"Bush warned that the appeals-court ruling could eventually lead to cutting off state funds for scholarships to private colleges or for care at religious-affiliated hospitals." (Tue, Aug. 17, 2004-Court tosses out vouchers-Gov. Bush planning to appeal the ruling-By Diane Hirth-DEMOCRAT CAPITOL BUREAU)
Finally, some sense out of my elected leaders!
You are right, Gov. Bush, regarding this analysis, and this is the argument you and your lawyers *should* make to the fla supreme court: "If we allow State funds for Universities, then why not High Schools?"
Not allowing co-equal aid for schools is religious *prejudice* and violates the "free exercise" of religion clauses in state (and federal) constitutions:
ARTICLE I DECLARATION OF RIGHTS-
SECTION 3. Religious freedom.--There shall be no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting or penalizing the free exercise thereof.
While we (23 authors of a joint press release below) supported your 'Terri's Law' initially, we now, in great numbers, have issued this statement: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/8/prweb146899.htm (and on my sites below), OPPOSING Terri's Law becasue it is ineffective, and collectively ask:
"Why can't you just enforce current state laws regarding felony abuse of the disabled?"
You and your secratary of State refused to accord Janet Reno the recount that State Law mandated and demanded, so since you won't listen to State Law regarding enforcing felony abuse laws for handicapped citizens (Terri Schiavo) --or Elections Laws (2002, not 2000; Al Gore got his votes counted properly -and then some), I have to come off the bench and finish what you left undone.
You are one for three by my count here, not a good batting average, and this does not even account for the racial prejudice I received at the hands of your insurance commissioner's security detail, who, according the the police report, asked me to leave a function based solely on my ethnic background (Native American), due to a small feather I was waering at the time. (These all resulted in prolonged court battles.)
Are you racially prejudiced too?
Nonetheless, we Floridians, in our own way, pray for you and your colleagues to offer God obedience:
1 Samuel 15
22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. [Gordon adds: Or Governor??]
Matthew 25
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. [Gordon asks: "Is Terri Schiavo included in 'the least of these'?" and "Should we starve her and expect Jesus to be pleased?"]
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
I'll translate this for you: If you don't use the FDLE to prevent Terri Schiavo from being dehydrated and denied water and food (she would die of lack of water sooner than starvation), JESUS will be angry with you, and you see He told those people to go to hell, quite literally. You can look it up in your own Bible if you don't believe me.
Our prayer is that you won't be afraid to obey God regarding his desire you enforce *all* the state's laws -not just the Terri's Law. The laws are a promise to God and man. Let's keep our promises. All people are important in God's eyes - you, me, Terri Schiavo, Mike Schiavo, all people.
RE: DECLARATION OF RIGHTS-SECTION 23. Right of privacy.--Every natural person has the right to be let alone and free from governmental intrusion into the person's private life
except as otherwise provided herein.
PS: Although you know I'm NOT a fan of Terri's Law, still if you want to win it like you are doing with your vocal skill on the vouchers, you need to remember (and tell the press) that the right to privacy MUST OF A NECESSITY YIELD to the rights to life, liberty, etc, becasue the section above says: "except as otherwise provided herein."
I am writing you in case Attorney Ken Connor forgets to bring this up in oral arguments.
Gordon Wayne Watts
BS, The Florida State University, Biological and Chemical Sciences
AS, United Electronics Institute
821 Alicia Road
Lakeland, FL 33801-2113http://HomeTown.AOL.com/Gww1210 or http://www.GeoCities.com/Gordon_Watts32313
Home: (863) 688-9880 Work: (863) 686-3411 Voice&FAX: (863) 687-6141
Gww1210@aol.com ; Gww12102002@Yahoo.com
Truth is the strongest, most stable force in the Universe.
TRUTH doesn't bend to the will of tyrants.
Gordon Wayne Watts
Get Truth.
"First, they [Nazis] came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me." (Martin Niemoller, given credit for a quotation in The Harper Religious and Inspirational Quotation Companion, ed. Margaret Pepper (New York: Harper &Row, 1989), 429 -as cited on page 44, note 17, of Religious Cleansing in the American Republic, by Keith A. Fornier, Copyright 1993, by Liberty, Life, and Family Publications.
(Actually, they may not have come for the Jews first, as it's far more likely they came for the prisoners, mentally handicapped, and other so-called "inferiors" first -as historians tell us -so they could get "practiced up;" But, they did come for them -due to the silence of their neighbors -and due, in part, to their own silence. So the general idea is correct: "Speak up now, or forever hold your peace." --gordon)
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