Richard Dawkins said it raw and simple, if you are aware during your pregnancy that your child has Down syndrome, go ahead and “Abort it and try again. It would be immoral to bring it into the world if you have the choice.”
@InYourFaceNYer Abort it and try again. It would be immoral to bring it into the world if you have the choice.
— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) August 20, 2014
So, considering that I have two children with Down syndrome, I suppose he’d think I am the most immoral and ignorant person in the world for not using my personal choice of killing my own children. That’s interesting, but not uncommon.
Having a degree seems to give some people the right to decide the meaning of morality, perfection, and suffering. What they don’t know is that the simple fact of being a human being provides you with the power to embrace love, and transform the ignorance and prejudice that many times cannot be abolished with a university education, same as soul poverty can’t be abrogated with money.
The New York Times published an article about the truth of Down syndrome, a beautifully written publication that uses several surveys and studies to demonstrate that people with Down syndrome don’t suffer, they find joy and grow up to become successful as members of society, but for those of us who have the blessing of having children, with or without Down syndrome, the day to day is our constant reminder that suffering is not defined by an extra chromosome but for our inability to overcome our own prejudices and fears, to finally understand that every experience brings something bigger and amazing when we understand that life is more than a genetic composition or the desire to prove that life on earth is all we have.
This morning my son left with his father to get a hair cut, my daughter was playing in the living room when I called her to my room to watch a princess movie together. Her appearance was mysterious and quiet, as she was trying to not get much attention. When I looked at her face, she hurried to say “Emir did it” Her face was all covered with chocolate ice cream. I asked her what happened, and she said that my son put the chocolate ice cream on her face, she didn’t eat it.
Trying to not to laugh, I sent her to time out, for eating chocolate ice cream, for lying and for implicating her brother in a crime that he didn’t commit. It was when I was alone brushing my hair while watching my reflection at the mirror that Dawkins’ statement echoed in my head. Richard Dawkins, I don’t need to explain myself to you or to anyone other than God on my personal choices of immorality, but I’d tweet you back saying “You have no clue what you are talking about”, but for now, my daughter is back from time out and all that I really want is to keep being immorally happy!
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