 Silkweaver says: Let's say the idea of terminating a Down's pregnancy doesn't disturb you. But what about babies who will be born with holes in their hearts, a potential for cancer, or possible schizophrenia? Where does eugenics become genetic fascism? Given that this kind of pre-natal screening is aimed at helping parents make an informed decision about whether to terminate, what conditions should parents be allowed to screen for? I know the word Eugenics is very disturbing for most of us. Perhaps we should forget it and invent another word. I find much more disturbing the fact that human beings will be brought to a life of suffering disability and ultimate dependency for them and others while we have the means to choose otherwise. I believe we can be wise and compassionate to make responsible choices. As a conscious human being if I would have given the choice between to be born with a serious life shattering physical or mental disability or not be born at all, I definitely would have chosen not to be born. I am full of respect and admiration for those very few who manage to overcome such serious disabilities and lea... Hopefully questions like this won't have to be asked much longer - so long as genetics and medical research gets proper funding so that when problems are detected early in a pregnancy they can be fixed. @oortcloud we can't "fix" down syndrome any more than we can "fix" eye color. Silk, YOU would choose being burned alive inside and out with no anesthetic or place to hide from the pain? For hours or even days? with an alternate mental status, can you really say that's what you would choose- for YOURSELF? It isn't even about what the child would choose anymore. it is about money and independence. What others want, not what the children want. I had a child with Down Syndrome. It isn't all that terrible. Beauty and love are characteristics that they possess in abundance.They also relish life like many other "normal" people never do. a diagnosis of Down Syndrome does not mean terrible mental or physical disability, or lifetime dependence. Many children are in the normal... poly, its a genetic disorder. My genetic knowledge is limited, but seems to me that a bit of gene tinkering in the fetus if the condition is detected would eradicate it. As well as eventually changing eye color if one so wanted. , in a deeper level I believe we should not a priori justify the birth of seriously disabled babies just to affirm the strength of the human spirit, or our capacity for compassion and care.Silkweaver - you raise some interesting questions. In the West, we've gone from imprisoning and abusing persons with disabilities to caring for or aborting them, (a general perspective). I don't have an answer (who does?), but what I wonder is just what is the measure of normal and where does abnormal (or the point where we abort) begin? http://www.ndss.org/index.php |
View the Top Clips from December 1, 2008
Embed This Clip In Your Site...
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||
|
New from the makers of Clipmarks: Amplify.com - Don't just share the news...Amplify it!
|
||||||||||||||||
