Everyone is making a buck off her

The New York Times reports that the parents of Terry Schiavo have sold a list of their supporters to a conservative direct mailing firm, Response Unlimited, making it likely that thousands of strangers moved by her plight will receive a steady stream of solicitations from anti-abortion, evangelical and conservative groups.

Pamela Hennessy, an unpaid spokeswoman for the Schindlers, said she was initially appalled when she learned of the list's existence.

"It is possibly the most distasteful thing I have ever seen," Ms. Hennessy said. "Everybody is making a buck off of her."

Response Unlimited, who decline to comment, are 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.

It has seemed pretty obvious to me that the fundumentalist American Right have been using the sad case of Terry Schiavo to stir up shit on so called 'moral issues', like they did during the last presidential campaign. This convieniently removes the political focus away from the many faults of the Bush Administration.

One thing I did not expect however, is that Terry Schiavo parents would allow themselves to be so clearly aligned with the opportunistic political campaign surrounding their daughter's case. If anyone had any sympathy for the Schindlers, now they have sold it.

(with a tip of the hat to Empire Notes where I found the link to the NYT story)