Richard Dawkins - "Abort it, try again".

[Retro Rob]

The University of Oxford professor told one mother that if she found out she was carrying a baby with Down syndrome she should 'abort it and try again.' He issued an apology on his website a day later. The comments came just weeks after other controversial statements he made about rape.

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-styl...icle-1.1911789

This really isn't about Dawkins as much as it is about the "morality" behind keeing an Downs child. I agree with the logic about the end (reducing the suffering in the world), but the means (aborting Downs fetustes) is questionable.

Interestingly, this is a statement from the Downs Syndrome Association in response:

“People with Down’s syndrome can and do live full and rewarding lives, they also make a valuable contribution to our society. At the Down’s Syndrome Association we do not believe Down’s syndrome in itself should be a reason for termination, however we realise that families must make their own choice. The DSA strives to ensure that all prospective parents are given accurate and up to date information about the condition and what life might be like today for someone with Down’s syndrome

Personally, if someone asked for my advice on such a deeply emotional and personal decision, I'd refer them to a medical professional and would withhold my personal advice.

 

[nehalem256]

If you subscribe to the belief that a fetus is not a person how is it possible to object to what he said.

Under that belief a woman who did not get an abortion would be engaging in pure selfishness.

 

[nehalem256]

For example:

A newly released Harvard study has found that caring for an individual with autism can cost more than $3 million in their lifetime. The total bill to U.S. society would reach $35 billion a year, according to what Harvard's School of Public Health is billing as the first study to comprehensively survey and document the costs of autism. For more on the study

http://www.autismspeaks.org/news/news-item/autism-has-high-costs-us-society

I would imagine that the cost for someone with down's syndrome would be similar.

 

[Atreus21]

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-styl...icle-1.1911789

This really isn't about Dawkins as much as it is about the "morality" behind keeing an Downs child. I agree with the logic about the end (reducing the suffering in the world), but the means (aborting Downs fetustes) is questionable.

Interestingly, this is a statement from the Downs Syndrome Association in response:




Personally, if someone asked for my advice on such a deeply emotional and personal decision, I'd refer them to a medical professional and would withhold my personal advice.

Nice guy. Smug prick. It must be nice prescribing death to those you consider lesser human beings.

 

[soundforbjt]

In before nehalem256 starts one of his rants...too late.

 

[realibrad]

Personally, if someone asked for my advice on such a deeply emotional and personal decision, I'd refer them to a medical professional and would withhold my personal advice.

You give your personal opinion on topics you find just as personal with religion, so why would you hold back here?

 

[justoh]

Seems like good advice. What's the problem?

 

[crashtestdummy]

As the father of a newborn child, I have to say I really don't know what we would have done had he had Down's Syndrome, and we knew about it early. I feel tremendously lucky that wasn't a decision I had to make.

 

[Retro Rob]

You give your personal opinion on topics you find just as personal with religion, so why would you hold back here?

Wait, what? No one's asking me what religion they should choose, and if they did, I'd not advise them.

Nice strawman, though.

 

[Atreus21]

Seems like good advice. What's the problem?

The problem is that killing a child to save them from Down syndrome is monstrous. Killing anyone so that we need not be troubled by their affliction is monstrous.

 

[nehalem256]

Seems like good advice. What's the problem?

Double-think. Liberals like to claim that a fetus has about as much worth as menstrual blood sometimes, but then claim that eliminating said menstrual blood is a traumatic experience other times.

 

[justoh]

The problem is that killing a child to save them from Down syndrome is monstrous. Killing anyone so that we need not be troubled by their affliction is monstrous.

Oh. My bad. I thought we were talking about a hypothetical abortion here, not the killing a child. Yes, that would be monstrous.

 

[Atreus21]

Oh. My bad. I thought we were talking about a hypothetical abortion here, not the killing a child.

What is the distinction?

 

[dank69]

Double-think. Liberals like to claim that a fetus has about as much worth as menstrual blood sometimes, but then claim that eliminating said menstrual blood is a traumatic experience other times.

Showing once again that the woman's intention towards the fetus holds exactly zero weight in your mind.

 

[justoh]

What is the distinction?

hmm. you got me. Beyond the obvious, I don't know.

 

[nehalem256]

Showing once again that the woman's intention towards the fetus holds exactly zero weight in your mind.

Why should it?

If a KKK supporter considered black people to be sub-human would that give them the right to kill black people? Of course not.

Because black people are people regardless of the views of any individual.

Saying that a woman's intentions towards a fetus determines its person is disgusting narcissism.

 

[dank69]

Why should it?

If a KKK supporter considered black people to be sub-human would that give them the right to kill black people? Of course not.

Because black people are people regardless of the views of any individual.

Saying that a woman's intentions towards a fetus determines its person is disgusting narcissism.

Who said anything about determining its person?

 

[nehalem256]

Who said anything about determining its person?

That is the basis of whether abortion is right or wrong dumbass.

If a fetus is little more than menstrual blood why should Dawkins feel bad about telling a woman to dispose of it?

 

[Nebor]

He was right the first time, and shouldn't have apologized.

 

[dank69]

That is the basis of whether abortion is right or wrong dumbass.

...

Oh, I thought it was about a woman's right to choose what's best for her own body.

 

[nehalem256]

Oh, I thought it was about a woman's right to choose what's best for her own body.

If a woman had a rotten tooth would it be wrong to tell her to visit the dentist?

 

[shortylickens]

Soon.....

 

[dank69]

If a woman had a rotten tooth would it be wrong to tell her to visit the dentist?

Who would give unsolicited dental advice?

 

[nehalem256]

Who would give unsolicited dental advice?

Someone who commentated on dental care?

It seems like liberals have redefined a woman's right to make choices about her body to also mean that no one should ever comment on whether those choices are good or not.

 

[Nebor]

Someone who commentated on dental care?

It seems like liberals have redefined a woman's right to make choices about her body to also mean that no one should ever comment on whether those choices are good or not.

No one should ever comment on any woman's behavior. That's patriarchy. That's misogyny. That's your male privilege showing. You think Zoe Quinn is a whore? You don't know her situation. You've never been in her shoes! You think Casey Anthony is a murderer? You can't possibly understand the pressure she was under.