CLEARWATER, Florida, August 27, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Florida lawyer Jan Govan has entered the race to defeat Florida circuit judge George Greer in Tuesday’s primary. Govan decided to enter the fray to oppose the anti-life decisions of Greer.
Although the main reason for Govan’s entrance into the race is his disagreement with Greer’s judgements in brain-damaged Terri Schaivo’s case, the topic is out-of-bounds during the election, because the case is currently before the courts. Despite the ban, Govan is clearly in the race for his pro-life ideologies. “Do you believe that each of us has the right to enjoy and defend life?” his campaign brochures read, according to an Associated Press account. “Do you believe that no person shall be deprived of the right to enjoy and defend life because of race, religion, national origin, or physical disability?” Judge Greer ran unopposed in the previous two elections; he has ten times the financial backing that Govan has. Greer has twice upheld Michael Schiavo’s bid to remove his estranged wife Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube in order that she be starved to death.
“When I look at this I see a court system in crisis,” Govan explains. He said he decided to oppose Greer in the election the day he learned that another judge had opposed “Terri’s Law” – a law created by Florida Governor Jeb Bush last October to prevent the removal of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube. “I think I have an obligation to do something.” The election occurs on the same day the Florida Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on the constitutionality of “Terri’s Law.” Meanwhile, the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition has issued a demand that Terri Schiavo’s life be spared. “Our mandate is to prepare a well-informed coalition of groups and individuals who support measures that create a social barrier to euthanasia and assisted suicide in our country,” a press release reads. “Euthanasia is an action or an omission of an act which is intentionally done for the purpose of ending a person’s life, for reasons of ‘mercy.’ This act is often referred to as Mercy Killing. Dehydrating and starving a person to death is euthanasia when the person is not otherwise dying and the person continues to benefit from its provision.”“The decision to remove hydration and nutrition from a person who is nearing death and/or who’s body is unable to assimilate the fluid and food is not euthanasia because the body is not benefiting from its provision and in fact might suffer from fluid overload. Therefore the removal of hydration and nutrition is not done to cause death.”“If the Florida Supreme Court agrees to have her dehydrated and starved to death they in fact will be agreeing to allowing euthanasia by dehydration and starvation (omission) and will have opened wide the door to Mercy Killing in their State and eventually throughout the USA.”“Euthanasia by lethal injection and intentional overdose will soon follow because it is a far more humane way to kill the ‘medically unwanted.’”“The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition counts itself as supporters of Terri’s parents, the coalition of 17 national disability groups, especially Not Dead Yet, and all people of goodwill who are vigorously opposing the death of Terri Schiavo. We also recognize that all people with disabilities and other vulnerable Americans are directly threatened by a court decision that leads to Terri being euthanized. Medically vulnerable Americans need equal protection in law until their natural death.” For more information contact Alex Schadenberg, executive director, at the: Euthanasia Prevention Coalition o Box 25033 o London Ontario Canada o N6C 6A8 Tel: 1-877-439-3348 o Fax: (519) 439-7053 o Cell: (519) 851-1434 Email: [email protected]