Gov. Bush calls special session over Terri Schiavo

Firstcoastnews.com ^ | 10-20-03 | Cynthia Capers

[JulieRNR21]

TALLAHASSEE, FL -- According to a news release sent by the Terry Schindler-Schiavo Foundation, Florida Speaker Johnnie Byrd will introduce "Terri's Bill" during the special session Monday.

The bill would put an immediate moratorium on all dehydration and starvation deaths in Florida. Meanwhile, supporters of Terri Schiavo showed up Sunday outside a Pinellas Park hospice.

Doctors say Schiavo has been in a vegetative state since complications from a heart attack in 1990. Her husband was granted a court order that her feeding tube be removed, saying his wife wouldn't have wanted to be kept alive.

[JulieRNR21]

May I now propose a 24-hour-a-day prayer thread for Terri's recovery and rehabilitation?

Excellent idea....please start that thread!

[JulieRNR21]

Thanks for posting the aye & nay votes for the House....we should definitely send emails....they are reading them as my responses indicate.

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

You began the personal attacks. I have merely pointed out ideas and issues that you find problematic.

You berate rigidity. However, rigidity is actually a wonderful virtue when it comes to standing up for what is right. You seem to suggest that it is prideful. Nothing could be further from the truth. Moses was incredibly "rigid" on matters of principle, but the Bible says he was the most meek of men.

The highest and chief end of man is to glorify God. That is what truly matters in this life. It matters little if you save a thousand lives, but do so with a hateful and immoral spirit. If you wish to support moral causes, why not act in a moral manner. I suppose that requires a certain amount of rigidity doesn't it.

Your activism will never amount to anything if it is conducted in the absence of a fiercely consistent personal morality.

[berkeleybeej]

phfffft!

[tutstar]

thanks Floriduh......

what's the latest???

[Alamo-Girl]

PRAISE GOD!!!

[kstewskis]

I am not talking about situations like Terri's. What if I choose not to immunize my children and well-meaning liberals believe it is for their welfare that they get immunized against my wishes. What is to prevent them from using this legislation as precedent to veto my parental rights?

I'm sorry, I thought you were.

However, you bring up a good question. Choosing not to immunize isn't always a case of life vs. death. (as opposed to treatment, for example in Utah (I believe) where the parents elected not to put their child through chemotherapy. There the parents rights were overruled, for the sake of the child's life.)

I recall, sometime in the mid 70's, I (as many other kids in the LA Unified School Dist.) were not allowed to return to school, unless we had one of our Rubella (german measles) immunization vaccines updated, if we had no proof of having it done previously. The libs implemented it. Was it needed? Who knows. Was it my parents desire? No. But in order to keep me in school, they had to.

I understand your frustration when gov't meddles in the middle of the medical community, and their patients/families. It is a valid fear. Although I am in strong favor of this decision (in this particular case), nothing is always in black and white.

[JulieRNR21]

Please do not delete this thread as it contains the record of both the House & Senate Votes as posters watched the proceeding LIVE.

Please delete those posts that make personal attacks which are against stated rules of posting.

Please do not punish the 99.99% of the Freepers who follow those rules because of the few who don't.

[JulieRNR21]

Just got this email from Senator Byrd:

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns regarding Terri
Schiavo. I value your input on this important matter.

During the past year, the Florida House has faced difficult choices in many
areas. We have crafted legislation regarding the budget, healthcare,
workers’ compensation, and prescription drug relief for Floridians.
Presently, legislation is being considered to address the victims of legal
dehydration and starvation deaths.

Every Floridian has a right to determine their own treatment, and anyone
who has executed an advanced directive has the right to have his or her
instructions carried out. Where there is no disagreement among family
members, present law does not appear to create reasons for legislative
intervention. However, the Terri Schiavo case raises troubling concerns
that the proposed legislation would address.

The bill passed by the House in Special Session “E” on Monday night would
allow the Governor to issue a moratorium to stop contested legal
dehydration and starving deaths in Florida in certain instances. The
moratorium would give the Legislature time to assess our current law.

With our pledge to protect the most vulnerable, I strongly believe that
someone needs to be a voice for the voiceless like Terri Schiavo.

Again, thank you for contacting me. I will take your comments to heart and
give them careful consideration as we address the issue of contested legal
dehydration and starvation cases.

Very truly yours,
Johnnie Byrd
Speaker

[CindyDawg]

FM

[honeygrl]

"Your activism will never amount to anything if it is conducted in the absence of a fiercely consistent personal morality. "

Interesting thoughts.. looks like our activism amounted to quite a lot in the past few days though. You can troll all you want (since I can't sotp you) but you aren't going to rain on our parade. We are overjoyed and celebrating tonight and there is nothing you can do to stop that. I would like to suggest you do a little soul searching if you have such a huge problem with our PRO-LIFE victory today. How can someone professing to be Christian be so upset at a pro-life victory? Are you not pro-life?

[CindyDawg]

FM

[CindyDawg]

FM

[floriduh voter]

BACK AT THE HOME OFFICE: Governor Jeb Bush is Terri's guardian for now. I saw her on tv tonight when the ambulance arrived at Morton Plant Hospital. Terri had guardian angels all over the place, even at MPH.

I saw Atty Felos arguing tonight that what the legislature did by letting Terri live was a BIG BROTHER move. Can you believe it?

There is one more hurdle that we have to wait on. Judge Baird gave Felos (hubby's atty) five days to submit a Brief that Baird will review. However, we couldn't find any dirt on Baird on the laptop at The Vigil Command Center. THERE WERE FREEPERS MANNING THE COMMAND CENTER. THERE WERE FREEPERS covering print, radio and tv interviews. I'll try to get my pictures up on a brand new thread asap. Today was like being in Oz and trying to get back to Kansas. "There's no place like home, Judge Greer."

It's highly unlikely Judge Baird would stop Jeb Bush's Executive Order and the legislature's historic vote to save Terri's life. IF THAT GOD, FORBID HAPPENED, WE WOULD JUST SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT AGAIN like we just did in the past two months. What an effort!!!!!

[kstewskis]

gotcha! :)

fm'd ya back.

[CindyDawg]

Thanks for all you have done. Did dandylion make it out there?

[lakey]

No need to "eat crow" IMHO. Do you think Jeb & the Legislature would have taken action to protect Terri if freepers hadn't jumped on them with all fours this past week?

I don't mind writing a thank you to Jeb & a few others, but they only did the humanitarian thing. No medals of valor are due.

[countrydummy]

I am an RN as well, did you get the final results? My computer won't show them!

Sheila

[nickcarraway]

Yikes!

[nickcarraway]

Thanks for the info.