

As I read these comments about the death of psychology, one thing just popped into my head--balance. In my lay understanding of psychology, I see that the purpose of psychology, is to restore balance (equilibrium) between the individual and the society/environment. Now, the assumption is that there is a balance already existing within society/environment--a norm. However, we (primarily Americans) are post-modern, post norm, post-dialogue. As a culture, we strive for individuality and expression--period. The norm, the balance is now irrelevant, or if it is relevant it is unrecognizable. All of our collective institutions--government, community, religious groups, etc. are being re-evaluated through our "post-" culture. It's a pick and choose reality out there (logic, reason, decorum optional) --designed to fit "our" needs (wants, desires, egos), not us designed to fit reality (or dare I say--humanity).....

[The BAG]

The question of when the death of psychology began is worthy of a great deal of thought, and probably a dissertation. However, the underlying tenant in the "psychological model" is that weakness is inherant in all of us. What makes people "sick" or "neurotic" (in other words, estranged from one's true instincts and feelings) is the inability to accept those weaknesses (either in one self, or in others).

(By the way, I actually met Justin Frank last year, and we shared a nice conversation about Bush. I've also written quite a bit about Bush and his psychology on this site, although not recently.)

To tie in cj's very thoughtful comment, the idea of balance or equilibrium is a very good way to think about psychological health. Bush's speech tonight was an utter failure and an embarrassment because he is, literally, unbalanced. In psychological terms, what this means is that -- unable to accept any weakness, or trouble, or disturbance within himself, he habitually projects it and objectifies it outside himself. Of course, it's his own shit that he can never own, but it always takes the (completely unbalanced) form of "they" or "them." Sadly, when Bush obsessively and reflexively refers to "the terrorists," all he's talking about is his own (disowned) terror (or imperfection). And this war he's talking about? Well, it's a real conflict alright -- but sadly, it's almost solely an intrapsychic one.

[Johanna]

While it is all well and very good to speak of psychology, there is I believe, something even greater occuring in the evolution of our species that has not only to do with psycological balance, but with spiritual balance.

Just as for thousands of years man developed as a species not even being aware of the tenets of psychology, and would even scorn (to this day) of "looking at the self" and owning their projections and behaviors; mankind as a species for the greater part, scorns that there is a dynamic spiritual aspect of (him/her-self) that affects thenselves; everyone around them, and the species as a whole.

Religon is not spirituality. Spirituality can exist within religious practices, but it can also exist without the structure of a religion. Even more so, thousands of years of written history has taught us that religion without individual spirituality leads to acts of darkness and cruelty.

Without the honouring of the spirit and the spiritual aspects of the self, the body is left out of balance. We are not just psychological beings and current events are pullling us closer every day to an evolution in our species that I feel will be as incredible as when we evolved into homo-sapiens and changed the course of events on this planet.

There is no coincidence in my mind that there are religious undertones to 90% of the war like events occuring on this planet. Personally, I feel that they are pushing us as a species to evolve past, not only our psychological imbalances, but more importantly, our spiritual imbalances.

Paace. Johanna

[Annoying Old Guy]

As a result of TheBAG's keen analysis, I'm sure the families of the dead in Iraq will be re-assured to know that there's no real conflict, just a psychological problem on President Bush's part. After all, no one tried to blow up the World Trade Center or send suicide bombers against the USA military on President Clinton's watch.

[Molly]

The difference is that Clinton tried to do something about it and was shouted down for wagging the dog.

Bushco went off with no idea of 1)what they were getting into (insurgency? what's that? they'll love us!) and 2) no idea of how to get out.

But whose fault is that? Anybody but Bush!

[Cardboard Cutout Girl]

Greetings, I am girl with cardboard cutout of President Bush. Since I didn't use it for campaign 2004 because I was anti-Kerry but not for the President, I drug the "like new" cardboard cutout to the Vigil the evening before Terri died of dehydration as per the M.E. I was exhausted and Mr. Fadek asked if he could take my picture. He took people across the street and the ground wasn't level next to the wall. I used the shell of a president to help me stand up. The hand on hip meant nothing except that Mr. Fadek asked us to "act" a little bit. Let's all be honest about the photo shoot across the street from Hospice Woodside. I hadn't ever removed the president from the back of my car and subsequent to the Vigil, my car was totalled out with the cardboard president in the back. I brought the cardboard president home from the salvage yard with other stuff from my car. I rescued him but trust me, he didn't try to rescue Terri. The M.E. wrote his report for Jeb Bush. The inside baseball on Jeb is the same. Everyone believes the Bushes tried to save Terri but they were actually with the euthanasists. Euthanasia is illegal in the State of Florida. Terri was starved and dehydrated to death. Nobody can deny that, not even Jeb's M.E. It was just as wrong to me that Katrina and flood victims were dehydrated and starved. The culture of indifference has taken more than Terri's life. I'm more like the rest of you than you would ever acknowledge excwept that you are eerily afraid of Christians and are for euthanasia which I am against, especially if they rob the ward of their rehab monies and then bump them off. I think you're dead wrong and you think I'm short on facts. Visit www.theempirejournal.com. Dare to check out some "facts". Maybe you should visit www.judgegeorgegreer.com and read up on this GOP swamp judge. His friend Mel Sembler was Ambassador to Italy for Bush 41 and the current President Bush. Terri is dead because of the Semblers-the Bushes and Judge Greer. You all should be glad that Florida won't be a red state in 2006 or 2008. Maybe Hilary will be president because Terri was killed because of money and power, not because she was brain dead. She started crying when her dad told her the feeding tube was coming out. There is audio but like who here would believe me? I'm telling you the democrats have a shot because as bad as they are, they didn't ever say they were for the culture of life while behind the scenes letting someone be murdered by a judge who is friends with Mr. GOP Mel Sembler. I took the cardboard president to the vigil to mock him, understood?