I would have no other reason to pick on Florida, knowing my old state of Oregon followed similar paths as did other states I travel. Oh, yes I have lived in Florida, too, even way back in the '40's and more recently, so I have a semblence of baseline for comparison.
But Florida is a special case and glares like a beacon outshining the rest of the states on this issue. And, the bad vibes center in my experience is Clearwater, itself.
What happened to Terri certainly could have happened in other states and likely has countless times over. But in Florida, it was egregious, in-your-face murder and that is what brings the limelight to sunny Florida.
My husbands uncle still lives in Clearwater, and no doubt will die there....he really sees no reason to move, and certainly not because of the Terri Shiavo case...he goes only by what he saw there, in relation to his wives case, and in that case, anything and everything was done to cure her, and let her continue to live...
I have worked in nursing homes for many years, in the state of Washington...altho I have never taken care of anyone who had a feeding tube pulled, I know that I was taking care of a man and his wife contemplated pulling her husbands feeding tube, and I know that the doctors would have done it, if that is what she decided to do...her husband died before she made a final decision....but the law would have sided with her, pulling the tube, since the husband could not speak for himself, and in fact had had part of his brain removed surgically....and I am sure that this situation occurs in every state and in every state feeding tubes are pulled...
I think we all knew more about what happens in Florida, because it was on TV....but I really do not suspect, that it is any different in any of the other states...I really dont find that Florida acted in a way different from what would happen anywhere else...