Sep 29 2008
The Value of a Life
Demented and disabled people have a duty to die. I have written about this here several times.
SO when I read this, it was meant for a post.
The weak are the first to suffer when a society embraces a “quality of life” standard as the measure for human worth. The truth is that the strong and the rich in society are the true beneficiaries of euthanasia. Their responsibility to care for the sick and infirm is lifted when euthanasia is encouraged.
A lot of people think they have a right to die in a manner of their choosing. This may or may not be true- it is based upon personal beliefs and values. Now we have governments and a culture that encourages people to legislate death wishes- even upon those who cannot speak for themselves.
The “quality of life” rhetoric of the euthanasia movement is the same rhetoric that the Nazis embraced when they embarked on a policy of killing and sterilizing the mentally or physically handicapped. Genocide of the “defective” became the means of removing the “waste” from society. This same mindset was present in the sterilization of the mentally handicapped in the U.S. in the early 1900s. These historical examples show the end result of “quality of life” thinking. Grading lives on a scale of “quality” implies that some lives are more or less worth living than others. It is a natural step from such thinking to advocate that those unfortunate people leading “lesser lives” ought to be put out of their misery.
Uugh. Astonishingly true. We see this often in the abortion debate: A woman learns her unborn baby will have a disability; she gets “rid” of “it” to avoid the personal sacrifice of time and money such a child would require hard life such a child would live.
To just put one out of their misery is a cop out…and a form of murder. Disabled and demented, and sick and hurt people should be scared. Because their lives are being calculated against the lives of others: Costs analysis should never be part of the discussion. Ever.
Life should be valuable- not as an asset or a liability– but as a gift. A priceless gift.
5 Responses to “The Value of a Life”
I’ve also heard the “quality of life” pro-abortion argument with regard to poverty. If a poor woman gives birth, instead of being allowed to have an abortion, the child will be forced to endure a miserable “quality of life”, so the argument goes. But what it really boils down to is, “the child will have a difficult time in life, so let’s take away the only chance he/she has.”
Interestingly, just before I cruised over to ARS this morning, I read this withering critique of Lady Warnock by Britain’s fine columnist Melanie Phillips.
The dehumanised landscape of Planet Warnock
We also heard this argument rear its ugly head around Sarah Palin’s most recent child.
Thank you for exposing this issue to our readers here.
Oh the socialists and their promises of a brave new world…
Eugenics-much?
If I were pregnant with a baby and was told that it would be born without the ability to communicate, or move, because of some terrible disability I would be hard pressed to make a decision about abortion. Not because of the inconvenience of taking care of such a child, but the concern about what would happen when I was 85 and he/she was 60 and I died? Who would care for the grown up disabled child then?
I thank the good Lord every day I’ve never had to make such a decision, but I can understand why someone in that position WOULD choose an abortion, and I would hate to judge them for that decision.
Kaitlyn,
You have an email… best check it and get back to me ASAP…