Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Florida Dept of Children and Families

Not that this is news to my readers, but this whole "Culture of Life" BS is a poorly played double standard.
" Fifteen years after brain damage put Terri Schiavo in a persistent vegetative state, the Florida Department of Children and Families went to excruciating lengths to block the removal of a feeding tube that was sustaining her. Fifteen days after a toddler was beaten nearly to death despite DCF cataloging numerous alarming signs of abuse, the agency began seeking a Do-Not-Resuscitate order for her.
"I thought she would potentially live in a vegetative state," DCF's chief medical director told The Post two months after examining 2-year-old Moesha Sylencieux on Jan. 26, 2001.
....
Gov. Bush has appointed two more secretaries to lead DCF since the agency initially mishandled Moesha's case under Ms. Kearney, but an unfair practice of valuing some lives more than others continues to hurt some of the neediest and most fragile Floridians. In 2003, after failing to protect a severely mentally retarded woman from being raped while in state custody, DCF fought to save the woman's fetus. Similarly, late last month, after failing to protect a 13-year-old in state custody from becoming pregnant, DCF fought to save the girl's fetus. While the state was fighting fiercely to save the unborn, it continued quietly fighting — using private lawyers — to avoid financial responsibility for a living child, one irreversibly harmed while dependent on the state for protection.
Ms. Amora deserves to know why DCF abandoned Marissa. "Is it because she was black or because she was a political embarrassment or because they screwed up?" she asks, with as much sadness as anger. "Why?"
When the agency sought to intervene in the Terri Schiavo case, a DCF spokeswoman told one newspaper: "We have a duty to protect the vulnerable and investigate allegations of abuse." President Bush urged "all those who honor Terri Schiavo to continue to work to build a culture of life where all Americans are welcomed and valued and protected, especially those who live at the mercy of others." In January, Gov. Bush vowed his all to help keep Terri Schiavo breathing: "I will do whatever I can do within the powers that have been granted to me by law and by statute. I'll do whatever I can."
Why don't they care as much for Marissa?"

You'll have to check out the whole article to know who all these folks are, but essentially, Florida's DCF cares greatly about unborn fetuses, but doesn't care so much for the mother's or well anyone alive that isn't on the upper level of the income scale. This is really a joke. I mean, a 13 year old in state custody was impregnated while there?!? And then to put effort into saving the child while removing state obligation as thoroughly as possible is just uncalled for.

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