What some of you seem to be forgetting is that this student did not make a threat. He responded to a teachers request for a scary story and guess what, he scored a 100 on all counts. They are not protecting anyone with this sort of behaviour. If anything this will just breed more resentment and hate and eventually spawn more killings. As usual we confuse symptoms and causes. Kids often inappropriately express themselves and this is part of the growing process. By making these actions illegal we stifle the child and instill a sense of fear and that is unhealthy. The actions that authorities are taking such as Mosaic 2000 are a sick attempt on society's part to control after the fact. Fear and suspicion will never lead to a healthy society.
As someone who has worked in a Children's Hospital I can tell you that for many people the life of the child and the family turns into a constant series of hospital trips and reams of paperwork for insurance companies. There are some cases where one would have to really think beyond our "gut", or emotional reactions to what we think is wrong. Medical science has so far superceded nature that those old rules don't apply. Many of these children would have never had a chance in the past and for good reason.
Mr. Singer is not suggesting that all handicapped children are euthanised, but those that are severe cases. I have seen charts of a constantly evolving series of operations, drugs, and specialized mechanical parts to hold a head up, or a body together. There are constant forms to fill out for bigger wheelchairs as the child grows up. Many children face a constant series of invasive surgical procedures that basically cut up the body to accomodate growth. This process also takes it toll on the families and often robs the other children in the family of their childhood. I'm not advocating anything other than a closer examination of the issues and acknowledgment that this is a complex topic. Parents should have, in very specifically qualified cases, the chance to choose. We are all at the mercy of our parents decisions about jobs, regions, school, everything, and this shouldn't be any different.
The time I spent working at the hospital opened my eyes to levels of sickness and deformity that I didn't even know existed. I know that for some of these children, life was a slowly diminishing return, and I know that I would rather not go through a constant battle with agony that had nothing but the inevitability of an early death to look forward to. As in most things in our society, the best care is always available for the prviliged and I guess for them existence is precious. For the rest it's watching your child stuck in a wheelchair two sizes too small because an HMO or the state won't pay for the new one. Or watching your child in pain when certain drugs or surgery are not "covered" in your policy. It's always easy to bandy about what "should" be valued or precious when it's not us that has to foot the financial and emotional toll.
After seeing it from the inside I would say that Mr. Singer has the courage to bring up a topic that bears deep examination and not just kneejerk reactions.
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What some of you seem to be forgetting is that this student did not make a threat. He responded to a teachers request for a scary story and guess what, he scored a 100 on all counts. They are not protecting anyone with this sort of behaviour. If anything this will just breed more resentment and hate and eventually spawn more killings. As usual we confuse symptoms and causes. Kids often inappropriately express themselves and this is part of the growing process. By making these actions illegal we stifle the child and instill a sense of fear and that is unhealthy. The actions that authorities are taking such as Mosaic 2000 are a sick attempt on society's part to control after the fact. Fear and suspicion will never lead to a healthy society.
Mr. Singer is not suggesting that all handicapped children are euthanised, but those that are severe cases. I have seen charts of a constantly evolving series of operations, drugs, and specialized mechanical parts to hold a head up, or a body together. There are constant forms to fill out for bigger wheelchairs as the child grows up. Many children face a constant series of invasive surgical procedures that basically cut up the body to accomodate growth. This process also takes it toll on the families and often robs the other children in the family of their childhood. I'm not advocating anything other than a closer examination of the issues and acknowledgment that this is a complex topic. Parents should have, in very specifically qualified cases, the chance to choose. We are all at the mercy of our parents decisions about jobs, regions, school, everything, and this shouldn't be any different.
The time I spent working at the hospital opened my eyes to levels of sickness and deformity that I didn't even know existed. I know that for some of these children, life was a slowly diminishing return, and I know that I would rather not go through a constant battle with agony that had nothing but the inevitability of an early death to look forward to. As in most things in our society, the best care is always available for the prviliged and I guess for them existence is precious. For the rest it's watching your child stuck in a wheelchair two sizes too small because an HMO or the state won't pay for the new one. Or watching your child in pain when certain drugs or surgery are not "covered" in your policy. It's always easy to bandy about what "should" be valued or precious when it's not us that has to foot the financial and emotional toll.
After seeing it from the inside I would say that Mr. Singer has the courage to bring up a topic that bears deep examination and not just kneejerk reactions.