Comments on: Letter to Minister of Health re: Lawfulness of the killing of Unborn Children diagnosed with Down Syndrome http://righttolife.org.nz/2009/letter-to-minister-of-health-re-lawfulness-of-the-killing-of-unborn-children-diagnosed-with-down-syndrome/ Upholding the sanctity of life in New Zealand Sat, 21 Aug 2010 21:44:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Stella McLeod http://righttolife.org.nz/2009/letter-to-minister-of-health-re-lawfulness-of-the-killing-of-unborn-children-diagnosed-with-down-syndrome/comment-page-1/#comment-1880 Stella McLeod Mon, 03 May 2010 00:35:12 +0000 http://righttolife.org.nz/2010/letter-to-minister-of-health-re-lawfulness-of-the-killing-of-unborn-children-diagnosed-with-down-syndrome/#comment-1880 “That there is a substantial risk that the child, if born, would be so physically or mentally abnormal as to be seriously handicapped…” This ground relates to a pregnancy of not more that 20 weeks gestation. There are countless stories of doctors giving unduly pessimistic predictions about how disabled a child will be after birth (which the child disproves later) so how can they tell before birth? Even if the child is so severrly abnormal that they are going to die at birth or just live a short life, why should their lives be any less worthwhile than that of a normal child who dies at a young age from illness or accident. I'm sure it is rare for a parent in the latter situations to wish they had aborted the child rather than go through the current suffering. Instead they are thankful for the time they had with their child and bemoan the fact that it wasn't longer. How come these children would be considered "too young to die" but babies in the womb are not? And what about the babies who are aborted after 20 weeks? Why hasn't anyone been arrested for their murder if this is illegal? Since our babies with "abnormalities", along with those conceived via rape and incest, are used as an excuse to legalise abortion I think the only way to stop abortion is to strongly defend the right of these babies to life. If they have a right to protection before birth, then so does every other baby no matter how inconvenient the pregnancy is. “That there is a substantial risk that the child, if born, would be so physically or mentally abnormal as to be seriously handicapped…” This ground relates to a pregnancy of not more that 20 weeks gestation.

There are countless stories of doctors giving unduly pessimistic predictions about how disabled a child will be after birth (which the child disproves later) so how can they tell before birth? Even if the child is so severrly abnormal that they are going to die at birth or just live a short life, why should their lives be any less worthwhile than that of a normal child who dies at a young age from illness or accident. I’m sure it is rare for a parent in the latter situations to wish they had aborted the child rather than go through the current suffering. Instead they are thankful for the time they had with their child and bemoan the fact that it wasn’t longer. How come these children would be considered “too young to die” but babies in the womb are not? And what about the babies who are aborted after 20 weeks? Why hasn’t anyone been arrested for their murder if this is illegal?

Since our babies with “abnormalities”, along with those conceived via rape and incest, are used as an excuse to legalise abortion I think the only way to stop abortion is to strongly defend the right of these babies to life. If they have a right to protection before birth, then so does every other baby no matter how inconvenient the pregnancy is.

]]> By: Marianne http://righttolife.org.nz/2009/letter-to-minister-of-health-re-lawfulness-of-the-killing-of-unborn-children-diagnosed-with-down-syndrome/comment-page-1/#comment-1758 Marianne Wed, 31 Mar 2010 04:47:28 +0000 http://righttolife.org.nz/2010/letter-to-minister-of-health-re-lawfulness-of-the-killing-of-unborn-children-diagnosed-with-down-syndrome/#comment-1758 I think we need to be careful about urging ultrasound images of the unborn for precisely that reason. What if such a scan shows that the unborn child has Downs Syndrome or signs of another intellectual disability I think we need to be careful about urging ultrasound images of the unborn for precisely that reason. What if such a scan shows that the unborn child has Downs Syndrome or signs of another intellectual disability

]]> By: Katherine Broughton http://righttolife.org.nz/2009/letter-to-minister-of-health-re-lawfulness-of-the-killing-of-unborn-children-diagnosed-with-down-syndrome/comment-page-1/#comment-1628 Katherine Broughton Mon, 22 Feb 2010 01:46:38 +0000 http://righttolife.org.nz/2010/letter-to-minister-of-health-re-lawfulness-of-the-killing-of-unborn-children-diagnosed-with-down-syndrome/#comment-1628 Dear Ken, I completely agree with your comments about aborting babies with Downs Syndrome. It is illegal for a school to refuse enrollment of a student based on whether or not they have a disability. I believe it should similarly be illegal for a child to be aborted because they have a disability. In the December 2009 edition of the Treasures magazine is a lovely article about a dad whose child was unexpectedly born with Downs Syndrome. The article tells of his initial shock and his more recent acceptance and love of his child. Dear Ken,
I completely agree with your comments about aborting babies with Downs Syndrome. It is illegal for a school to refuse enrollment of a student based on whether or not they have a disability. I believe it should similarly be illegal for a child to be aborted because they have a disability.

In the December 2009 edition of the Treasures magazine is a lovely article about a dad whose child was unexpectedly born with Downs Syndrome. The article tells of his initial shock and his more recent acceptance and love of his child.

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