Columnist
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
As word of a UNC medical professor's recent comments regarding abortion of fetuses with Down syndrome reaches us here in eastern North Carolina, I am hardly able to contain my sense of rage.
Professor Albert Harris recently told his vertebrate embryology class that, in his opinion, "the moral thing for older mothers to do is to have amniocentesis as soon during pregnancy as is safe for the fetus, test whether placental cells have a third chromosome #21 and abort the fetus if it does." He went on to say, "I know somebody who had a child like this, and it ruined their life."
My husband and I have not one but two children with special needs: a son with Down syndrome and another son with autism, so we are no strangers to the extra effort needed to parent children with disabilities. We are also the recipients of the immeasurable joy that they have brought into our lives. To say that Harris' statements are infuriating would be an understatement, but it goes deeper than that.
Beyond the surface of these injurious words lies a much larger, insidious societal issue. Now that medical science has enabled us to get a peek at an unborn person's genetic makeup, who decides who is entitled to an existence and who is not? Who determines whose life will have sufficient quality as to justify being born, and whose life should be snuffed out before they see the light of day and get a chance to "ruin" someone else's life?
It wasn't bad enough that Harris inserted his obviously prejudiced personal views into an academic forum where it was inappropriate to do so; he spouted these archaic thoughts based on, as his wife admits, information that was over 30 years old.
Dr. Harris would have us go back to the days when doctors routinely advised parents of newborns with Down syndrome to send them to institutions, only worse. Dr. Harris would have them wiped out altogether. An entire genre of people eradicated like vermin because they contain an extra chromosome. It kind of smacks of a "Hitler" mentality where the disabled are viewed as less than human. I wonder how Dr. Harris would have advised Helen Keller's parents?
The term "special needs" is one that our society uses to define those individuals whose overall functioning falls outside of "the norm." The simple but often overlooked fact is that "special needs" does not translate to mean inferior in any way. It means "differently-abled." Those who are differently-abled should not have to justify their existence to anyone. The value of a human life is not measured by its self-help skills, its IQ score, how ambulatory it is, or how much it contributes to the gross national product. Human life has inestimable worth simply because it exists, and for no other reason.
My son Christopher, a 9-year-old, understands this. Every person he sees is simply a new friend he has yet to meet. This is a child who loves deeply and unconditionally, whose favorite thing to say to his parents is "You're precious." This is a child who never has to have the last word; he only insists on giving the last kiss. As I tuck him into bed each night, I think to myself, "How did I ever get to be so blessed as to be your mother?" Hardly injurious by anyone's definition, and yet, this is a life that Dr. Harris says I had a moral obligation to eliminate.
Christopher totally gets the concept that people's lives have value simply because they exist. Dr. Harris does not.
One has to wonder who has the better quality of life.
Tanya Holland is a
resident of Grandy
Comments
By Guler Banford
Mar 27, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this
HEY PROFESSOR HARRIS THIS POEM IS FOR YOU LETS SEE IF YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT
My face may be different
But my feelings the same
I laugh and I cry
And I take pride in my gains
I was sent here among you
To teach you to love
As God in the heavens
Looks down from above
To Him I'm no different
His love knows no bounds
It's those here among you
In cities and towns
That judge me by standards
That man has imparted
But this family I've chosen
Will help me get started
For I'm one of the children
So special and few
That came here to learn
The same lessons as you
That love is acceptance
It must come from the heart
We all have the same purpose
Though not the same start
The Lord gave me life
To live and embrace
And I'll do it as you do
But at my own pace
By Don Banford
Mar 22, 2008 11:48 AM | Link to this
The good doctor is another classic example of one who is educated beyond their means to understand. Don
By Tania
Mar 20, 2008 6:12 PM | Link to this
I'm 26 with a 25 year old Down Syndrome brother named Leon. And believe it or not my life has changed to the better. My family and I are blessed to have someone like him in our lives, each day we are thought something different about him and about life itself. He brings a smile to our faces whenever we are sad or not having a good day, he likes to make friends with every person he meets. I have always seen myself taking care of him and growing old with him not because he is my responsibility but because I want to and I love him. Mrs. Banford son and my brother are best of friends, and I'm lucky to be considered a friend among them. I am outraged that this so called "doctor" is teaching my generation and possibly generations to come with such a close mind!! No one has the right to terminate a life, each person in this earth is here for a purpose.
By Guler Banford
Mar 20, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this
It's me again a parent of a Downs Syndrome son and a coach to many other Downs Syndrome athletes for the last 15+ years. I forgot to mention a few things in my last comment. How many Downs Syndrome sons/daoughters have committed crimes such as breaking windshields on cars with a baseball bats for fun? How many Downs Syndrome sons/daughters have you heard of that graffity or destroy other people's property? How many Downs Syndrome sons/daughters have you seen on drugs, dressed in gothic, with tattoos, with piercings, or raped children? Lets think about all those NORMAL children(per say) out there that professor hasn't said any thing about. Go ahead and make your choices about which children are ruining parents' lives!!
By Carolyn Hulbert
Mar 20, 2008 12:06 PM | Link to this
Maybe this professor is on to something. But why stop at amnio to decide if we want to eliminate a child. Perhaps we could wait until they get, say kindergarten age, to see if they have learning disorders. Then we could simply eliminate them at that point, to make sure they didn't ruin our busy lives. Or perhaps until they are 12 or 13, to check for personality problems, because God knows there are plenty of teenagers ruining their parents' lives. I guess we could wait until they are adults, to make sure they all attend institutions of higher learning and get well paying jobs, because we don't want any citizens who are a drain on society. And if they make it through those check points, we always would have the option of eliminating them when they reach retirement age, because that would be an excellent solution to the Social Security crisis.
By Will Drinker
Mar 19, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this
My brother, Dan, has Down syndrome. I can't say he's ruined my life as much as defined it. This professors words are preposterous, and ignorant. If he spent as much time with a person of special needs he would understand their rightful place in this world is symbolic and necessary. If Dan were snuffed out before even having the opportunity to live, breathe, and speak, none of us would have been taught so many valuable lessons by his example. I've been producing an ongoing documentary project about him for a number of years now. Together we've been making a movie about his incredible life so that we can show the world who he is and what he's been through. You can see more of the project at http://dandrinker.com (just click Dan's Videos to see all the scenes!). I recommend you begin with the scene titled, "Dan's First Date With Sarah".
I can only wish the professor would watch him in action and see just why he was dead wrong.
Thank you for your time,
Will Drinker
484-213-7296
http://willdrinker.com
By Guler Banford
Mar 19, 2008 1:17 AM | Link to this
Unbelievable!! a professor teaching our next generation of educators doctors and parents such rediculus uneducated non scientific lessons. He should be asked to resign his position. He is from the Hitler days. I get so frustrated with people that even generalize about people with Downs Syndrome. They are all individuals and have their different skill levels. The less they are interacted with the less they might develop. Obviously this idiot of a professors needs to be reschooled. I have a 25 yr old Downs Syndrome son who has been the biggest blessing not only in our lives, but has educated and touched so many others. He is much smarter funner and capable than this professor. I would love to go visit his class and let the students see for themselves what a joy my son is to be around and how magnetic his personality is. Lets get a petition going to get this guy out of the teaching position for he is teaching the wrong facts about Downs Syndrome. It's people with closed and ancient mentality that should be removed from this earth giving these innocent, loving, generous, caring, beautiful souls a chance to educate our next generation. GOD save this professors soul because he will need it on judgement day.
By Art Simmons
Mar 11, 2008 9:52 PM | Link to this
"Zeus?" hoo boy....
By Chris
Mar 11, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this
Ms. Holland,
I agree that Dr. Harris has an odd opinion that is probly formed from not having personal experience. I agree that opinion has no place in science. However, I noticed that you formed a "slipery slope" argument. Other than that minor logical fallacy I agree with you. I wish you all the blessings Zeus can send you, your husband and your children.
By RO
Mar 10, 2008 11:51 PM | Link to this
You are a very special person yourself Ms. Holland. I am sure you were outraged; you had every right to be. I don't know you but I admire you. I wish for you all the blessings God can send to you, your husband and your very precious children.
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