Brian Skotko, a joint-degree student at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and Medical School, last year published two research papers that concluded physicians often relay the news in an overwhelmingly negative way, focusing on the limitations and hardships a child with Down syndrome may face&“We have to decide as a society what forms of life are valuable,” Skotko said. “Do we as a society believe people should be able to terminate a pregnancy solely because the child will have Down syndrome, or any other undesired trait? Where do you draw the line?”
He then notes a National Holocaust Museum exhibit about the Nazi public health program that systematically eliminated the disabled as unworthy of life in the Third Reich.
The Nazi persecution of persons with disabilities in Germany was one component of radical public health policies aimed at excluding hereditarily "unfit" Germans from the national community. These strategies began with forced sterilization and escalated toward mass murder. The most extreme measure, the Euthanasia Program, was in itself a rehearsal for Nazi Germany's broader genocidal policies. It is estimated that 275,000 adults and children were murdered because of their disabilities.
It's scary how quickly and easily doctors and nurses leap to offer abortion as a solution to pregnancy problems. It's part of the devaluation of human life that begins with ubiquitous birth control extends through abortion and quickly morphs into euthanasia and assisted suicide. Eventually, before you know it, you have a genocide program exterminating a whole culture. Pope Paul VI predicted it in Humanae Vitae and we're seeing its fruition today.
“We have to decide as a society what forms of life are valuable,” Skotko said.”
Do we really have to? Some would say no:
“Decisions regarding who should or should not live can, by definition, be made only by those who believe such decisions should be made; and therein lies the horror that nothing can ever exorcise from the ideology behind human bioengineering.”
From 1993 to 1998, there were 295 Down Syndrome livebirths, four stillbirths and 197 Down Syndrome foetuses aborted. ...in the Down Syndrome livebirth rate in the same years from 1.17 to 0.89 per 1000 total live births. ...in 1998 due to antenatal diagnosis and selective termination.
ALmost 10 year old data, but the trend was apparent in 1998. See Singapore Med J. 2002 Feb;43(2):070-6
My God have mercy on us.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/29/06 at 06:15 AM
Just to note. The screening for downs syndrome is not perfect. My sister was told her son, Kevin had down’s syndrome and was not only encouraged to kill him but to donate his organs to a baby in Florida.
He didn’t have downs syndrome. It was a mistake.
Isabelle
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/29/06 at 08:39 PM
Your daughter Anna is beautiful! Her smile made me smile. God bless you!
Isabelle
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/29/06 at 08:44 PM
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Downs syndrome and Nazi extermination
Another good catch by Harry of the Squaring the Globe blog: The Boston Globe today featured a story about the pressure put on parents who are pregnant with a Downs syndrome child to have an abortion.He then notes a National Holocaust Museum exhibit about the Nazi public health program that systematically eliminated the disabled as unworthy of life in the Third Reich.Technorati Tags: abortion, Downs syndrome, Nazis
It's scary how quickly and easily doctors and nurses leap to offer abortion as a solution to pregnancy problems. It's part of the devaluation of human life that begins with ubiquitous birth control extends through abortion and quickly morphs into euthanasia and assisted suicide. Eventually, before you know it, you have a genocide program exterminating a whole culture. Pope Paul VI predicted it in Humanae Vitae and we're seeing its fruition today.COMMENTS
This kind of thinking makes me crazy, sad, afraid…and grateful that there’s some sanity still among us. I blogged on this last October:
http://tinyurl.com/pb7oj
The article called “The Abortion Debate No One Wants to Have” is worth the read.
Posted by Kelly Clark on 05/28/06 at 07:53 PM
“We have to decide as a society what forms of life are valuable,” Skotko said.”
Do we really have to? Some would say no:
“Decisions regarding who should or should not live can, by definition, be made only by those who believe such decisions should be made; and therein lies the horror that nothing can ever exorcise from the ideology behind human bioengineering.”
-David B. Hart, The Anti-Theology of the Body
http://www.thenewatlantis.com/archive/9/hart.htm
Posted by Kevin J Jones on 05/28/06 at 10:42 PM
From 1993 to 1998, there were 295 Down Syndrome livebirths, four stillbirths and 197 Down Syndrome foetuses aborted. ...in the Down Syndrome livebirth rate in the same years from 1.17 to 0.89 per 1000 total live births. ...in 1998 due to antenatal diagnosis and selective termination.
ALmost 10 year old data, but the trend was apparent in 1998. See Singapore Med J. 2002 Feb;43(2):070-6
My God have mercy on us.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/29/06 at 06:15 AM
As Drudge spotted today, aborting babies for minor, treatable imperfections is becoming common in Britain.
Posted by RC on 05/29/06 at 10:16 AM
Here’s a quicker link to Anna Klein…she’s lovely, Keith!
http://tinyurl.com/jo8dm
Posted by Kelly Clark on 05/29/06 at 08:28 PM
Just to note. The screening for downs syndrome is not perfect. My sister was told her son, Kevin had down’s syndrome and was not only encouraged to kill him but to donate his organs to a baby in Florida.
He didn’t have downs syndrome. It was a mistake.
Isabelle
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/29/06 at 08:39 PM
Your daughter Anna is beautiful! Her smile made me smile. God bless you!
Isabelle
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 05/29/06 at 08:44 PM
Comments are being moderated. After you submit your comment it could take up to a couple hours, but usually only a few minutes, before it will appear. Thank you for your patience. If you have any questions, you may contact Domenico Bettinelli.