LifeNews.com, MT
Jan 11 2008
Jack Kevorkian Speech at University of Florida Nears, Complaints
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 11, 2008
Gainesville, FL (LifeNews.com) — The emailbox of University of
Florida president Bernie Machen has been flooded every since
LifeNews.com first spotlighted an upcoming speech Jack Kevorkian
plans to give there. Now that the presentation is less than a week
away, pro-life advocates are turning up the volume on the complaints.
Machen’s office says he has received more than 1,000 emails all with
the same message — cancel the speech by the nation’s foremost
euthanasia advocate.
Kevorkian’s address is planned for Tuesday night at the O’Connell
Center and is sponsored by the speaker’s bureau of the campus student
government.
The speech would be his second following his release from prison for
killing a disabled man and showing the death on national television.
Ironically, it would occur in Florida, the site of the debate over
the life and death of Terri Schiavo.
His first speech, addressing prison reform issues, came at Wayne
State University.
Janine Sikes, a university spokeswoman, told the Independent
Alligator newspaper that she and Machen plan to respond to every
email criticizing the event. She claimed many of the emails are
identical in form, perhaps indicating a group is sending pre-written
messages to its supporters to send to Machen.
Katherine Schinn, president of UF’s Pro-Life Alliance, spoke with the
newspaper and said that members of her organization plan to protest
the event but will be peaceful and respectful of those attending.
Kevorkian was originally slated to speak to UF students on October 11
and receive $50,000 for the talk but it was postponed as UF officials
cited security concerns.
LifeNews.com reported in October that the pro-life youth group Rock
for Life has been working with Terri Schiavo’s family and others to
try to get the college to call off the speech.
Bobby Schindler, Terri’s brother, told LifeNews.com at the time that
"Despite the ongoing message of death spreading through our society
and those, like Jack Kevorkian, who attempt to justify killing the
most vulnerable among us, we are committed to fight against this
death-obsessed culture and spread Terri’s legacy of life, hope and
love."
ACTION: You can also contact the University of Florida President J.
Bernard Machen at 352-392-1311 or [email protected].