He's a Southern Baptist. What does he know about Catholic last rites?!!!
BTW, check this out, an actual interview with the reclusive judge.
I'm troubled by some things he says. I'll comment later.
EXCERPT:
In an August 12 interview with the Witness, Greer said that as a judge he is barred from commenting on anything “that has the word ‘Schiavo’ in it,” and so therefore cannot “defend himself” on anything that has been said about his decision making, although that didn’t prevent him from strongly criticizing Smith, without naming him.
Agreeing to an interview only after learning it was not an “editorial,” Greer said he took offense that a Baptist newspaper would editorialize on the Schiavo case.
“I was very much disappointed. No one had talked to me—[I] couldn’t talk anyway—but no one had asked me. I had no idea of what the gentleman had been told,” Greer said. “This case is forty volumes thick, right now. I guarantee he didn’t read it. I was very disappointed that someone in that position would attack another Southern Baptist.”
Smith’s editorials, which dealt primarily with issues related to ethical consideration with euthanasia and end of life issues, were among hundreds of articles, editorials and internet e-mails written by pro-life advocates in support of Terri Schiavo.
Greer said he disagreed with the editorials which he called “unchristian.”
“There’s a difference between me saying, I think you’re in error and I wish you’d reconsider your position, as opposed to, you’re wrong, you’re dead wrong, you’re stupid. And that’s how those editorials came across,” Greer said. “And I disagree with myself sometimes, he said.”
Describing a court case with which he disagreed with his own ruling, Greer said he “looked at a lawyer right in his eye” and told him he agreed with his position, but ruled against him anyway.
“My job is to follow the law, not to agree with the law, but to follow it,” said Greer, who said his conscience is not bothered even when he disagrees with the law. “That’s how our system operates. At my level, I just do what the law tells me to do. That’s what I’m supposed to do. That’s my oath.”
Anything short of that, Greer said, would be judicial activism. “If I was to do otherwise, I’d be one of those activist judges that the conservatives think are so bad. That’s the definition of an activist judge, is they do what they think it ought to be, irrespective of the law.”
And it isn’t up to him to effect a change, Greer said, but it should be left to the appellate court or to the legislature.
“It’s not my job. It’s not up to the trial judges,” he said. “Anything can be appealed.”
Responding to a question raised by critics that Greer may commonly rubber-stamp certain decisions regarding guardianship cases, the judge said there are 5,000 guardianship cases assigned to his division.
“My guess is you can find anything in those 5,000 cases to support anything you want to make as a common occurrence,” said Greer. “And there’s no way I can get in and micromanage those guardianships. I usually respond when the clerk or one of the litigants brings an issue forward.”
http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com/2999.article
Very interesting article. He says he can't comment on anything that has the word 'Schiavo' in it and then he proceeds to do just that.
He says “This case is forty volumes thick" and then talks in generic terms about the case and other cases like it.
I think this is interesting:
“And there’s no way I can get in and micromanage those guardianships. I usually respond when the clerk or one of the litigants brings an issue forward.”
I thought he appointed himself as Terri's guardian ad litem. Why did he single out Terri's case to micromanage?
It sounds as if he's trying to proclaim innocence while he's disregarding laws.