Push against liberal abortion laws
“You should have killed your daughter.” That is a phrase I hear every time someone justifies abortion by appealing to the child’s “quality of life” or “how much the child will suffer.” And, unfortunately, it’s a phrase that I have heard screaming at me through the television and the computer with the latest push for liberalized late-term abortion in this country.
My daughter was diagnosed prenatally with a congenital heart defect; further, my wife and I were told there was a high probability she had a genetic disorder called 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome, a disorder that, when found prenatally, is normally responded to with an abortion.
The hospital sent counselors to talk with us about the future. We were told how much our unborn daughter would suffer and how many things would, or might, affect her in the future. They did not try to push abortion on us — we had already filled out dozens of forms indicating that abortion would never be contemplated — but we were told that if we wanted to have future children, then we should pursue “selective” in vitro fertilization so the genetic condition would not be a possibility.
Our daughter, Teresa, was born in June 2016, and we spent the next three months, off and on, in the hospital. She has already endured three surgeries, and she will have at least two more over the next year. She has therapies of various sorts almost every day of the workweek. She is also the happiest, sweetest and most joyful human being that one could meet. I could not imagine a world without her; it would be a much darker place.
Our daughter’s life brings us back to the news of the past few weeks: the push throughout Democrat-held states for liberalized abortion laws. The governor of Virginia justified this by pointing out that those abortions are for those with deformities and disabilities — for unborn children like my daughter.
I hope that a civilized society will recognize the barbarity of that argument and push back with great force. This push for liberalized abortion laws, including a massive propaganda campaign with arguments similar to those of the governor of Virginia, will put more pressure on the expectant parents of children with disabilities and genetic disorders to abort, and that is something we, as human beings, should not allow.
I must say a few words to those expectant parents. Yes, it will be hard. There will be many, many tears. But there will also be so much joy. Embrace life! Embrace the struggle! Embrace this cross! You, your child and the world will be better for it.
Finally, I must speak to the general readership. Go out and spend time with those with disabilities. Take part in a Best Buddies walk; volunteer at the Down Syndrome Association or for 22q at the Zoo; do something to make those with disabilities and their families feel welcome.
That is how you will build a culture of life.