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Dear Representative:

I was born in Florida, raised in Florida, and still reside in Florida 34 years
later. I have been a registered voter since the day I turned 18. I ask that
you heed the voice of the people of this state, and across our great country.

Florida’s Speaker of the House will introduce “Terri’s Bill” at a special
session of the Florida Legislature today, Monday, October 20, 2003.
The Bill would put an immediate moratorium on all dehydration and starvation
deaths currently pending in Florida. By Florida law, two thirds majority vote
are required to have a topic entered. Vote YES and pass this bill, for the sake
of HUMANITY.

It is an unconscionable that we, as such a great nation can point our fingers at
other countries with disdain while allowing such inhumane treatment of our very
own \"stricken\" citizens. Our Humane Societies protect even our lowliest
creatures from any such torturous acts as these. The deprivation of food and
water by which to cause the death of any live creature is cruel and inhumane no
matter how you dress it up.

This practice is deemed acceptable as is supposedly falls within the following:

\"the use of extraordinary artificial support systems\"

\"extraordinary, life-prolonging treatment\"

\"utilizing extraordinary mechanical or other artificial means to sustain their
vital bodily functions\"

\"artificial, life-prolonging measures\"

Just when did providing food and water become extraordinary or artificial?
Shall we agree to stop feeding our nursinghome patients because it is considered
\"life-prolonging\"?

How about our infants? If my baby could not swallow... would it then be deemed
\'okay\' that I didn\'t take her to a hospital, but instead (as the guardian)
decided to forego feedings because the baby made it \'apparant\' that it had no
interest in taking in sustenance? NO, that would be a CRIMINAL ACT!

I have also seen the following: \"medical advances have made it possible to keep
the body alive although the brain has ceased (came to an end; stopped) to
function\"
Is it not obvious that someone who is able to breathe entirely on their own
still has some brain function which has not ceased.

Brain dead is a brain which has totally ceased to function (having irreversible
loss of brain function as indicated by a persistent flat electroencephalogram);
if you remove \'articifial life support\' from someone who is brain dead, their
body will cease to function. By removing food and water from a person whose
brain is still active, their body does not cease to function... it continues to
function until the brain is starved and dehydrated to DEATH.

This is an important distinction. If this act of barbarism is allowed, don\'t
be surprised to find it ultimately used as a defense in a criminal court when
someone is charged with murder in the future.

I expect that you have risen to the point in your career that you are at because
you are intelligent, compassionate, and wise enough to know the difference
between right & wrong.

Raquel Pointer