Catholic Dads

This Sunday Times article caused a sort of stir. It shows what radically different world views there are. This is a truism, but in this case, it’s a frightening one. Writer Minette Marrin argues that the quality of life of a Down’s adult, and the effect on society, is awful enough that abortion is a runaway best choice.

We could just dismiss the article for the basis of its argument: her mistaken belief that Down’s syndrome adults lead miserable lives. But I don’t want to just drop it, because it shows us so much about the way people think on the other side of a chasm of belief.

Marrin’s claim that Down’s adults are miserable is based partly on the higher incidence of diseases, but very prominent is her (mistaken) belief that Down’s adults never have sex. Better to die than be celibate? Actually, I kind of relate to this , but seriously, I can’t put forth a belief that a sexless life is not worth living. Marrin isn’t embarrassed to put it front and center in her argument. (She does not mention marriage.)

The article also shows a divide regarding language. For her, eugenics is an “ugly word” and should not be used to describe views that belong to her. But actually eugenics is a euphemism (it’s Greek for “well born”), for killing or sterilizing those that deemed unfit — that is, it’s a nice way of describing her recommendation for Down’s babies. But for her, the evil exists not in the act, but in the word.

Finally, figuring prominently in the article is that loving someone with Down syndrome costs time and money. She didn’t make it her main point, but: someone actually advanced government budget constraints as a reason that my wife and I should have killed our son. It wasn’t too crass to say.

Oddly enough it doesn’t get me angry. Anger is the emotion of protecting you and yours, and I don’t think anyone’s coming after Liam. Sadness is the emotion of loss, and I’m not feeling optimistic about the so-called culture war these days. The casualties are too high.

(The original of this post is at Letters to Liam.)

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