Open letter to Gov. Bush on Terri Schindler-Schiavo

WorldNetDaily ^ | 10/20/2003 | Tom Ambrose

[Houmatt]

Dear Gov. Bush,

You have before you the most important decision of your political career: Will you or will you not uphold your oath of office to protect the constitutional rights of Terri Schindler-Schiavo?

Additionally, many of our readers have asked questions which, frankly – as reasonable as they are – I don't know how to answer them. Perhaps you do. For example:

1. Why is it that a governor can commute the death sentence of a person convicted of murder, but cannot stop the execution of an innocent young woman?

2. By the definitions of "cruel and unusual," our courts would not allow a convicted murderer to die of legally sanctioned starvation and dehydration. Why are you allowing this to be done to an innocent young woman?

3. If any person in America tried to euthanize their dog the way you are allowing to be done to Terri Schindler-Schiavo, they would be prosecuted for cruelty to an animal. Why are you allowing this to be done to an innocent human being?

Gov. Bush, I must also tell you that your pitiful attempt to make people think you are impotent to act in this matter is not credible. It makes people think you are acting in bad faith – washing your hands of a difficult matter just as Pontius Pilate did with Jesus 2,000 years ago. If such is the case – and I believe it is likely – you sir are a coward without modern-day peer. I hope I'm wrong. But, if you let this woman die, her blood is on your hands.

Oh, and yes, Gov. Bush, I am aware there may be a special session of the state legislature that might include a bill to address this matter. But the simple fact is you already have grounds to take charge now. By the time this "special session" gets done, Terri may very well be dead. But then you'll be able to shrug your shoulders and give yourself and the legislature enough cover to pretend you really tried to help Terri, right?

Surely, governor, there are ample reasons to warrant investigations into the activities of the people involved in seeking Terri's death. And surely there is ample evidence that Terri is no more a vegetable than you are, governor – she laughs, she cries, she moves in response to words and other stimuli. She is awake. She is alive. And she is a citizen of your state who is entitled to the full protection of the law.

Terri Schindler-Schiavo is being denied her right to life. She needs help to be rehabilitated. She does not deserve a painful execution that we wouldn't even subject dogs or criminals to.

So, governor, will you act honorably and uphold the integrity of your oath of office or will you allow an innocent, helpless woman to be murdered by legally mandated neglect?

The world is watching.

[Houmatt]

'Nuff said.

[Russ]

What reason would the Governor have to not stop this if he could? There are two people who actually could stop this:
the husband and the judge. They are the murderers, not Gov. Bush.

[AAABEST]

The article makes the point that it won't be good for anyone - including Jeb - if Terry should die while this act of congress is moving at it's painful pace.

There are local SW Florida politician contacts here for any FReepers in the area.

[maestro]

Florida does NOT have a '911'.......?????

:-(

[RedBloodedAmerican]

The author doesn't understand.

Here comes another 500+ post thread about how evil the Bush family is...

[Barney Gumble]

Congrats to Worldnetdaily and Newsmax for challenging Bush on this, instead of being resigned to being mouthpieces for the Republican party and trying to find a way to agree with Bush.

The open letter is well written. If a convict can escape the death chamber with a governor's stay, why not Terri?

Another thing is...all these liberals who are anti-death penalty for criminals are either quiet on Terri, or pro-euthanasia? Murders can be rehabilitated, but not people with brain damaged.

Shame on Bush for trying to play the fence with this one. I hope the Republican party never nominates him for president, because I'd vote Libertarian in spite.

[Pukin Dog]

Just how many more of these posts are freepers going to be subjected to? Does anyone out there think that we are not aware of this situation? Those of you insisting on blaming this situation on Jeb Bush are doing a disservice to yourselves and to this web site. Compassion need not become irrational zealotry. When we do this, we only give people reasons to ignore us, rather than listen to us. Can we blame those responsible, and leave the Gov out of this? He is responsible for every person in his state, not just the ones that WE want him to focus on. There must be more than a hundred threads on this issue; does each and every note, letter or expression deserve a new thread? I'm sorry for Terry, dont doubt that, but someone had to say it, or one day, there may be nothing here but Terry posts. It is time to stop this.

[TYVets]

Govenors can issue statements or take action.

Jeb's choice

[Houmatt]

What reason would the Governor have to not stop this if he could?

Ask him.

[Houmatt]

The author doesn't understand.

WHAT does the author NOT understand? The facts have been laid out ad nauseam for everyone.

The thing is, YOU refuse to understand what is at stake here.

And for that, I have nothing but pity.

[Houmatt]

If you don't like these posts, don't read them. Take your apathy elsewhere.

[TomB]

I was listening to Glenn Beck this morning. I don't think there have been very many people more intimately involved in the case than he is. He his a passionate supporter of Terry and her parents. And this morning he gave out Jeb Bush's e-mail and urged his listeners to send a note of THANKS to Bush for calling a special session of the legislature today to pass "Terri's Bill", which "would put an immediate moratorium on all dehydration and starvation deaths currently pending in Florida".

[SmokyGeo]

Lots of questions I would want to ask here.

How come Terri is on the feeding tubes in the first place? Was there some hope that she might recover? Has that hope disappeared now? What sort of life can she expect if left on the feeding tubes? How much longer can she be expected to live on the feeding tubes? Has she ever expressed any thoughts about how she might wish to be treated if something happened to her?

Our niece was in a car accident and had severe damage to her brain. She lived in a condition apparently much like Terri's. As she was 19 when the accident happened, "heroic measures" were taken to save her life. She eventually died... naturally... about three years later. I don't believe that she suffered at all during that time.

I do believe that her movements were indeed reflex movements. Those same movements happened when she could not possibly have been aware that anyone was present in the room or when people were only looking in a window or at a monitor and not even in the room.

I also don't think that Terri will feel anything one way or the other, if she is fed or not.

I do think that doctors are anxious to take heroic measures to save lives, and that's not always appropriate. Families always hope for miracles, but I think that the miracle is that the person is not suffering. Peace is a miracle too.

Sometimes, death is not the enemy.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Question for you:

Why didn't Jeb Bush change the decision of the Florida Supreme Court in the 2000 Presidential Election?

[sinkspur]

But, if you let this woman die, her blood is on your hands.

This is hysterical ranting of the highest order.

It's also incorrect, and downright stupidity on the part of the author.

It's no wonder conservative zealots aren't taken seriously, when they turn the guns on their own.

[Leatherneck_MT]

The Gov could stop this in a heartbeat.

He lacks the moral courage however to do what is right.

[Pukin Dog]

It is not apathy to suggest that you folks are only hurting yourselves and your cause. Irrational ranting about Jeb Bush gets you nowhere. You could have posted your letter on one of a hundred other threads. I am asking you to calm down and realize that what you are doing is destructive and not at all helpful to Terry.

[Pukin Dog]

It's no wonder conservative zealots aren't taken seriously, when they turn the guns on their own.

With threads like this one and most of the others on this subject, it is clear why most of the mainstream Conservatives dont post or link to this web site. I was told that Drudge and others used to link here, but that he no longer does.

I could read some of these comments on the Crazy Liberal web sites. It is a shame when our side engages in the same nonsense.

[Two_Sheds]

The Gov could stop this in a heartbeat.

I heard this said before, but I'm not from FL so I don't understand the legalities involved. Could you explain what laws would allow him to intervene in a situation like this?

[Diamond]

I also don't think that Terri will feel anything one way or the other, if she is fed or not.

And just how would that be known?

I do think that doctors are anxious to take heroic measures to save lives, and that's not always appropriate.

Of course, but what is heroic about food and water?

Cordially,