So, the Pro-Life Movement is something that's recently (and by "recently" I mean within the past few months) become more relevant to me individually. No, I have not become pregnant, and no, I do not personally know anyone who has, but I have become more informed about abortion.
First off, I'm in a ranting mood so I'm probably going to rabbit trail a little bit. Second, I might be a little harsh and frank because ranting moods tend to make me do that. I will try my best to edit my thoughts and words so they still have some kind of love in them.
OKAY! "Andrea, why are you in a ranting mood?" Well, random audience member, I will tell you. I just finished reading a beautifully written opinion article from my college newspaper about a Richard Dawkins quote relating to whether or not a woman should abort her child with Down Syndrome. I know the writer and she did an awesome job. There are things I would like to add to this topic, though, and since I have free reign because this is a blog and not affiliated with anyone but myself, I will now craft my response to Dawkins.
He was quoted as tweeting "Abort it and try it again. It would be immoral to bring it into the world if you have the choice." First off, I personally have to question your view of morality, Mr. Dawkins, because you are an atheist and therefore we do not share the same worldview at all. Taking that whole issue out of it, don't call the child an "it." If you're going to openly and publicly condone the slaughter of innocent life then maybe consider growing a backbone and saying it like it really is. "Oh, but that's offensive and politically incorrect!" THEN MAYBE CHANGE YOUR POINT OF VIEW ALTOGETHER.
ANNNNND calming down a bit...
Next, in the article I read, the writer further explained how Dawkins expounded on what he meant on his website, richarddawkins.net. I would totally provide you with a link to the actual page but my wifi is a little shaky so I can't get it to load properly right now. My apologies. I don't know how I feel about quoting all of her quotes from him but I'll provide a summary for you. Dawkins essentially tells the woman it's immoral to give birth to a child with Down Syndrome if you know early enough in the pregnancy, and also giving birth and allowing that child to live opens up the door to future burdens and suffering.
Legit, he uses the words "suffering" and "burden". He doesn't come right out and say that that child is a burden and will suffer, but it is heavily, heavily implied. Let's all take a moment to just let that sink in.
Okay. Now that that atrocious idea has been implanted in our minds, let's address what he said. So, Mr. Dawkins - talking to you again - you're wrong on a few counts. Again, your morality is just...what is it even based on if you don't believe in God? That's, like, the heart issue here. I'm not fully qualified to confront that at this point in time, but know that once you fix that, we'll probably start to see more eye-to-eye. Second, but for the grace of the God you don't believe in, you are not that child that you are encouraging that mother to abort. Please let that sink in. I know it's kind of a cheesy rhetoric that's sometimes passed around between pro-lifers that everyone who supports abortion hasn't been aborted BUT IT IS SO TRUE.
Thirdly, and yes this required a new paragraph, from a secular standpoint, you don't know what that child was capable of. Killing any child (AND THAT IS WHAT ABORTION IS - THERE IS NO SUGAR COATING MURDER) is wrong because murder is wrong. Inherently. Taking away that life takes away so much potential. That child could cure cancer, or could make the computer that knocks Apple and HP out of the park, OR could be the person responsible for SAVING YOUR LIFE if, and I'm in no way wishing this on you, you become fatally ill or injured or something. But...you'll never know...because they're dead. Because you said it was more "moral" that way.
"But, Andrea, this kid had Down Syndrome. That's the not the same thing." Correct. People with Down, or any other form of handicap are not the same DEVELOPMENTALLY. And sometimes physically. But that has no bearing on their personhood. THEIR PERSONHOOD. THEY ARE PEOPLE. THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU AND I ARE. I AM LITERALLY SHOUTING IN MY HEAD AS I TYPE THIS SO PLEASE READ IT THAT WAY.
I don't care if someone is mentally handicapped or physically handicapped or both or neither. That person is a person regardless! Know why? Well, because God said so. "Ha ha, God's not real." False. But, again, that's not my main point right now.
It ticks me off so much when people assume that because someone is mentally or physically handicapped, they'll be a "burden" or they'll have a "lower quality of life." You don't know crap about what that person's life is like if you don't actually know them and ask them. Sure, not all mentally challenged people can verbalize things in the same way, but that doesn't mean that they're suffering.
And you want to know the really crazy thing about mentally challenged people? They will change you forever.
I dare you, Richard Dawkins, and anyone else who cares to tell me that all mentally and physically handicapped people have horrible lives and that their parents are immoral for letting them live that life, to go spend ONE DAY with them. That's all it takes. They are some of the freest, most inhibition-less, happiest, most JOYFUL (and yes, there's a difference there), brightest people that you will ever encounter. And they will love the crap out of you because that is just who they are. Not all people with handicaps are like that, sure, but a vast majority of the ones I've met are (and I've met a lot of them so I know what I'm talking about).
And that whole burden argument is garbage. When you love someone, it's not a burden to take care of them. Mr. Dawkins, you yourself were once a dependent, diaper-wearing baby that someone, somewhere cared enough about to take care of. You didn't make it where you are in life by yourself. I don't have to know your whole life story to know that. So forget that whole argument! It's not based on anything.
People with Down syndrome, or any other kind of handicap, are literally some of the best people that have ever lived. One of my best friends on this planet is mentally challenged and I love her like she's family. She's improved my "quality of life" tenfold just by being who she is.
THIS WHOLE ISSUE SHOULDN'T EVEN BE AN ISSUE! It's a NON-ISSUE! They are people and they matter and they're awesome and we - also as people - do not have the right to decide whether or not these people get to live. They get to live for the same reason we do - because God decided to let them.
RANT OVER. (I could go on forever about this but I'll probably start repeating myself and getting overly worked up so this will have to do for now)
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