Nickname: drillanwr

Review: Col. Jihad ... Criticize all you want. But I would rather see parents with special needs children receive government assistance than junkies and alcoholics, et al. who are personally and completely responsible for their "disabilities". This is exactly why I stridently resist socialized health care in this country. Babies and children with special needs would be exempt from such "universal healthcare", as they would be viewed as nonviable citizens who don't contribute to the government purse. This world is going to pay dearly for its lost soul and blackened heart.

Date reviewed: Jan 19, 2007 11:09 PM

Nickname: Col. Jihad

Review: Prof. Schiltz' article glosses over some criticl points. Authority and responsibility go together. In a free society, acceptance and criticism are facts of life. Prof. Schiltz argues that parents should have the authority to keep a Down Syndrome child, but still insists that all the rest of us be responsible for paying for her decision. She also insists that she has the right to be free of any criticism for her choice. I accept without condition that parents have the right to make this choice. But since with authority goes responsibility, they are then personally liable for the costs they incur. Anything else is immoral. And I absolutely reserve the right to criticize such decisions. Such decisions are egoistic and cruel. COL Jihad

Date reviewed: Oct 17, 2006 1:31 AM

Nickname: Marie

Review: Jarek, sad to read that you think you are doing a child a favor by aborting them if they have a disease or a disability. I have 3 children, 2 of whom have disabilities, and do not believe it was my right to decide that they were not supposed to be in this world. They are awesome kids and have taught others many things about tolerance, perserverence, and unconditional love. Choosing to abort your child is not heroic or kind. It is a failure to love that which you have made unconditionally and to recognize its right to be in this world just as you were given that same right by your mom years ago. Perhaps you could volunteer and spend some time around children with disabilities. You might just see what you have been missing.

Date reviewed: Sep 12, 2006 4:36 PM

Nickname: Adam

Review: That cynical way of thinking is what allows change for the worse, Jack. Technology may be seen as a separate entity by those who are blinded by the "what if's" and "wow"s of a step closer to "immortality." But the lifeblood of technology is people, people who chose to do things. People who can change their views to the better, people who can see and feel right from wrong (even if they try to deny it), and people who search for and desire the truth. Technology in its current state is only serving to further de-humanize us and our societies. Ot's up to us to make sure it doesn't. It is our responsiblity to take back what little control we had. Accepting the choices of the noisiest few and going along with their ideas is what put the Nazis in power. What we need to do is discuss this topic and other important topics with more people, and try to soften their hearts to accepting humanity as it is, and not how they think it should be(insert Hollywood style utopia here).

Date reviewed: Aug 27, 2006 2:56 AM

Nickname: Diagnosed inferior

Review: Why the talk of the differences between adults and embryoes? This article is not about abortion rights, it is about disabled people's right to exist. You're missing the point. I was born with a form of autism, and I have a sister with down syndrome. This article is a breath of fresh air and I can't believe that ideologues are using the occasion to try and win this thumb war over abortion. The Supreme Court has already decided the issue. Grow up. I am tired of being identified as inherently worse off. There is a t-shirt: "my only disability is your attitude!" It is tempting for you to blame our very real suffering solely on our disability, because it means you don't have to change your attitude. Meanwhile, we have to fight world war three to get the acomodation we need. Gee, thanks. Please do not lie and say you care about our suffering. If you cared, you would not be putting your money and rhetoric into eliminating us. We can't do everything you can, but we want to live too.

Date reviewed: Aug 26, 2006 1:06 AM

Nickname: Kip Watson

Review: What a great article. Thank you you for writing it. We also experienced arrogant, ignorant doctors pushing us to abort. Incredulous and disapproving when we wouldn't. But having a disabled kid is fantastic! Our daughter (with DS) is an absolute joy. I wouldn't trade her for the world. She's such a sweet, funny, happy kid. Her sister loves her like crazy and is very protective of her. The (minor) extra effort we need to put into looking after her has brought us closer as a family. And the whole affair has taught us about ourselves, about the people around us and about what really matters in life and in people. And for myself personally, when I look at a lifetime of selfish deeds and ask myself 'what good did I ever do in my life?', I can say 'well, at least I didn't let the doctors kill my daughter.' Downies kids (and adults) are a special blessing and a joy. The world is poorer for their extermination.

Date reviewed: Aug 4, 2006 4:39 AM

Nickname: DeputyHeadmistress

Review: We adopted a child with severe retardation. I have been told by somebody who didn't realize she was adopted, "Too bad you didn't realize she was retarded when you were pregant so you could have aborted." The social coercion is here and it is real. Nobody wishes for a child to be born with disabilities, and nobody chooses to have them-- but that's not the same thing as choosing to be dead, rather than disabled. But I don't see arrogance in the decision to accept a child with handicaps. I see incredible hubris in the judgement that a child would be better off dead than disabled.

Date reviewed: Aug 1, 2006 4:17 PM

Nickname: Ronald

Review: You are trying to attack a moral problem with courtroom tactics. Firstly you raise the spectre of eugenics, but deliberately misrepresent it: Nazi's allowed only "healthy people" to mate and exterminated "unhealthy" people. One hundred years ago the disorders you mention would have resulted in certain early death. Similar advancements now make it possible to avoid the problem altogether. Secondly you intentionally blur the line between a clump of cells and a full grown person until by personifying things you equate the clump of cells to a full grown person. These tactics are straight Perry Mason ("Doctor are you sure death could not have occurred 15 minutes later?"). That is an insult to the full grown person: they are not equal. You cannot equate an 18 year old, or Bush to a clump of cells. If in IVF treatment, people could choose between an implantation of a healthy embryo and one with a disease would you advocate for random implantation?

Date reviewed: Jul 28, 2006 1:54 PM

Nickname: Chris N

Review: My brother had a brain tumor diagnosed at age 10. It was removed successfully, but he was then classified as "learning disabled" and had a measurable IQ of 70. Prior to the surgery he was a very bright child who excelled in math. Should we have just let him die instead of doing the surgery? Should we have let him lie in a bed forever instead of teaching him to walk, eat and read again? He ended up graduating from high school, traveled to Europe and around the U.S. and had a better life than many "normal" people I know. Our family chose to accept him in whatever way he came. Four years ago, I was presented with an option to abort my 24 week old fetus who was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. We chose to keep her, too. Our entire family and circle of friends accepted her just like they accepted our other children. Diversity is what makes this world so beautiful. Can you imagine a world made up of only Paris Hiltons and Tom Cruises? God forbid!

Date reviewed: Jul 27, 2006 9:50 PM

Nickname: Socrates13

Review: While the eugenic trend to destroy life may not be "state sponsored" as in the case of Nazis, it nonetheless follows a common path. The eugenics movement preceeded the Nazi's state sponsored murders. The Nazi's merely made this murder mandatory. It should not even be an option!

Date reviewed: Jul 27, 2006 5:19 PM