One more footnote

In an earlier post on Terri Schiavo, on February 25, I suggested that despite what they might think now, even if they won their case and got custody, Terri's parents assuredly would be in for more pain.

Pain not only emotional but financial as a host of "therapists" hawking their wares and their cures will circle like vultures over a family already threadbare with grief.

I forgot something: There was no way the lurking con artists were going to steal a march on solid, patriotic, American corporations!

The parents of Terri Schiavo have authorized a conservative direct-mailing firm to sell a list of their financial supporters, making it likely that thousands of strangers moved by her plight will receive a steady stream of solicitations from anti-abortion and conservative groups[, the New York Times reports on Tuesday].

"These compassionate pro-lifers donated toward Bob Schindler's legal battle to keep Terri's estranged husband from removing the feeding tube from Terri," says a description of the list on the Web site of the firm, Response Unlimited, which is asking $150 a month for 6,000 names and $500 a month for 4,000 e-mail addresses of people who responded last month to an e-mail plea from Ms. Schiavo's father. "These individuals are passionate about the way they value human life, adamantly oppose euthanasia and are pro-life in every sense of the word!"

Privacy experts said the sale of the list was legal and even predictable, if ghoulish.

"I think it's amusing," said Robert Gellman, a privacy and information policy consultant. "I think it's absolutely classic America. Everything is for sale in America, every type of personal information."

Oh, yes, amusing is the word, isn't it? It's all just so piquantly droll. According to family representatives, the Schindlers were aware of the conditions but in their desperation for support probably didn't think about them. Which means Response Unlimited may have the honor of being the very first company to take financial (as opposed to political) advantage of the Schindlers' emotional turbulence.

Congratulations, Response Unlimited, and thank you for your "amusing" demonstration of the true American way!