Royal disgrace: Another baby dies
The eyes of the world were once again riveted on England, where another child was destined to become an international sensation. Discussions were dominated by talk of the “outcome,” creating an anticipation level that left some breathless.
No, we’re not talking about people guessing the birthdate of William and Kate’s third child, nor its gender or name.
It was something far more serious. Had the British government learned its lesson after unilaterally deciding last year to end a sick baby’s life, despite the strenuous objection of his parents? Or did it so relish its power to play God that it decided to up the ante and do it again?
Given that the one left breathless was 23-month-old Alfie Evans – the result of a governmentissued decree ordering his ventilator turned off, effectively sentencing him to death – it’s no secret which path the Brits took.
How incredibly ironic that, at the same time we celebrated the birth of His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge, we were witnessing the English government snuff the life out of Baby Alfie, after preventing his parents from seeking medical treatment elsewhere.
The recent situation is a more aggressive version of what happened to Baby Charlie Gard just a year ago. In that case, a medical death panel – with the full backing of the British government (all the way up to the Supreme Court) – decreed that all life support for Charlie, an 11-month-old who was afflicted with a rare genetic disorder, cease. And why? Officially, it was because the government deemed that a life of permanent disability and dependency was not worth living. In reality, it was because bureaucrats wanted to send the unmistakable message that they were almighty, knew best, and most important, that no amount of dissent would make them stray from their pursuit of absolute power.
Not surprisingly, the decisions stripping parents of legal rights to their children were also approved by the European Union’s Human Rights Court. More irony: A “human rights” court eviscerating the most basic human right – the right to life – of babies just trying to survive, while usurping the human right of parents to do what they believe is best for their child.
Alfie Evans suffered from a neurological disorder that developed when he was 1 – a condition that doctors were unable to accurately diagnose. After several months, deciding it was not in Alfie’s best interest to continue living, doctors ordered an end to all medical care, which included unplugging the ventilator.
Alfie’s parents did what any parents would do: Fight to stop the doctors’ rulings, and pull out all stops to protect their child. Court after court rejected arguments that Alfie’s parents had the most vested interest in the little boy’s well-being.
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of Britain’s Big Brother overreach was that Alfie, like Baby Charlie, had options elsewhere – options that were systematically denied. The pope intervened and offered the church’s financial, logistical and medical services in assisting Alfie. And in an offer no one could refuse – no one except Britain’s government – Italy offered immediate citizenship to Alfie, so that he could be transported and treated in an Italian hospital. England’s response: “Request denied, but thanks for playing.”
Too bad the royals forgot about how instilling empathy and compassion can work wonders in maintaining a civil society, such as when Queen Victoria embraced Joseph Merrick – the “Elephant Man” – and treated him with the dignity that should be afforded all human beings.
Alfie lived for five days after life support was pulled – and that was before his parents took turns breathing into his lungs to keep him alive.
Doctors and scientists are miracle workers. But fact is, not only aren’t they perfect, they’re frequently wrong. How often do we hear of a prognosis that someone has six months to live, yet is still going after six years? Or of people being cured when doctors thought it impossible?
Many media reports couched Aflie’s case as a Christian/Catholic/religious issue. It’s not. It’s a human issue – one in which the values of right vs. wrong, control vs. freedom, and leviathan vs. individual, are pitted against each other like never before.
If human society is best judged by how it treats its young, old, and infirm, let’s win one for babies Alfie, Charlie – and Louis, since we’re all in this together – by permanently pulling the plug on England’s death panels.
Not only would babies breathe a sigh of relief, but Britannia would again be the bees knees.