President's Statement on Terri Schiavo

The White House ^ | 3-17-2005 | George W. Bush

[BobS]

The case of Terri Schiavo raises complex issues. Yet in instances like this one, where there are serious questions and substantial doubts, our society, our laws, and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life. Those who live at the mercy of others deserve our special care and concern. It should be our goal as a nation to build a culture of life, where all Americans are valued, welcomed, and protected - and that culture of life must extend to individuals with disabilities.

[TigersEye]

Thought it was odd for you. Stuff happens! ; )

[dinok]

Go drink your coolaid

[attiladhun2]

Dear No:

Simply an excellent post. Thank you. What makes us better than mere animals (or androids) is the ability to sympathize with those who we do not even know. The vilest and most disgusting hatchet murderer will be better treated than this poor woman.

[Republican Wildcat]

Like I said - you are out of your mind.

[dinok]

Originality is foreign to you isn't it?

[Republican Wildcat]

You are out of your mind.

[potlatch]

Good article about the judges, SmartA!

[Smartass]

Good Evening Potlatch:

LOL...Thought I would come out of my sand box for a while!
You know what my feeling are about activist judges.

[potlatch]

I can well imagine what your feelings are about judges in general, LOL.

[Smartass]

I haven't had a chance to talk to you about the latest,
but I will!!!

[potlatch]

Hope it's good news. Email is safer than Freepmail!!

[Smartass]

I know...

[Smartass]

I know...

[potlatch]

LOL, you're repeating yourself!

[Smartass]

I know, I know, I know!!!!

[Zivasmate]

Your post is one of the most heart-warming posts I've read in my 6 months on FR. You and your heroic husband are a most noble couple for having done very different things in your lives, but the bottom line is your love and honor and humility.

To be so gratified in working with the ill, and the elderly is truly a G-dly act which should give you great inner satisfaction.And your husband's heroism in defending this wonderful country has us all indebted to him, whether he likes it or not.

G-d bless both of you, and may He allow you to continue on your wonderful mission for a long time. I as an Observant Jew, given our many commandments and rules, especially appreciate your dedication and devotion to the sick and infirm, one of the most noble deeds in our religion, as well.

[andysandmikesmom]

Thank you so much for your very kind words..they really have me on the verge of tears...

I think when one does work with the ill, the elderly, the disabled, the one who does the caregiving, is the one who receives the most in return...we take care of these people who die...and long after they are gone, we still remember each and every one of them, and am grateful they came into our lives...in a sense, they were part of our extended family...related not by blood, by held together by sharing the experience, of life and death...

I really do believe that most caregivers, whether in a hospital, or in a nursing home, or in home care, feel that way...

Again, thanks for your very kind words...the hubby appreciates them as well...hes a shy guy, never one, to ramble on about himself...but he does appreciate your thoughts...

[Zivasmate]

I'm proud to be able to go to sleep at night with the inner satisfaction of belonging to the same chat group as such noble folks as you and your husband, and, I might add, many others whose comments and opinions make me proud to be an American.

[andysandmikesmom]

You really are too kind...thanks...

[NJ_gent]

"So NJ, I guess you would be in favor of Florida having Sharia as the basis of its legal system?"

No, but if the people of the state of Florida so choose to enact that as the law of their land, then by all means they have every right to enforce every aspect of it that fits within both the Federal and their state Constitution. Begging Big Brother Federal government to come stomping in every time something's happening we don't like is no different from when liberals demand Uncle Sam fork over $20 billion for welfare programs because they saw a homesless guy the other day who looked pretty rough.

If the people of the state of Florida want to solve this problem, then it's well within their power to do so. They can remove that judge, pressure their legislature to enact legislation preventing this sort of thing from happening again, and even go so far as to modify their state constitution to specifically address this issue. The Federal government has no rightful authority in this matter, and its stepping in constitutes a blatant encroachment on the sovereignty of the state of Florida. If we treated states like we originally planned, this kind of action would bring incredible backlash against the Federal government from all corners of the US. As it stands, we seem to have forgotten that there's a reason this country didn't eliminate states when the Constitution was brought into being. In fact, the Constitution specifically addressed the sovereignty of states by specifically restricting the authority of the Federal government while leaving the powers of the states largely open-ended.

There was a reason for that, and it'll be the forgetting of that reason that'll be this country's undoing - not a shameful case of judicial power-grabbing and legislative apathy in Florida.

"States' rights never trump the right of the individual to life."

States have rights to protect the lives of millions. When states' rights are ignored for the sake of one person, we endanger the lives of 300 million others. Failing to see the long-term implications of knee-jerk reactions to heartbreaking cases will undo the best-laid plans of the men who came before us and laid the foundation for the liberties we now take for granted. Hard cases make bad law.