Making money off of Terri Schiavo’s death.

Posted by Les on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 at 03:09 PM. Read 871 times. Tags: ,
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If you’re one of the pro-life crowd that donated money to help the Schindler’s in their legal fight to keep their daughter alive at any cost then you can look forward to an increase in spam mail of all kinds as a result. Bob Schindler has agreed to allow the list of financial supporters to be sold by a direct-mail marketing company so they can make some money off of your generosity. It’s just his way of saying, “Thanks.”

“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.”

Executives of Response Unlimited declined to comment. Gary McCullough, director of the Christian Communication Network and a spokesman for Ms. Schiavo’s parents, confirmed that Mr. Schindler had agreed to let Response Unlimited rent out the list as part of a deal for the firm to send an e-mail solicitation raising money on the family’s behalf.

I suppose in some way it’s a fair price to pay for sticking your nose where it really didn’t belong in the first place, but then I’m sure some of you will be happy to receive the pleas for more of your cash for the next fight that comes along. The folks at Response Unlimited certainly look set to make a handsome profit off of this whole fiasco. Not that they’re likely to be the only ones. I’m surprised there haven’t been any announcements of book deals with any of the major players in this drama yet. Usually those happen pretty quickly.

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Sepharo United States Posted on 03/29/2005 at 05:43 PM

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Whoever buys that list could make a fortune selling Scent O’ Jeebus candles.

***Dave United States Posted on 03/29/2005 at 05:47 PM

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I figure any time I send in a contribution to a cause that my name and address are fair game (unless I am explicitly told otherwise).

The ghoulish part (as correctly, if also ghoulishly commented upon in the article) is that this is coming out while Mrs. Schiavo is still alive.

GeekMom United States Posted on 03/29/2005 at 05:53 PM

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You gotta wonder where Michael Schiavo is getting the money to pay HIS legal bills ... since he’s apparently too classy and dignified to make a PR campaign out of his battle to carry out his wife’s wishes.

kat United States Posted on 03/29/2005 at 06:53 PM

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I hear there is a movie in the works though.

Ted United States Posted on 03/29/2005 at 08:59 PM

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Don’t be that guy indeed…

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Ted’s Blog, nowhere as cool as this site though…

Vic3 United States Posted on 03/29/2005 at 09:26 PM

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Dear SEB,

Let me be the first to confirm your insightful observation that “some of you will be happy to receive the pleas for more of your cash for the next fight that comes along.”

Oh, Yes.  American capitalism will ensure that we are organized and that the money flows to the causes and values that we support.  Ain’t it great? The silent majority is about to get vocal.

Ragman United States Posted on 03/29/2005 at 10:13 PM

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I wonder if anyone started some “petition to save Terri” spam circulating to harvest addys.

Les United States Posted on 03/29/2005 at 10:24 PM

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The name’s Les.

As for your silent majority, have you checked the polls lately? Seems the majority of people, including the majority of Republicans, are pretty pissed off at Congress and the President for sticking their big noses where they didn’t belong. That’s the one good thing to come out of this whole fiasco so far.

I see less of a silent majority and more of an overly vocal minority that may have overplayed their hand on this one. With any luck, it’ll come back to bite you in the ass.

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Gods dont kill people. People with Gods kill people. - David Viaene

shana Japan Posted on 03/29/2005 at 10:54 PM

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Beautiful.  Why am I not surprized they’d milk it for all it’s worth?

Maybe they’ll get some of those prayer rugs.  Come to think of it, maybe that would help Terri!

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“Like reindeer in the sky you can.”

tim gueguen Canada Posted on 03/30/2005 at 01:00 AM

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I’m surprised I haven’t gotten any Schiavo related spam, not even from religious types wanting me to pray for her or some such.  Of course now that I have tempted the spam gods I’ll probably get a bunch over the next few days.

Azumith New Zealand (Aotearoa) Posted on 03/30/2005 at 01:04 AM

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Wow, this movie could be great!! It’d be the best thing for extreme right wing Christians/Neo-Nazis since the Passion!!  With Sylvester Stallone as Michael Schiavo, and Linsey Lohan as Terri!  How could it fail?

TheBo$$ United States Posted on 03/30/2005 at 01:22 AM

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How could it not fail with all the Roman Cathies complaining about a movie trying to take over the Passion!

Mick Australia Posted on 03/30/2005 at 02:49 AM

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A movie about a chick in a coma? Sounds like two hours of solid gold fun!

And I know she’s not actually in a coma, but permanent vegetative state is too long for me to be bothered writing - oops, I just did.

Ragman United States Posted on 03/30/2005 at 03:49 PM

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tim: I’m surprised I haven’t gotten any Schiavo related spam, not even from religious types wanting me to pray for her or some such.  Of course now that I have tempted the spam gods I’ll probably get a bunch over the next few days.

I must say that I was thinking about chain letters from people I know.  As far as outright spam in my junk box, I don’t recall any that had her name in the subject line, and I for the most part don’t bother looking at the source code unless it looks to be legit.

Azumith: Wow, this movie could be great!! It’d be the best thing for extreme right wing Christians/Neo-Nazis since the Passion!!

I noticed the Passion was on re-release this month with the most graphic scenes edited.

Azumith New Zealand (Aotearoa) Posted on 03/31/2005 at 12:12 AM

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Hey, it was Easter.  If I had a movie about a guy being hung a on big cross and poked with pointy sticks that had made a fat wad of cash first time around, I’d cart it out every religous holiday I could!  Then, much like Mr Wofcastle himself, I could sleep contently, on a large pile of money with many beautiful ladies.

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