From JEB to FR: Full text of Gov Bush's letter to Judge Greer re: Terri Schiavo

Note to FR, from summer: Yesterday I emailed Gov Bush, thanking him for taking action in this matter. I mentioned to him that I hadn't seen a full text of the letter he wrote to the judge, and I would like to read it. I then received it this morning by email from his office.

After that, I noticed his letter -- while not published in full by any of the newspapers I saw -- is also available and does exist in a download on Teri's web site.

However, for those unable to access that download, and who, like me, wanted to read the letter, here it is -- for all of us on FR, from Gov Bush:

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----- Original Message -----
From: [Governor Bush's office]
To: [summer's email]
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 8:06 AM
Subject: Letter regarding Terri Schiavo

> August 26, 2003

> The Honorable George W. Greer
> Judge, Sixth Judicial Circuit
> 315 Court Street, Room 484
> Clearwater, Florida 33756

Dear Judge Greer:

> I appreciate the challenging legal and ethical issues before you in the case > of Terri Schiavo. As I have expressed over the course of the past several > weeks, our system of government has committed these decisions to the > judicial branch, and we must respect that process. Consistent with this > principle, I normally would not address a letter to a judge in a pending > legal proceeding. However, my office has received over 27,000 emails > reflecting understandable concern for the well being of Terri Schiavo. > Given that there is no procedural avenue available for these views to be > expressed to you in the normal course of the proceedings, I feel compelled > to write in the hopes that you will give serious consideration to > re-appointment of a guardian ad litem for Mrs. Schiavo before permitting the > removal of her feeding tube or other actions calculated to end her life.

> This case represents the disturbing result of a severe family disagreement > in extremely trying circumstances. Emotions are high, accusations abound, > and at the heart of this public and private maelstrom is a young woman > incapable of speaking for herself.

> I am disturbed by new rumors about the guardian's actions related to the > current care of Mrs. Schiavo. It has come to my attention that Mrs. Schiavo > has contracted a life threatening illness, and that she may be denied > appropriate treatment. If true, this indicates a decision by her caregivers > to initiate an "exit protocol" that may include withholding treatment from > Mrs. Schiavo until her death, which would render this Court's ultimate > decision moot. While the issue of Mrs. Schiavo's care is still before the > Court, I urge you to ensure that no act of omission or commission be allowed > to adversely affect Mrs. Schiavo's health before the September 11th hearing > you have set. No one involved should be permitted to circumvent due process > or the Court's authority in order to achieve personal objectives in this > case.

> Even discounting these rumors, there are a number of factual disputes > regarding Mrs. Schiavo's medical condition, past and current care and > therapy, and her prognosis. Given the contradictory positions of her > guardian and other family members, I respectfully ask that you re-appoint a > qualified guardian ad litem to independently investigate the circumstances > of this case, and provide the Court an unbiased view that considers only the > best interests of Mrs. Schiavo.

> It is a fine balance between Mrs. Schiavo's right to privacy and her right > to life, both of which are co-equal in our Constitution. To err on one side > is to prolong her existence, perhaps against her wishes, and continue the > debate. To err on the other is an irrevocable act that affords no > remediation. I respectfully ask that you give Mrs. Schiavo's family the > opportunity to present any new evidence as to her wishes. Evidence as to > her wishes should be reweighed as often as necessary to take into account > the effect of any new evidence, that is, to determine whether "clear and > convincing evidence" still exists that Mrs. Schiavo would now choose > withdrawal of life-prolonging procedures. While this process may delay the > surrogate's exercise of Mrs. Schiavo's privacy rights, it is necessary to > avoid denying her right to life. I urge you to err on the side of > conservative judgment to ensure that all facts can be uncovered and > considered before her life is terminated.

> I appreciate your compassion for Mrs. Schiavo's plight, and that of the > family members locked in dispute in these tragic circumstances. In light of > the ongoing contention related to so many issues in this case, I hope you > will consider appointing a guardian ad litem to ensure that the ultimate > decision is based on facts presented clearly, unclouded and uncolored by > personal interests of litigants.

> Sincerely,

> Jeb Bush

> cc: Patricia Fields Anderson, Esq.
> George J. Felos, Esq.

Thanks summer!
For posting this thread and adding your "freeper weight" to the support of Terri Shiavo.
I held the medical power of attorney for my former husband for many years after our divorce.
His wishes, should he ever become incapable of stating them,was to exhaust all medical care, and then to cling on, as a comatose "vegatable", as long as humanly and finacially possible.He so loved life!
I, in turn, trusted him with the same but opposite power, should I ever be declared brain dead, by competent medical sources, I wished to avoid any extreme medical efforts to prolong my physical existance.
I knew he would probably not accept my death, as long as there was a single thread of hope that I might recieve a miracle.
I forgave him in advance, for what I knew he would actually do, should I actually endure his worst nightmare.
Absent written or widely known instructions,it is impossible to ascertain what Terri wants, in her condition.
It is obvious that her parents want her to continue to exist.
It is not so clear why her "husband" is adament that she ceases to exist, as soon as possible, through a court ordered medical euthanasia/murder.
That Terri Shiavo still stubbornly clings to life, despite the immense obstacles her "husband" has orchestrated in the courts, makes me think she is not yet ready to die.
I can understand that, though it would not be my own choice.
I fail to understand why (j)udge Greer is unable to come to the same blatantly obvious conclusion.

The next set of power brokers that are politically responsive only when boxed into a corner are the Roman Catholic Bishops of Florida.

It is their individual and collective responsibility to oppose the fundamental concepts woven into the developing governmental support and encouragement of euthanasia.

Ironically, they've gathered to chant for the lifting of a death sentence imposed upon a murderer condemned to die by a Florida court.

Compare the weak and evasive comments given thus far about Terri's fight for life, with their vigorous demand that Governor Bush act to spare a convicted killer Paul Hill.

If only Terri had committed a felonious crime instead of perhaps being the victim of the same, these pious pretenders would be chained to her bed protesting Greer's inhuman death decree.

Urge your circle of contacts, and their circle of contacts to focus every ounce of their considerable clout in the direction of these identity-challenged potentates. Urge them to speak against government's intent to use Terri as a foundation for the institutionalizing of euthanasia as public policy.

Archbishop John C. Favalora - no email address available
Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ - no email address available
Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito, JCL - email : c/o dlucia@dioogdensburg.org
Bishop John J. Nevins - email : c/o feliz@dioceseofvenice.org
Bishop Victor Galeone - no email address available
Bishop Norbert M. Dorsey, CP - email : info@diocese.org
Bishop Robert N. Lynch - email : comdosp@aol.com
Bishop Thomas G. Wenski - no email address available

Government argues the aged and infirmed ( not illegal aliens ) are a burden. Government tells us we need to rid ourselves of the responsibility for providing care for those who rose to defend America in its time of need.

Government is asking that we give it the ultimate control over every American Citizen ( less the millions of illegal aliens leaching from us on a daily basis ). Government wants us to close our eyes to the very real fact that Terri, and all like her are creations of God.

We stood by and permitted government to presume His Will once already, when we ceded our authority to a public policy ending life in the womb.

Now we are witnessing a compounding of this grievous error, with a further attempt by government to arbitrarily assume control over who will be permitted to live beyond the womb, and when they will have God Almighty's gift of life stolen from them by the pen of men in black robes .

Demand they join with Governor Jeb Bush. Tell them they're obliged to renounce the slow death by starvation decreed by a goose-stepping Hitlerite pig ( you might be the wiser to chose the term 'judge' ).

Below is a letter I strongly urge you to urge your contacts to copy and email to John Paul II, as written by Thomas A. Droleskey, a journalist with the Seattle Catholic

Dear Holy Father, You have raised your office in the past twenty-five years against the horror of abortion. You have spoken out against other crimes against innocent human life. You have made it a point to intervene directly in the cases of convicted criminals who have been sentenced to death after due process of law, pleading with governors and presidents to commute death sentences in individual cases, including that of the now executed Timothy McVeigh in 2001. However, Your Holiness has not once intervened in the case of a person being starved and dehydrated to death by a family member.

Although you spoke in general terms about the immorality of the withdrawal of food and water prior to Hugh Finn's murder in 1998, you did not plead with the then Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, James Gilmore, to intervene to save his life. You never mentioned the name of Hugh Finn, as you have mentioned the names of men and women who have been convicted of heinous crimes.

Please, Your Holiness, intervene in the case of Terri Schiavo. Be concerned only about the fact that Terri Schiavo's only 'crime' has been her inability to speak in her own behalf. She has parents and family members and friends who love her; devoted to providing her with the care she may need if only they are allowed by the court to give her that loving care.

Terri Schiavo needs the help of her spiritual father on earth in her time of need. I plead with Your Holiness to extend your protective hand to her.

/s/

More to follow...........

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