Dawkins on Down Syndrome foetus: "Abort and Try again"

[the_bob_delusion]

“Abort it and try again. It would be immoral to bring it into the world if you have the choice,” -Dawkins.

Discuss. 

[the_bob_delusion]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/richard-dawkins-on-babies-with-down-syndrome-abort-it-and-t...

[daydream**believer]

popcorn

[2106greencat]

ditto......

[raptor_rebooted]

He did apologize

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/aug/21/richard-dawkins-apologises-downs-syndrome-tweet

Dawkins claimed he had hoped that his million-plus followers would not see his comments, which would instead only be sent out to the people who follow both himself and the woman who posed the question.

[j*oono]

I can certainly understand his point of view.  Especially with the fact that children with Down's syndrome can often be afflicted with other health problems and congenital disorders.

• heart disorders
• bowel abnormalities
• digestive problems
• hearing and vision impairments
• thyroid dysfunctions
• increased risk of infections
• blood disorders
• increased risk of dementia

From this site. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Downs-syndrome/Pages/Complications.aspx

Now if you knew just how bad your baby's problems were going to be before the birth as we can tell nowadays with blood tests, amnios and scans, would you subject them to that life? 

[daydream**believer]

no joono, i wouldnt

[the_bob_delusion]

---

@j*oono wrote:

I can certainly understand his point of view.  Especially with the fact that children with Down's syndrome can often be afflicted with other health problems and congenital disorders.

• heart disorders
• bowel abnormalities
• digestive problems
• hearing and vision impairments
• thyroid dysfunctions
• increased risk of infections
• blood disorders
• increased risk of dementia

From this site. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Downs-syndrome/Pages/Complications.aspx

Now if you knew just how bad your baby's problems were going to be before the birth as we can tell nowadays with blood tests, amnios and scans, would you subject them to that life? 

---

So are you saying those who knowingly give birth to DS babies if given a choice are essentially subjecting their child to a life of pain and misery?

[j*oono]

No, you said that.

They have to make the decision that is right for them and their baby.

[k0llectable5]

This is a hard one to have an opinion on because we all want to be moralistic and not just go around killing "people" because they aren't perfect.  

For me though, I honestly think this would be one of the few circumstances where I would abort and try again.  Not just because of the risk of all the possible health problems but because as a parent it must be so hard to have to care for a DS child (not to say that before too long you wouldn't just get used to it, but it just seems like a perfectly valid reason to abort imho.