Contrary to what Governor Bush said, as Chief Executor of the State of Florida, he DID have the authority and the duty to send in Florida State troopers to take Terri into protective custody. This, he should have done and THEN looked at the consequences and say, "Okay, now let's talk about this."
I would like to remind everyone and the Governor that Janet Reno didn't wait to hear from the Florida court before she went in to take Elian Gonzales. Janet Reno did not wait for the Texas court before she went into the Branch Dravidians compound at WACO. If Governor Bush had taken that one final step, Terri would be among us today.
If Governor Bush couldn't look out for the interest of one handicapped, abused woman, taking the final step that would have saved her life, then how can he be trusted to look out for the interest of our nation should he run for president?
No, Governor Bush is not a hero in the eyes of many of us. Although he initially gave all of us hope, in the end, he betrayed Terri, her parents, her siblings and those of us who believed he had the guts to do something.
At the beginning of the watch by those who wanted to protect Terri and who were standing outside her hospice of death, there were posters declaring Governor Bush a hero. When the Governor stated that "I've gone as far as I can go," the posters then displayed him with a big red "X" slashed across his face.
Should Governor Bush run for president, he will not have the support of the right-to-life people that helped to elect his brother.
One sign held by one of the demonstrators said, "This is how the holocaust started." Just as Hitler went through the courts in 1933 to rid German society of the handicapped, the mentally ill, the infirmed, followed by the Jews, Governor Bush allowed the Florida court to take this same, sick path.
One day Americans will wake up and say, "My God, My God, what have we done?" and Governor Jeb Bush will then realize that he did not do that which would have saved Terri's life.
// I would like to remind everyone and the Governor that Janet Reno didn’t wait to hear from the Florida court before she went in to take Elian Gonzales. Janet Reno did not wait for the Texas court before she went into the Branch Dravidians compound at WACO. If Governor Bush had taken that one final step, Terri would be among us today. //
Thanks for your post. What a horrible time that was, and what a water-shed clarifying event.
Outstanding post!